1
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Pino MTL, Rocca MV, Acosta LH, Cabilla JP. Challenging the Norm: The Unrecognized Impact of Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase Subunits in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:10053. [PMID: 39337539 PMCID: PMC11432225 DOI: 10.3390/ijms251810053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 08/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of nitric oxide (NO), a long journey has led us to the present, during which much knowledge has been gained about its pathway members and their roles in physiological and various pathophysiological conditions. Soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), the main NO receptor composed of the sGCα1 and sGCβ1 subunits, has been one of the central figures in this narrative. However, the sGCα1 and sGCβ1 subunits remained obscured by the focus on sGC's enzymatic activity for many years. In this review, we restore the significance of the sGCα1 and sGCβ1 subunits by compiling and analyzing available but previously overlooked information regarding their roles beyond enzymatic activity. We delve into the basics of sGC expression regulation, from its transcriptional regulation to its interaction with proteins, placing particular emphasis on evidence thus far demonstrating the actions of each sGC subunit in different tumor models. Exploring the roles of sGC subunits in cancer offers a valuable opportunity to enhance our understanding of tumor biology and discover new therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Teresa L Pino
- Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud, CONICET-Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires C1270AAH, Argentina
| | - María Victoria Rocca
- Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud, CONICET-Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires C1270AAH, Argentina
| | - Lucas H Acosta
- Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud, CONICET-Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires C1270AAH, Argentina
| | - Jimena P Cabilla
- Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud, CONICET-Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires C1270AAH, Argentina
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2
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Busnardo C, Crestani CC, Fassini A, Scarambone BM, Packard BA, Resstel LBM, Herman JP, Correa FMA. The influence of paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus soluble guanylate cyclase on autonomic and neuroendocrine responses to acute restraint stress in rats. Eur J Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 39235324 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) regulates physiological and behavioural responses evoked by stressful stimuli, but the local neurochemical and signalling mechanisms involved are not completely understood. The soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) within the PVN is implicated in autonomic and cardiovascular control in rodents under resting conditions. However, the involvement of PVN sGC-mediated signalling in stress responses is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the role of sGC within the PVN in cardiovascular, autonomic, neuroendocrine, and local neuronal responses to acute restraint stress in rats. Bilateral microinjection of the selective sGC inhibitor ODQ (1 nmol/100 nl) into the PVN reduced both the increased arterial pressure and the drop in cutaneous tail temperature evoked by restraint stress, while the tachycardia was enhanced. Intra-PVN injection of ODQ did not alter the number of Fos-immunoreactive neurons in either the dorsal cap parvocellular (PaDC), ventromedial (PaV), medial parvocellular (PaMP), or lateral magnocelllular (PaLM) portions of the PVN following acute restraint stress. Local microinjection of ODQ into the PVN did not affect the restraint-induced increases in plasma corticosterone concentration. Taken together, these findings suggest that sGC-mediated signalling in the PVN plays a key role in acute stress-induced pressor responses and sympathetically mediated cutaneous vasoconstriction, whereas the tachycardiac response is inhibited. Absence of an effect of ODQ on corticosterone and PVN neuronal activation in and the PaV and PaMP suggests that PVN sGC is not involved in restraint-evoked hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation and further indicates that autonomic and neuroendocrine responses are dissociable at the level of the PVN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiane Busnardo
- Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos C Crestani
- Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Aline Fassini
- Department of Neurology, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bianca M Scarambone
- Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Benjamin A Packard
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Leonardo B M Resstel
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - James P Herman
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Fernando M A Correa
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
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3
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Islam S, Jayaram DT, Biswas P, Stuehr DJ. Functional maturation of cytochromes P450 3A4 and 2D6 relies on GAPDH- and Hsp90-Dependent heme allocation. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105633. [PMID: 38199567 PMCID: PMC10840333 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Cytochrome P450 3A4 and 2D6 (EC 1.14.13.97 and 1.14.14.1; CYP3A4 and 2D6) are heme-containing enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of a wide number of xenobiotic and drug substrates and thus broadly impact human biology and pharmacologic therapies. Although their activities are directly proportional to their heme contents, little is known about the cellular heme delivery and insertion processes that enable their maturation to functional form. We investigated the potential involvement of GAPDH and chaperone Hsp90, based on our previous studies linking these proteins to intracellular heme allocation. We studied heme delivery and insertion into CYP3A4 and 2D6 after they were transiently expressed in HEK293T and GlyA CHO cells or when naturally expressed in HEPG2 cells in response to rifampicin, and also investigated their associations with GAPDH and Hsp90 in cells. The results indicate that GAPDH and its heme binding function is involved in delivery of mitochondria-generated heme to apo-CYP3A4 and 2D6, and that cell chaperone Hsp90 is additionally involved in driving their heme insertions. Uncovering how cells allocate heme to CYP3A4 and 2D6 provides new insight on their maturation processes and how this may help to regulate their functions in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidra Islam
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Pranjal Biswas
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Dennis J Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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4
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Montfort WR. Per-ARNT-Sim Domains in Nitric Oxide Signaling by Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168235. [PMID: 37572934 PMCID: PMC10858291 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) regulates large swaths of animal physiology including wound healing, vasodilation, memory formation, odor detection, sexual function, and response to infectious disease. The primary NO receptor is soluble guanyly/guanylate cyclase (sGC), a dimeric protein of ∼150 kDa that detects NO through a ferrous heme, leading to a large change in conformation and enhanced production of cGMP from GTP. In humans, loss of sGC function contributes to multiple disease states, including cardiovascular disease and cancer, and is the target of a new class of drugs, sGC stimulators, now in clinical use. sGC evolved through the fusion of four ancient domains, a heme nitric oxide / oxygen (H-NOX) domain, a Per-ARNT-Sim (PAS) domain, a coiled coil, and a cyclase domain, with catalysis occurring at the interface of the two cyclase domains. In animals, the predominant dimer is the α1β1 heterodimer, with the α1 subunit formed through gene duplication of the β1 subunit. The PAS domain provides an extensive dimer interface that remains unchanged during sGC activation, acting as a core anchor. A large cleft formed at the PAS-PAS dimer interface tightly binds the N-terminal end of the coiled coil, keeping this region intact and unchanged while the rest of the coiled coil repacks, and the other domains reposition. This interface buries ∼3000 Å2 of monomer surface and includes highly conserved apolar and hydrogen bonding residues. Herein, we discuss the evolutionary history of sGC, describe the role of PAS domains in sGC function, and explore the regulatory factors affecting sGC function.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R Montfort
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
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5
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Oh SB, Cho S, Kim HJ, Kim SJ. Differential expression of the enzymes regulating myosin light chain phosphorylation are responsible for the slower relaxation of pulmonary artery than mesenteric artery in rats. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 28:49-57. [PMID: 38154964 PMCID: PMC10762492 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2024.28.1.49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
While arterial tone is generally determined by the phosphorylation of Ser19 in myosin light chain (p-MLC2), Thr18/Ser19 diphosphorylation of MLC2 (pp-MLC2) has been suggested to hinder the relaxation of smooth muscle. In a dual-wire myography of rodent pulmonary artery (PA) and mesenteric artery (MA), we noticed significantly slower relaxation in PA than in MA after 80 mM KCl-induced condition (80K-contraction). Thus, we investigated the MLC2 phosphorylation and the expression levels of its regulatory enzymes; soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), Rho-A dependent kinase (ROCK) and myosin light chain phosphatase target regulatory subunit (MYPT1). Immunoblotting showed higher sGC-α and ROCK2 in PA than MA, while sGC-β and MYPT1 levels were higher in MA than in PA. Interestingly, the level of pp-MLC2 was higher in PA than in MA without stimulation. In the 80K-contraction state, the levels of p-MLC2 and pp-MLC2 were commonly increased. Treatment with the ROCK inhibitor (Y27632, 10 μM) reversed the higher pp-MLC2 in PA. In the myography study, pharmacological inhibition of sGC (ODQ, 10 μM) slowed relaxation during washout, which was more pronounced in PA than in MA. The simultaneous treatment of Y27632 and ODQ reversed the impaired relaxation in PA and MA. Although treatment of PA with Y27632 alone could increase the rate of relaxation, it was still slower than that of MA without Y27632 treatment. Taken together, we suggest that the higher ROCK and lower MYPT in PA would have induced the higher level of MLC2 phosphorylation, which is responsible for the characteristic slow relaxation in PA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Beom Oh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Suhan Cho
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Hyun Jong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju 38066, Korea
- Channelopathy Research Center (CRC), Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang 10326, Korea
| | - Sung Joon Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Ischemic/Hypoxic Disease Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
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6
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Yin Q, Zheng X, Song Y, Wu L, Li L, Tong R, Han L, Bian Y. Decoding signaling mechanisms: unraveling the targets of guanylate cyclase agonists in cardiovascular and digestive diseases. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1272073. [PMID: 38186653 PMCID: PMC10771398 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1272073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Soluble guanylate cyclase agonists and guanylate cyclase C agonists are two popular drugs for diseases of the cardiovascular system and digestive systems. The common denominator in these conditions is the potential therapeutic target of guanylate cyclase. Thanks to in-depth explorations of their underlying signaling mechanisms, the targets of these drugs are becoming clearer. This review explains the recent research progress regarding potential drugs in this class by introducing representative drugs and current findings on them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinan Yin
- Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xingyue Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yujie Song
- Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Liuyun Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Lian Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Rongsheng Tong
- Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Lizhu Han
- Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuan Bian
- Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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7
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Nelissen E, Schepers M, Ponsaerts L, Foulquier S, Bronckaers A, Vanmierlo T, Sandner P, Prickaerts J. Soluble guanylyl cyclase: A novel target for the treatment of vascular cognitive impairment? Pharmacol Res 2023; 197:106970. [PMID: 37884069 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) describes neurodegenerative disorders characterized by a vascular component. Pathologically, it involves decreased cerebral blood flow (CBF), white matter lesions, endothelial dysfunction, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) impairments. Molecularly, oxidative stress and inflammation are two of the major underlying mechanisms. Nitric oxide (NO) physiologically stimulates soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) to induce cGMP production. However, under pathological conditions, NO seems to be at the basis of oxidative stress and inflammation, leading to a decrease in sGC activity and expression. The native form of sGC needs a ferrous heme group bound in order to be sensitive to NO (Fe(II)sGC). Oxidation of sGC leads to the conversion of ferrous to ferric heme (Fe(III)sGC) and even heme-loss (apo-sGC). Both Fe(III)sGC and apo-sGC are insensitive to NO, and the enzyme is therefore inactive. sGC activity can be enhanced either by targeting the NO-sensitive native sGC (Fe(II)sGC), or the inactive, oxidized sGC (Fe(III)sGC) and the heme-free apo-sGC. For this purpose, sGC stimulators acting on Fe(II)sGC and sGC activators acting on Fe(III)sGC/apo-sGC have been developed. These sGC agonists have shown their efficacy in cardiovascular diseases by restoring the physiological and protective functions of the NO-sGC-cGMP pathway, including the reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation, and improvement of vascular functioning. Yet, only very little research has been performed within the cerebrovascular system and VCI pathology when focusing on sGC modulation and its potential protective mechanisms on vascular and neural function. Therefore, within this review, the potential of sGC as a target for treating VCI is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellis Nelissen
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands.
| | - Melissa Schepers
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands; Neuro-immune connect and repair lab, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt 3500, Belgium
| | - Laura Ponsaerts
- Neuro-immune connect and repair lab, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt 3500, Belgium; Department of Cardio & Organ Systems (COS), Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Sébastien Foulquier
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Annelies Bronckaers
- Department of Cardio & Organ Systems (COS), Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Tim Vanmierlo
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands; Neuro-immune connect and repair lab, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt 3500, Belgium
| | - Peter Sandner
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, 42113 Wuppertal, Germany; Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jos Prickaerts
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
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Dent MR, DeMartino AW. Nitric oxide and thiols: Chemical biology, signalling paradigms and vascular therapeutic potential. Br J Pharmacol 2023:10.1111/bph.16274. [PMID: 37908126 PMCID: PMC11058123 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (• NO) interactions with biological thiols play crucial, but incompletely determined, roles in vascular signalling and other biological processes. Here, we highlight two recently proposed signalling paradigms: (1) the formation of a vasodilating labile nitrosyl ferrous haem (NO-ferrohaem) facilitated by thiols via thiyl radical generation and (2) polysulfides/persulfides and their interaction with • NO. We also describe the specific (bio)chemical routes in which • NO and thiols react to form S-nitrosothiols, a broad class of small molecules, and protein post-translational modifications that can influence protein function through catalytic site or allosteric structural changes. S-Nitrosothiol formation depends upon cellular conditions, but critically, an appropriate oxidant for either the thiol (yielding a thiyl radical) or • NO (yielding a nitrosonium [NO+ ]-donating species) is required. We examine the roles of these collective • NO/thiol species in vascular signalling and their cardiovascular therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Dent
- Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Anthony W. DeMartino
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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9
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Mollace R, Scarano F, Bava I, Carresi C, Maiuolo J, Tavernese A, Gliozzi M, Musolino V, Muscoli S, Palma E, Muscoli C, Salvemini D, Federici M, Macrì R, Mollace V. Modulation of the nitric oxide/cGMP pathway in cardiac contraction and relaxation: Potential role in heart failure treatment. Pharmacol Res 2023; 196:106931. [PMID: 37722519 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Evidence exists that heart failure (HF) has an overall impact of 1-2 % in the global population being often associated with comorbidities that contribute to increased disease prevalence, hospitalization, and mortality. Recent advances in pharmacological approaches have significantly improved clinical outcomes for patients with vascular injury and HF. Nevertheless, there remains an unmet need to clarify the crucial role of nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (NO/cGMP) signalling in cardiac contraction and relaxation, to better identify the key mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of myocardial dysfunction both with reduced (HFrEF) as well as preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Indeed, NO signalling plays a crucial role in cardiovascular homeostasis and its dysregulation induces a significant increase in oxidative and nitrosative stress, producing anatomical and physiological cardiac alterations that can lead to heart failure. The present review aims to examine the molecular mechanisms involved in the bioavailability of NO and its modulation of downstream pathways. In particular, we focus on the main therapeutic targets and emphasize the recent evidence of preclinical and clinical studies, describing the different emerging therapeutic strategies developed to counteract NO impaired signalling and cardiovascular disease (CVD) development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocco Mollace
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy; Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
| | - Federica Scarano
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | - Irene Bava
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | - Cristina Carresi
- Veterinary Pharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | - Jessica Maiuolo
- Pharmaceutical Biology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | - Annamaria Tavernese
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | - Micaela Gliozzi
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Musolino
- Pharmaceutical Biology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | - Saverio Muscoli
- Division of Cardiology, Foundation PTV Polyclinic Tor Vergata, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - Ernesto Palma
- Veterinary Pharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | - Carolina Muscoli
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | - Daniela Salvemini
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Massimo Federici
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
| | - Roberta Macrì
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
| | - Vincenzo Mollace
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Institute of Research for Food Safety and Health IRC-FSH, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy; Renato Dulbecco Institute, Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro 88046, Italy.
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10
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Kleschyov AL, Zhuge Z, Schiffer TA, Guimarães DD, Zhang G, Montenegro MF, Tesse A, Weitzberg E, Carlström M, Lundberg JO. NO-ferroheme is a signaling entity in the vasculature. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:1267-1275. [PMID: 37710073 PMCID: PMC10522487 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01411-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite wide appreciation of the biological role of nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) signaling, questions remain about the chemical nature of NOS-derived bioactivity. Here we show that NO-like bioactivity can be efficiently transduced by mobile NO-ferroheme species, which can transfer between proteins, partition into a hydrophobic phase and directly activate the sGC-cGMP-PKG pathway without intermediacy of free NO. The NO-ferroheme species (with or without a protein carrier) efficiently relax isolated blood vessels and induce hypotension in rodents, which is greatly potentiated after the blockade of NOS activity. While free NO-induced relaxations are abolished by an NO scavenger and in the presence of red blood cells or blood plasma, a model compound, NO-ferroheme-myoglobin preserves its vasoactivity suggesting the physiological relevance of NO-ferroheme species. We conclude that NO-ferroheme behaves as a signaling entity in the vasculature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei L Kleschyov
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.
- Freiberg Instruments GmbH, Freiberg, Germany.
| | - Zhengbing Zhuge
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Tomas A Schiffer
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Drielle D Guimarães
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Gensheng Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children's Regional Medical Center, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Marcelo F Montenegro
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, the Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Angela Tesse
- Nantes Université, INSERM, CNRS, UMR1087, l'Institut du Thorax, Nantes, France
| | - Eddie Weitzberg
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Mattias Carlström
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Jon O Lundberg
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
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11
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Bahadoran Z, Mirmiran P, Kashfi K, Ghasemi A. Vascular nitric oxide resistance in type 2 diabetes. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:410. [PMID: 37433795 PMCID: PMC10336063 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05935-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Vascular nitric oxide (NO•) resistance, manifested by an impaired vasodilator function of NO• in both the macro- and microvessels, is a common state in type 2 diabetes (T2D) associated with developing cardiovascular events and death. Here, we summarize experimental and human evidence of vascular NO• resistance in T2D and discuss its underlying mechanisms. Human studies indicate a ~ 13-94% decrease in the endothelium (ET)-dependent vascular smooth muscle (VSM) relaxation and a 6-42% reduced response to NO• donors, i.e., sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), in patients with T2D. A decreased vascular NO• production, NO• inactivation, and impaired responsiveness of VSM to NO• [occurred due to quenching NO• activity, desensitization of its receptor soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), and/or impairment of its downstream pathway, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-protein kinase G (PKG)] are the known mechanisms underlying the vascular NO• resistance in T2D. Hyperglycemia-induced overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and vascular insulin resistance are key players in this state. Therefore, upregulating vascular NO• availability, re-sensitizing or bypassing the non-responsive pathways to NO•, and targeting key vascular sources of ROS production may be clinically relevant pharmacological approaches to circumvent T2D-induced vascular NO• resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Bahadoran
- Nutrition and Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parvin Mirmiran
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Khosrow Kashfi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City University of New York School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Asghar Ghasemi
- Endocrine Physiology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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12
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Zhang L, Troccoli CI, Mateo-Victoriano B, Lincheta LM, Jackson E, Shu P, Plastini T, Tao W, Kwon D, Chen X, Sharma J, Jorda M, Gulley JL, Bilusic M, Lockhart AC, Beuve A, Rai P. The soluble guanylyl cyclase pathway is inhibited to evade androgen deprivation-induced senescence and enable progression to castration resistance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.03.537252. [PMID: 37205442 PMCID: PMC10187243 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.03.537252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is fatal and therapeutically under-served. We describe a novel CRPC-restraining role for the vasodilatory soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) pathway. We discovered that sGC subunits are dysregulated during CRPC progression and its catalytic product, cyclic GMP (cGMP), is lowered in CRPC patients. Abrogating sGC heterodimer formation in castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC) cells inhibited androgen deprivation (AD)-induced senescence, and promoted castration-resistant tumor growth. We found sGC is oxidatively inactivated in CRPC. Paradoxically, AD restored sGC activity in CRPC cells through redox-protective responses evoked to protect against AD-induced oxidative stress. sGC stimulation via its FDA-approved agonist, riociguat, inhibited castration-resistant growth, and the anti-tumor response correlated with elevated cGMP, indicating on-target sGC activity. Consistent with known sGC function, riociguat improved tumor oxygenation, decreasing the PC stem cell marker, CD44, and enhancing radiation-induced tumor suppression. Our studies thus provide the first evidence for therapeutically targeting sGC via riociguat to treat CRPC. Statement of significance Prostate cancer is the second highest cancer-related cause of death for American men. Once patients progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer, the incurable and fatal stage, there are few viable treatment options available. Here we identify and characterize a new and clinically actionable target, the soluble guanylyl cyclase complex, in castration-resistant prostate cancer. Notably we find that repurposing the FDA-approved and safely tolerated sGC agonist, riociguat, decreases castration-resistant tumor growth and re-sensitizes these tumors to radiation therapy. Thus our study provides both new biology regarding the origins of castration resistance as well as a new and viable treatment option.
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13
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Dai Y, Stuehr DJ. BAY58-2667 Activates Different Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase Species by Distinct Mechanisms that Indicate Its Principal Target in Cells is the Heme-Free Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase-Heat Shock Protein 90 Complex. Mol Pharmacol 2023; 103:286-296. [PMID: 36868790 PMCID: PMC10166446 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.122.000624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO)-unresponsive forms of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) exist naturally and in disease can disable NO-sGC-cGMP signaling. Agonists like BAY58-2667 (BAY58) target these sGC forms, but their mechanisms of action in living cells are unclear. We studied rat lung fibroblast-6 cells and human airway smooth muscle cells that naturally express sGC and HEK293 cells that we transfected to express sGC and variants. Cells were cultured to build up different forms of sGC, and we used fluorescence and FRET-based measures to monitor BAY58-driven cGMP production and any protein partner exchange or heme loss events that may occur for each sGC species. We found that: (i) BAY58 activated cGMP production by the apo-sGCβ-Hsp90 species after a 5-8 minute delay that was associated with apo-sGCβ exchanging its Hsp90 partner with an sGCα subunit. (ii) In cells containing an artificially constructed heme-free sGC heterodimer, BAY58 initiated an immediate and three times faster cGMP production. However, this behavior was not observed in cells expressing native sGC under any condition. (iii) BAY58 activated cGMP production by ferric heme sGC only after a 30-minute delay, coincident with it initiating a delayed, slow ferric heme loss from sGCβ We conclude that the kinetics favor BAY58 activation of the apo-sGCβ-Hsp90 species over the ferric heme sGC species in living cells. The protein partner exchange events driven by BAY58 account for the initial delay in cGMP production and also limit the speed of subsequent cGMP production in the cells. Our findings clarify how agonists like BAY58 may activate sGC in health and disease. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: A class of agonists can activate cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) synthesis by forms of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) that do not respond to NO and accumulate in disease, but the mechanisms of action are unclear. This study clarifies what forms of sGC exist in living cells, which of these can be activated by the agonists, and the mechanisms and kinetics by which each form is activated. This information may help to hasten deployment of these agonists for pharmaceutical intervention and clinical therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Dai
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Dennis J Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
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14
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Sumi MP, Tupta B, Roychowdhury S, Comhair S, Asosingh K, Stuehr DJ, Erzurum SC, Ghosh A. Hemoglobin resident in the lung epithelium is protective for smooth muscle soluble guanylate cyclase function. Redox Biol 2023; 63:102717. [PMID: 37120930 PMCID: PMC10172757 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2023.102717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemoglobin (Hb) present in the lung epithelium is of unknown significance. However Hb being an nitric oxide (NO) scavenger can bind to NO and reduce its deleterious effects. Hence we postulated an NO scavenging role for this lung Hb. Doing transwell co-culture with bronchial epithelial cells, A549/16-HBE (apical) and human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMCs as basal), we found that Hb can protect the smooth muscle soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) from excess NO. Inducing the apical A549/16-HBE cells with cytokines to trigger iNOS expression and NO generation caused a time dependent increase in SNO-sGC and this was accompanied with a concomitant drop in sGC-α1β1 heterodimerization. Silencing Hbαβ in the apical cells further increased the SNO on sGC with a faster drop in the sGC heterodimer and these effects were additive along with further silencing of thioredoxin 1 (Trx1). Since heme of Hb is critical for NO scavenging we determined the Hb heme in a mouse model of allergic asthma (OVA) and found that Hb in the inflammed OVA lungs was low in heme or heme-free relative to those of naïve lungs. Further we established a direct correlation between the status of the sGC heterodimer and the Hb heme from lung samples of human asthma, iPAH, COPD and cystic fibrosis. These findings present a new mechanism of protection of lung sGC by the epithelial Hb, and suggests that this protection maybe lost in asthma or COPD where lung Hb is unable to scavenge the NO due to it being heme-deprived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamta P Sumi
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Blair Tupta
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Sanjoy Roychowdhury
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Suzy Comhair
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Kewal Asosingh
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Dennis J Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Serpil C Erzurum
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Arnab Ghosh
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
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15
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Sharina I, Martin E. Cellular Factors That Shape the Activity or Function of Nitric Oxide-Stimulated Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase. Cells 2023; 12:471. [PMID: 36766813 PMCID: PMC9914232 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
NO-stimulated guanylyl cyclase (SGC) is a hemoprotein that plays key roles in various physiological functions. SGC is a typical enzyme-linked receptor that combines the functions of a sensor for NO gas and cGMP generator. SGC possesses exclusive selectivity for NO and exhibits a very fast binding of NO, which allows it to function as a sensitive NO receptor. This review describes the effect of various cellular factors, such as additional NO, cell thiols, cell-derived small molecules and proteins on the function of SGC as cellular NO receptor. Due to its vital physiological function SGC is an important drug target. An increasing number of synthetic compounds that affect SGC activity via different mechanisms are discovered and brought to clinical trials and clinics. Cellular factors modifying the activity of SGC constitute an opportunity for improving the effectiveness of existing SGC-directed drugs and/or the creation of new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emil Martin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiology Division, The University of Texas—McGovern Medical School, 1941 East Road, Houston, TX 77054, USA
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16
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Abstract
Mast cells originate from the CD34+/CD117+ hematopoietic progenitors in the bone marrow, migrate into circulation, and ultimately mature and reside in peripheral tissues. Microbiota/metabolites and certain immune cells (e.g., Treg cells) play a key role in maintaining immune tolerance. Cross-linking of allergen-specific IgE on mast cells activates the high-affinity membrane-bound receptor FcεRI, thereby initiating an intracellular signal cascade, leading to degranulation and release of pro-inflammatory mediators. The intracellular signal transduction is intricately regulated by various kinases, transcription factors, and cytokines. Importantly, multiple signal components in the FcεRI-mast cell–mediated allergic cascade can be targeted for therapeutic purposes. Pharmacological interventions that include therapeutic antibodies against IgE, FcεRI, and cytokines as well as inhibitors/activators of several key intracellular signaling molecues have been used to inhibit allergic reactions. Other factors that are not part of the signal pathway but can enhance an individual’s susceptibility to allergen stimulation are referred to as cofactors. Herein, we provide a mechanistic overview of the FcεRI-mast cell–mediated allergic signaling. This will broaden our scope and visions on specific preventive and therapeutic strategies for the clinical management of mast cell–associated hypersensitivity reactions.
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17
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Vávra J, Sergunin A, Jeřábek P, Shimizu T, Martínková M. Signal transduction mechanisms in heme-based globin-coupled oxygen sensors with a focus on a histidine kinase ( AfGcHK) and a diguanylate cyclase (YddV or EcDosC). Biol Chem 2022; 403:1031-1042. [PMID: 36165459 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2022-0185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Heme is a vital cofactor of proteins with roles in oxygen transport (e.g. hemoglobin), storage (e.g. myoglobin), and activation (e.g. P450) as well as electron transfer (e.g. cytochromes) and many other functions. However, its structural and functional role in oxygen sensing proteins differs markedly from that in most other enzymes, where it serves as a catalytic or functional center. This minireview discusses the mechanism of signal transduction in two heme-based oxygen sensors: the histidine kinase AfGcHK and the diguanylate cyclase YddV (EcDosC), both of which feature a heme-binding domain containing a globin fold resembling that of hemoglobin and myoglobin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Vávra
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 2, 128 43 Czech Republic
| | - Artur Sergunin
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 2, 128 43 Czech Republic
| | - Petr Jeřábek
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 2, 128 43 Czech Republic
| | - Toru Shimizu
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 2, 128 43 Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Martínková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 2, 128 43 Czech Republic
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18
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Stuehr DJ, Dai Y, Biswas P, Sweeny EA, Ghosh A. New roles for GAPDH, Hsp90, and NO in regulating heme allocation and hemeprotein function in mammals. Biol Chem 2022; 403:1005-1015. [PMID: 36152339 PMCID: PMC10184026 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2022-0197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The intracellular trafficking of mitochondrial heme presents a fundamental challenge to animal cells. This article provides some background on heme allocation, discusses some of the concepts, and then reviews research done over the last decade, much in the author's laboratory, that is uncovering unexpected and important roles for glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), heat shock protein 90 (hsp90), and nitric oxide (NO) in enabling and regulating the allocation of mitochondrial heme to hemeproteins that mature and function outside of the mitochondria. A model for how hemeprotein functions can be regulated in cells through the coordinate participation of GAPDH, hsp90, and NO in allocating cellular heme is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis J Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Yue Dai
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Pranjal Biswas
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Sweeny
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Arnab Ghosh
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
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19
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Rozza AM, Papp M, McFarlane NR, Harvey JN, Oláh J. The Mechanism of Biochemical NO-Sensing: Insights from Computational Chemistry. Chemistry 2022; 28:e202200930. [PMID: 35670519 PMCID: PMC9542423 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202200930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The binding of small gas molecules such as NO and CO plays a major role in the signaling routes of the human body. The sole NO-receptor in humans is soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) - a histidine-ligated heme protein, which, upon NO binding, activates a downstream signaling cascade. Impairment of NO-signaling is linked, among others, to cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. In the present work, we use a combination of theoretical tools such as MD simulations, high-level quantum chemical calculations and hybrid QM/MM methods to address various aspects of NO binding and to elucidate the most likely reaction paths and the potential intermediates of the reaction. As a model system, the H-NOX protein from Shewanella oneidensis (So H-NOX) homologous to the NO-binding domain of sGC is used. The signaling route is predicted to involve NO binding to form a six-coordinate intermediate heme-NO complex, followed by relatively facile His decoordination yielding a five-coordinate adduct with NO on the distal side with possible isomerization to the proximal side through binding of a second NO and release of the first one. MD simulations show that the His sidechain can quite easily rotate outward into solvent, with this motion being accompanied in our simulations by shifts in helix positions that are consistent with this decoordination leading to significant conformational change in the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M. Rozza
- Department of Inorganic and Analytical ChemistryBudapest University of Technology and Economics1111Budapest Műegyetem rakpart 3.Hungary
- Department of BiotechnologyFaculty of AgricultureAl-Azhar UniversityCairo11651Egypt
| | - Marcell Papp
- Department of Inorganic and Analytical ChemistryBudapest University of Technology and Economics1111Budapest Műegyetem rakpart 3.Hungary
| | - Neil R. McFarlane
- Department of ChemistryKU Leuven3001LeuvenCelestijnenlaan 200 f- box 2404Belgium
| | - Jeremy N. Harvey
- Department of ChemistryKU Leuven3001LeuvenCelestijnenlaan 200 f- box 2404Belgium
| | - Julianna Oláh
- Department of Inorganic and Analytical ChemistryBudapest University of Technology and Economics1111Budapest Műegyetem rakpart 3.Hungary
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20
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Cui C, Wu C, Shu P, Liu T, Li H, Beuve A. Soluble guanylyl cyclase mediates noncanonical nitric oxide signaling by nitrosothiol transfer under oxidative stress. Redox Biol 2022; 55:102425. [PMID: 35961098 PMCID: PMC9372771 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Soluble guanylyl cyclase (GC1) is an α/β heterodimer producing cGMP when stimulated by nitric oxide (NO). The NO-GC1-cGMP pathway is essential for cardiovascular homeostasis but is disrupted by oxidative stress, which causes GC1 desensitization to NO by heme oxidation and S-nitrosation (SNO) of specific cysteines. We discovered that under these conditions, GC1-α subunit increases cellular S-nitrosation via transfer of nitrosothiols to other proteins (transnitrosation) in cardiac and smooth muscle cells. One of the GC1 SNO-targets was the oxidized form of Thioredoxin1 (oTrx1), which is unidirectionally transnitrosated by GC1 with αC610 as a SNO-donor. Because oTrx1 itself drives transnitrosation, we sought and identified SNO-proteins targeted by both GC1 and Trx1. We found that transnitrosation of the small GTPase RhoA by SNO-GC1 requires oTrx1 as a nitrosothiol relay, suggesting a SNO-GC1→oTrx1→RhoA cascade. The RhoA signaling pathway, which is antagonized by the canonical NO-cGMP pathway, was alternatively inhibited by GC1-α-dependent S-nitrosation under oxidative conditions. We propose that SNO-GC1, via transnitrosation, mediates adaptive responses triggered by oxidation of the canonical NO-cGMP pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanlong Cui
- Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Newark Health Science, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA; Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School at Rutgers, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Changgong Wu
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Somerset, NJ, 08873, USA
| | - Ping Shu
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School at Rutgers, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Tong Liu
- Center for Advanced Proteomics Research, Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School at Rutgers, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Hong Li
- Center for Advanced Proteomics Research, Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School at Rutgers, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Annie Beuve
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School at Rutgers, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA.
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21
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Verheyen M, Puschkarow M, Gnipp S, Koesling D, Peters M, Mergia E. The differential roles of the two NO-GC isoforms in adjusting airway reactivity. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2022; 323:L450-L463. [PMID: 35972838 PMCID: PMC9529264 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00404.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The enzyme, nitric oxide-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (NO-GC), is activated by binding NO to its prosthetic heme group and catalyzes the formation of cGMP. The NO-GC is primarily known to mediate vascular smooth muscle relaxation in the lung, and inhaled NO has been successfully used as a selective pulmonary vasodilator. In comparison, NO-GC’s impact on the regulation of airway tone is less acknowledged and, most importantly, little is known about the issue that NO-GC signaling is accomplished by two isoforms: NO-GC1 and NO-GC2, implying the existence of distinct “cGMP pools.” Herein, we investigated the functional role of the NO-GC isoforms in respiration by measuring lung function parameters of isoform-specific knockout (KO) mice using noninvasive and invasive techniques. Our data revealed the participation and ongoing influence of NO-GC1-derived cGMP in the regulation of airway tone by showing that respiratory resistance was enhanced in NO-GC1-KOs and increased more pronouncedly after the challenge with the bronchoconstrictor methacholine. The tissue resistance and stiffness of NO-GC1-KOs were also higher because of narrowed airways that cause tissue distortion. Contrariwise, NO-GC2-KOs displayed reduced tissue elasticity, elastic recoil, and airway reactivity to methacholine, which did not even increase in an ovalbumin model of asthma that induced hyperresponsiveness in NO-GC1-KOs. In addition, conscious NO-GC2-KOs showed a higher breathing rate with a shorter duration of inspiration and expiration time, which remained faster even in the presence of bronchoconstrictors that slow down breathing. Thus, we provide evidence of two distinct NO/cGMP pathways in airways, accomplished by either NO-GC1 or NO-GC2, adjusting differentially the airway reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malte Verheyen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Michelle Puschkarow
- Department of Experimental Pneumology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, NRW, Germany
| | - Stefanie Gnipp
- Department of Experimental Pneumology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, NRW, Germany
| | - Doris Koesling
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Marcus Peters
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, NRW, Germany
| | - Evanthia Mergia
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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22
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Tawa M, Okamura T. Factors influencing the soluble guanylate cyclase heme redox state in blood vessels. Vascul Pharmacol 2022; 145:107023. [PMID: 35718342 DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2022.107023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) plays an important role in maintaining vascular homeostasis, as an acceptor for the biological messenger nitric oxide (NO). However, only reduced sGC (with a ferrous heme) can be activated by NO; oxidized (ferric heme) and apo (absent heme) sGC cannot. In addition, the proportions of reduced, oxidized, and apo sGC change under pathological conditions. Although diseased blood vessels often show decreased NO bioavailability in the vascular wall, a shift of sGC heme redox balance in favor of the oxidized/apo forms can also occur. Therefore, sGC is of growing interest as a drug target for various cardiovascular diseases. Notably, the balance between NO-sensitive reduced sGC and NO-insensitive oxidized/apo sGC in the body is regulated in a reversible manner by various biological molecules and proteins. Many studies have attempted to identify endogenous factors and determinants that influence this redox state. For example, various reactive nitrogen and oxygen species are capable of inducing the oxidation of sGC heme. Conversely, a heme reductase and some antioxidants reduce the ferric heme in sGC to the ferrous state. This review summarizes the factors and mechanisms identified by these studies that operate to regulate the sGC heme redox state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masashi Tawa
- Department of Pathological and Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094, Japan.
| | - Tomio Okamura
- Emeritus Professor, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
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23
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Jüttner AA, Danser AHJ, Roks AJM. Pharmacological developments in antihypertensive treatment through nitric oxide-cGMP modulation. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2022; 94:57-94. [PMID: 35659377 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of hypertension until now has been directed at inhibition of vasoconstriction, of cardiac contractility and of blood volume regulation. Despite the arsenal of drugs available for this purpose, the control of target blood pressure is still a difficult goal to reach in outpatients. The nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate signaling is one of the most important mediators of vasodilation. It might therefore be a potential and most welcome drug target for optimization of the treatment of hypertension. In this chapter we review the problems that can occur in this signaling system, the attempts that have been made to correct these problems, and those that are still under investigation. Recently developed, clinically safe medicines that are currently approved for other applications, such as myocardial infarction, await to be tested for essential systemic hypertension. We conclude that despite many years of research without translation, stimulation of nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate is still a viable strategy in the prevention of the health risk posed by chronic hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika A Jüttner
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Vascular Disease and Pharmacology, Erasmus Medical Center, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A H Jan Danser
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Vascular Disease and Pharmacology, Erasmus Medical Center, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anton J M Roks
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Vascular Disease and Pharmacology, Erasmus Medical Center, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Li J, Zhou Y, Lin YW, Tan X. A novel insight into the molecular mechanism of human soluble guanylyl cyclase focused on catalytic domain in living cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 604:51-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Biswas P, Dai Y, Stuehr DJ. Indoleamine dioxygenase and tryptophan dioxygenase activities are regulated through GAPDH- and Hsp90-dependent control of their heme levels. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 180:179-190. [PMID: 35051612 PMCID: PMC11389873 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Indoleamine-2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO1) and Tryptophan-2, 3-dioxygense (TDO) are heme-containing dioxygenases that catalyze the conversion of tryptophan to N-formyl-kynurenine and thus enable generation of l-kynurenine and related metabolites that govern the immune response and broadly impact human biology. Given that TDO and IDO1 activities are directly proportional to their heme contents, it is important to understand their heme delivery and insertion processes. Early studies established that TDO and IDO1 heme levels are sub-saturating in vivo and subject to change but did not identify the cellular mechanisms that provide their heme or enable dynamic changes in their heme contents. We investigated the potential involvement of GAPDH and chaperone Hsp90, based on our previous studies linking these proteins to intracellular heme allocation. We studied heme delivery and insertion into IDO1 and TDO expressed in both normal and heme-deficient HEK293T cells and into IDO1 naturally expressed in HeLa cells in response to IFN-γ, and also investigated the interactions of TDO and IDO1 with GAPDH and Hsp90 in cells and among their purified forms. We found that GAPDH delivered both mitochondrially-generated and exogenous heme to apo-IDO1 and apo-TDO in cells, potentially through a direct interaction with either enzyme. In contrast, we found Hsp90 interacted with apo-IDO1 but not with apo-TDO, and was only needed to drive heme insertion into apo-IDO1. By uncovering the cellular processes that allocate heme to IDO1 and TDO, our study provides new insight on how their activities and l-kynurenine production may be controlled in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranjal Biswas
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Yue Dai
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Dennis J Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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NO rapidly mobilizes cellular heme to trigger assembly of its own receptor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2115774119. [PMID: 35046034 PMCID: PMC8795550 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115774119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) performs many biological functions, but how it operates at the molecular and cellular levels is not fully understood. We discovered that cell NO generation at physiologic levels triggers a rapid redeployment of intracellular heme, an iron-containing cofactor, and we show that this drives the assembly of the natural NO receptor protein, soluble guanylyl cyclase, which is needed for NO to perform its biological signaling functions. Our study uncovers a way that NO can shape biological signaling processes and a way that cells may use NO to control their hemeprotein activities through deployment of the heme cofactor. These concepts broaden our understanding of NO function in biology and medicine. Nitric oxide (NO) signaling in biology relies on its activating cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) production by the NO receptor soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC). sGC must obtain heme and form a heterodimer to become functional, but paradoxically often exists as an immature heme-free form in cells and tissues. Based on our previous finding that NO can drive sGC maturation, we investigated its basis by utilizing a fluorescent sGC construct whose heme level can be monitored in living cells. We found that NO generated at physiologic levels quickly triggered cells to mobilize heme to immature sGC. This occurred when NO was generated within cells or by neighboring cells, began within seconds of NO exposure, and led cells to construct sGC heterodimers and thus increase their active sGC level by several-fold. The NO-triggered heme deployment involved cellular glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH)–heme complexes and required the chaperone hsp90, and the newly formed sGC heterodimers remained functional long after NO generation had ceased. We conclude that NO at physiologic levels triggers assembly of its own receptor by causing a rapid deployment of cellular heme. Redirecting cellular heme in response to NO is a way for cells and tissues to modulate their cGMP signaling and to more generally tune their hemeprotein activities wherever NO biosynthesis takes place.
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Tupta B, Stuehr E, Sumi MP, Sweeny EA, Smith B, Stuehr DJ, Ghosh A. GAPDH is involved in the heme-maturation of myoglobin and hemoglobin. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22099. [PMID: 34972240 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202101237rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
GAPDH, a heme chaperone, has been previously implicated in the incorporation of heme into iNOS and soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC). Since sGC is critical for myoglobin (Mb) heme-maturation, we investigated the role of GAPDH in the maturation of this globin, as well as hemoglobins α, β, and γ. Utilizing cell culture systems, we found that overexpression of wild-type GAPDH increased, whereas GAPDH mutants H53A and K227A decreased, the heme content of Mb and Hbα and Hbβ. Overexpression of wild-type GAPDH fully recovered the heme-maturation inhibition observed with the GAPDH mutants. Partial rescue was observed by overexpression of sGCβ1 but not by overexpression of a sGCΔβ1 deletion mutant, which is unable to bind the sGCα1 subunit required to form the active sGCα1β1 complex. Wild type and mutant GAPDH was found to be associated in a complex with each of the globins and Hsp90. GAPDH at endogenous levels was found to be associated with Mb in differentiating C2C12 myoblasts, and with Hbγ or Hbα in differentiating HiDEP-1 erythroid progenitor cells. Knockdown of GAPDH in C2C12 cells suppressed Mb heme-maturation. GAPDH knockdown in K562 erythroleukemia cells suppressed Hbα and Hbγ heme-maturation as well as Hb dimerization. Globin heme incorporation was not only dependent on elevated sGCα1β1 heterodimer formation, but also influenced by iron provision and magnitude of expression of GAPDH, d-aminolevulinic acid, and FLVCR1b. Together, our data support an important role for GAPDH in the maturation of myoglobin and γ, β, and α hemoglobins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blair Tupta
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Eric Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Mamta P Sumi
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Sweeny
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Brandon Smith
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Dennis J Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Arnab Ghosh
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Replacement of heme by soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) activators abolishes heme-nitric oxide/oxygen (H-NOX) domain structural plasticity. Curr Res Struct Biol 2021; 3:324-336. [PMID: 34901882 PMCID: PMC8640258 DOI: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2021.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The gasotransmitter nitric oxide (NO) is a critical endogenous regulator of homeostasis, in major part via the generation of cGMP (cyclic guanosine monophosphate) from GTP (guanosine triphosphate) by NO's main physiological receptor, the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). sGC is a heterodimer, composed of an α1 and a β1 subunit, of which the latter contains the heme-nitric oxide/oxygen (H-NOX) domain, responsible for NO recognition, binding and signal initiation. The NO/sGC/cGMP axis is dysfunctional in a variety of diseases, including hypertension and heart failure, especially since oxidative stress results in heme oxidation, sGC unresponsiveness to NO and subsequent degradation. As a central player in this axis, sGC is the focus of intense research efforts aiming to develop therapeutic molecules that enhance its activity. A class of drugs named sGC “activators” aim to replace the oxidized heme of the H-NOX domain, thus stabilizing the enzyme and restoring its activity. Although numerous studies outline the pharmacology and binding behavior of these compounds, the static 3D models available so far do not allow a satisfactory understanding of the structural basis of sGC's activation mechanism by these drugs. Herein, application NMR describes different conformational states during the replacement of the heme by a sGC activators. We show that the two sGC activators (BAY 58-2667 and BAY 60-2770) significantly decrease the conformational plasticity of the recombinant H-NOX protein domain of Nostoc sp. cyanobacterium, rendering it a lot more rigid compared to the heme-occupied H-NOX. NMR methodology also reveals, for the first time, a surprising bi-directional competition between reduced heme and these compounds, pointing to a highly dynamic regulation of the H-NOX domain. This competitive, bi-directional mode of interaction is also confirmed by monitoring cGMP generation in A7r5 vascular smooth muscle cells by these activators. We show that, surprisingly, heme's redox state impacts differently the bioactivity of these two structurally similar compounds. In all, by NMR-based and functional approaches we contribute unique experimental insight into the dynamic interaction of sGC activators with the H-NOX domain and its dependence on the heme redox status, with the ultimate goal to permit a better design of such therapeutically important molecules. When the heme of Ns H-NOX is replaced by the sGC activators, the protein’s flexibility is significantly reduced. Heme causes the conformational exchange of Ns H-NOX, as many residues around the heme adopt invisible conformation. L-ascorbate prevents the proper action of BAY 58-2667 and BAY 60-2770 from forming a stable complex with the Ns H-NOX. In A7r5 cells, L-ascorbate does not affect cGMP formation induced by BAY 58-2667 and it inhibits the effect of BAY 60-2770. BAY molecules act on the H-NOX or the sGC in a bi-directional way, depending on the redox state of the heme.
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Sandner P, Follmann M, Becker-Pelster E, Hahn MG, Meier C, Freitas C, Roessig L, Stasch JP. Soluble GC stimulators and activators: Past, present and future. Br J Pharmacol 2021. [PMID: 34600441 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of soluble GC (sGC) stimulators and sGC activators provided valuable tools to elucidate NO-sGC signalling and opened novel pharmacological opportunities for cardiovascular indications and beyond. The first-in-class sGC stimulator riociguat was approved for pulmonary hypertension in 2013 and vericiguat very recently for heart failure. sGC stimulators enhance sGC activity independent of NO and also act synergistically with endogenous NO. The sGC activators specifically bind to, and activate, the oxidised haem-free form of sGC. Substantial research efforts improved on the first-generation sGC activators such as cinaciguat, culminating in the discovery of runcaciguat, currently in clinical Phase II trials for chronic kidney disease and diabetic retinopathy. Here, we highlight the discovery and development of sGC stimulators and sGC activators, their unique modes of action, their preclinical characteristics and the clinical studies. In the future, we expect to see more sGC agonists in new indications, reflecting their unique therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Sandner
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Markus Follmann
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
| | | | - Michael G Hahn
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Christian Meier
- Pharmaceuticals Medical Affairs and Pharmacovigilance, Bayer AG, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cecilia Freitas
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Lothar Roessig
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Johannes-Peter Stasch
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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Gonzaga de França Lopes L, Gouveia Júnior FS, Karine Medeiros Holanda A, Maria Moreira de Carvalho I, Longhinotti E, Paulo TF, Abreu DS, Bernhardt PV, Gilles-Gonzalez MA, Cirino Nogueira Diógenes I, Henrique Silva Sousa E. Bioinorganic systems responsive to the diatomic gases O2, NO, and CO: From biological sensors to therapy. Coord Chem Rev 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2021.214096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Dai Y, Stuehr DJ. Inactivation of soluble guanylyl cyclase in living cells proceeds without loss of haem and involves heterodimer dissociation as a common step. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 179:2505-2518. [PMID: 33975383 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Nitric oxide (NO) activates soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) for cGMP production, but in disease, sGC becomes insensitive towards NO activation. What changes occur to sGC during its inactivation in cells is not clear. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We utilized HEK293 cells expressing sGC proteins to study the changes that occur regarding its haem content, heterodimer status and sGCβ protein partners when the cells were given the oxidant ODQ or the NO donor NOC12 to inactivate sGC. Haem content of sGCβ was monitored in live cells through use of a fluorescent-labelled sGCβ construct, whereas sGC heterodimer status and protein interactions were studied by Western blot analysis. Experiments with purified proteins were also performed. KEY RESULTS ODQ- or NOC12-driven inactivation of sGC in HEK293 cells was associated with haem oxidation (by ODQ), S-nitrosation of the sGCβ subunit (by NOC12), sGC heterodimer breakup and association of the freed sGCβ subunit with cell chaperone Hsp90. These changes occurred without detectable loss of haem from the sGCβ reporter construct. Treating a purified ferrous haem-containing sGCβ with ODQ or NOC12 caused it to bind with Hsp90 without showing any haem loss. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Oxidative (ODQ) or nitrosative (NOC12) inactivation of cell sGC involves sGC heterodimer dissociation and rearrangement of the sGCβ protein partners without any haem loss from sGCβ. Clarifying what changes do and do not occur to sGC during its inactivation in cells may direct strategies to preserve or recover NO-dependent cGMP signalling in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Dai
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, USA
| | - Dennis J Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, USA
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