Effect of molsidomine on basal Ca2+ current in rat cardiac cells

Pharmacodynamic material basis of traditional Chinese medicine based on biomacromolecules: a review

Biomacromolecules, the first components of bioactive substances in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) have wide bioactivity-related efficacy but have not yet been fully appreciated compared to small molecule components. The present review brings a novel and systemic point of view to deepen the understanding of the pharmacodynamic material basis of TCM based on biomacromolecules (polysaccharides, proteins and nucleic acids). Biomacromolecules have been, are and will have considerable roles in the efficacy of Chinese medicine, as evidenced by the number of biological activities related to traditional clinical efficacy. The direct and indirect mechanisms of biomacromolecules are further accounted for in a variety of neurotransmitters, hormones, and immune substances to maintain immune function in both sensitive and stable equilibrium. The biological functions of biomacromolecules have been elaborated on in regard to their roles in the process of plant growth and development to the relationship between primary metabolism and secondary metabolism and to the indispensable role of polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids in the quality formation of TCM. Understanding the functional properties and mechanisms of biological macromolecules will help to demystify the drug properties and health benefits of TCM.

Two sarcoviolins with antioxidative and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity from the edible mushroom Sarcodon leucopus collected in Tibet

Edible mushrooms are known as an important source of natural antioxidants. The ethyl acetate extract of the edible mushroom Sarcodon leucopus (Zangzi mushroom) possesses strong antioxidative activity. Bioactivity-guided isolation afforded 10 compounds from its fruiting bodies, including two new sarcoviolins, sarcoviolin β (1) and episarcoviolin β (2), and one new p-terphenyl derivative (3) along with seven known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and comparison with the known compounds. Compounds 1-10 were found to have antioxidant effects in the DPPH scavenging assay, the total antioxidant capacity assay, the reducing power assay, and the lipid peroxidation assay. Further study indicated that they could protect DNA strands from free radical-induced cleavage at 200 μM. Compounds 1-10 also presented strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Of all tested compounds, compound 1 exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 0.58 μM.

New bioactive natural products from Coprinus micaceus

Chemical studies on the crude methanolic extract of Coprinus micaceus, collected from the Canadian Prairie region, have resulted in the isolation of two new natural products, micaceol (1), a sterol and (Z,Z)-4-oxo-2,5-hetpadienedioic acid (2). Compound 2 was isolated for the first time as a natural product. Structures of these new compounds were established with the aid of extensive NMR spectroscopic studies. Compound 1 has shown anti-bacterial activity against Corynebacterium xerosis and Staphylococcus aureus, whereas compound 2 exhibited glutathione S-transferase inhibition.

Inhibition of cyclic GMP hydrolysis with zaprinast reduces basal and cyclic AMP-elevated L-type calcium current in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes

(1) Cyclic GMP (cGMP) has been shown to be an important modulator of cardiac contractile function. A major component of cGMP regulation of contractility is cGMP-mediated inhibition of the cardiac calcium current (I(Ca)). An under-appreciated aspect of cyclic nucleotide signalling is hydrolysis of the cyclic nucleotide (i.e., breakdown by phosphodiesterases (PDEs)). The role of cGMP hydrolysis in regulating I(Ca) has not been studied. Thus the purpose of this study was to investigate if inhibition of cGMP hydrolysis can modulate I(Ca) in isolated guinea-pig ventricular myocytes. (2) Zaprinast, a selective inhibitor of cGMP-specific PDE (PDE5), caused a significant increase in cGMP levels in myocytes, but was without affect on basal or beta-adrenergic stimulated cAMP levels (consistent with its actions as a specific inhibitor of PDE5). (3) Zaprinast inhibited I(Ca) that was pre-stimulated with cAMP elevating agents (isoproterenol, a beta-adrenergic agonist; or forskolin, a direct activator of adenylate cyclase). The effect of zaprinast was greatly reduced by KT5823, an inhibitor of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). (4) Zaprinast also significantly inhibited basal I(Ca) when perforated-patch or whole-cell recording with physiological pipette calcium concentration (10(-7) M) was used. However, this effect was not observed when using standard calcium-free whole-cell recording conditions. (5) These results indicate that inhibition of cGMP hydrolysis can decrease both basal and cAMP-stimulated I(Ca). Thus, cGMP hydrolysis may likely be an important step for physiological modulation of I(Ca). This regulation may also be important in disease states in which cGMP production is increased and PDE5 expression is altered, such as heart failure.

Myocytes isolated from rejecting transplanted rat hearts exhibit a nitric oxide-mediated reduction in the calcium current

During periods of acute rejection, transplanted hearts have increased nitric oxide (NO) production and depressed contractile function. Myocytes isolated from rejecting hearts exhibit parallel increases in NO production and reduced shortening, indicating that the contractile dysfunction of the transplanted heart is intrinsic to the myocytes. We tested the hypothesis that the contractile dysfunction of the rejecting heart is due to an NO-mediated inhibition of the L-type calcium current. Ventricular myocytes isolated from rejecting rat hearts (allografts) expressed inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and produced substantially more NO than did myocytes isolated from non-rejecting rat hearts (isografts). Aminoguanidine, an inhibitor of iNOS, reduced NO production by allograft myocytes, but was without effect on NO production by isograft myocytes. In the absence of exogenous l -arginine (the precursor of NO), the calcium current was identical in allograft and isograft myocytes. In the presence of l -arginine, the calcium current was reduced in allograft myocytes compared to isograft myocytes. Superfusion of the myocytes with either aminoguanidine or KT5823 (an inhibitor of the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase) reversed the depression of the calcium current in allograft myocytes, but neither inhibitor had an effect on calcium current in isograft myocytes. These results indicate that increased production of NO by myocytes isolated from rejecting hearts leads to a reduction in the calcium current. This mechanism may contribute substantially to the contractile dysfunction of rejecting transplanted hearts.

Generation of nuclear hybrids overcoming the natural barrier of incompatibility: transfer of nuclei from Lentinula edodes into protoplasts of Coriolus versicolor

Heterokaryotic nuclear hybrids overcoming the natural barriers of incompatibility have been studied in basidiomycetes. To produce these nuclear hybrids between incompatible mushrooms, which have several potent pharmacological effects, nuclear transfer was performed between Lentinula edodes and Coriolus versicolor. Nuclei from serine auxotrophs of Lentinula edodes, LE207 (Ser-) were transferred into the protoplasts of arginine auxotrophs of Coriolus versicolor, CV17 (Arg-), using 30% polyethylene glycol 4000 in 10 mM CaCl2-glycine solution (pH 8.0). Nuclear transfer progenies were selected by nutritional complementation on minimal media supplemented with 0.6 M sucrose. The progenies were classified based on colony morphology to L. edodes-like, C. versicolor-like and non-parental type. Most of the progenies grew slower than either parent. The number of nuclei per cell was similar but the DNA content varied between progenies. The isozyme patterns of nuclear hybrids resembled either of the parent profiles or showed a mixed profile.

Negative metabolic effects of cyclic GMP in quiescent cardiomyocytes are not related to L-type calcium channel activity

We tested the hypothesis that the negative metabolic effects of elevating cyclic GMP act through inhibition of L-type calcium channels in quiescent cardiac myocytes. The steady state O2 consumption (VO2) of ventricular myocytes, isolated from hearts of New Zealand white rabbits, was measured in a glass chamber using Clark-type oxygen electrodes. The cellular cyclic GMP levels were determined by radioimmunoassay at baseline with either 0.5 mM or 2.0 mM of Ca2+, sodium nitroprusside at increasing concentration (10(-8),(-6),(-4) M) with and without pretreatment by BAY K8644 10(-5) M (L-type Ca2+ channel activator) in 0.5 mM Ca2+, or nitroprusside with and without pretreatment with nifedipine 10(-4) M (L-type Ca2+ channel blocker) in 2.0 mM Ca2+. In the 0.5 mM Ca2+ medium, basal VO2 was 459 +/- 104 (nl O2/min per 10(5) myocytes) with a corresponding cyclic GMP level of 112 +/- 23 (fmol/10(5) myocytes). With nitroprusside 10(-4) M, VO2 was decreased to 285 +/- 39 and cyclic GMP level was significantly elevated to 425 +/- 128. In the same medium, VO2 was slightly increased by BAY K8644 10(-5) M while the cyclic GMP level did not change. With BAY K8644 10(-5) M, nitroprusside 10(-4) M decreased VO2 and increased cyclic GMP to a level which was similar to cells treated with nitroprusside alone. In the 2.0 mM Ca2+ medium, the basal VO2 and cyclic GMP were 518 +/- 121 and 137 +/- 24. In the presence of nitroprusside 10(-4) M, VO2 was decreased to 295 +/- 49 and cyclic GMP was increased to 454 +/- 116. In the same medium, nifedipine 10(-4) M significantly decreased VO2, while the cyclic GMP level was comparable to the baseline. After nifedipine 10(-4) M, nitroprusside 10(-4) M decreased VO2 and increased cyclic GMP to levels which were similar to control. Therefore, in quiescent cardiac myocytes, the negative metabolic effects associated with cyclic GMP were not primarily mediated through inhibition of L-type Ca2+ channels.

Increased O2 consumption and positive inotropy caused by cyclic GMP reduction are not altered after L-type calcium channel blockade

We tested the hypothesis that increased O2 consumption and inotropy after reduction of myocardial cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) are mediated through L-type calcium channels. Anesthetized, open-chest New Zealand white rabbits were divided into four groups. Hearts were exposed to control vehicle (n = 8); LY83583 (LY, 10(-3) mol/l, guanylate cyclase inhibitor, (n = 9); nifedipine (nif, 10(-4) mol/l, L-type calcium channel blocker, n = 8), or nif+LY (n = 6). Vehicle or compound was applied topically to the epicardium for 15 min. Subepicardial (EPI) blood flow increased (from 213 +/- 22 to 323 +/- 24 ml/ min/100 g) in the presence of LY, as did subendocardial (ENDO) blood flow (from 238 +/- 20 to 333 +/- 38 ml/min/ 100 g). O2 consumption increased in the presence of LY:18.0 +/- 1.0 (EPI) and 17.0 +/- 0.6 (ENDO) ml O2/min/100 g as compared with 9.5 +/- 2.0 (EPI) and 10.6 +/- 2.5 (ENDO) in the control group. The increase in O2 consumption with LY was undiminished in the presence of nif (nif+LY group 21.0 +/- 3.0 ml O2/min/100 g EPI and 22.1 +/- 3.8 ENDO). Nif alone decreased left ventricular dP/dtmax from (2,762 +/- 197 to 2,413 +/- 316 mm Hg/s) and maximal rate of change in wall thickness (dW/dtmax from 13.5 +/- 2.0 to 9.5 +/- 0.8 mm/s), while percent change of wall thickness (from 21.3 +/- 3.3 to 31.3 +/- 7.2) and dW/dtmax (from 13.3 +/- 3.0 to 15.3 +/- 2.3 mm/s) increased in the nif+LY group. Thus, the positive O2 consumption and inotropic effects of decreasing cGMP were undiminished by nif. These results suggest that the cGMP reduction induced increases in O2 consumption and that inotropy may not be mediated through L-type calcium channels.