Adenosine induces cyclic-AMP formation and inhibits endothelin-1 production/secretion in guinea-pig tracheal epithelial cells through A(2B) adenosine receptors

Stimulation of Adenosine A2B Receptor Inhibits Endothelin-1-Induced Cardiac Fibroblast Proliferation and α-Smooth Muscle Actin Synthesis Through the cAMP/Epac/PI3K/Akt-Signaling Pathway

Background and Purpose: Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by an increase in fibroblast proliferation, overproduction of extracellular matrix proteins, and the formation of myofibroblast that express α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis. Overstimulation of endothelin receptors induced cell proliferation, collagen synthesis, and α-SMA expression in cardiac fibroblasts. Although adenosine was shown to have cardioprotective effects, the molecular mechanisms by which adenosine A₂ receptor inhibit ET-1-induced fibroblast proliferation and α-SMA expression in cardiac fibroblasts are not clearly identified.

Experimental Approach: This study aimed at evaluating the mechanisms of cardioprotective effects of adenosine receptor agonist in rat cardiac fibroblast by measurement of cell proliferation, and mRNA and protein levels of α-SMA.

Key results: Stimulation of adenosine subtype 2B (A_2B) receptor resulted in the inhibition of ET-1-induced fibroblast proliferation, and a reduction of ET-1-induced α-SMA expression that is dependent on cAMP/Epac/PI3K/Akt signaling pathways in cardiac fibroblasts. The data in this study confirm a critical role for Epac signaling on A_2B receptor-mediated inhibition of ET-1-induced cardiac fibrosis via PI3K and Akt activation.

Conclusion and Implications: This is the first work reporting a novel signaling pathway for the inhibition of ET-1-induced cardiac fibrosis mediated through the A_2B receptor. Thus, A_2B receptor agonists represent a promising perspective as therapeutic targets for the prevention of cardiac fibrosis.

Purinergic signaling in the airways

Evidence for a significant role and impact of purinergic signaling in normal and diseased airways is now beyond dispute. The present review intends to provide the current state of knowledge of the involvement of purinergic pathways in the upper and lower airways and lungs, thereby differentiating the involvement of different tissues, such as the epithelial lining, immune cells, airway smooth muscle, vasculature, peripheral and central innervation, and neuroendocrine system. In addition to the vast number of well illustrated functions for purinergic signaling in the healthy respiratory tract, increasing data pointing to enhanced levels of ATP and/or adenosine in airway secretions of patients with airway damage and respiratory diseases corroborates the emerging view that purines act as clinically important mediators resulting in either proinflammatory or protective responses. Purinergic signaling has been implicated in lung injury and in the pathogenesis of a wide range of respiratory disorders and diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, inflammation, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, and pulmonary hypertension. These ostensibly enigmatic actions are based on widely different mechanisms, which are influenced by the cellular microenvironment, but especially the subtypes of purine receptors involved and the activity of distinct members of the ectonucleotidase family, the latter being potential protein targets for therapeutic implementation.

Inactivation of CD73 promotes atherogenesis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice

AIMS

CD73 (ecto-5'-nucleotidase) is expressed by a broad range of immune cells and attenuates inflammation in several acute disease models. This study therefore explored the role of CD73-derived adenosine in a model of chronic vascular inflammation such as atherogenesis.

METHODS AND RESULTS

CD73(-/-) mice were backcrossed into the apolipoprotein E (ApoE(-/-)) background. In CD73(-/-)/ApoE(-/-) double mutants, atherosclerotic lesion formation was increased by ∼50% compared with ApoE(-/-). However, the cellular composition and extracellular matrix of the plaques did not differ. Surprisingly, we found significant activity and expression of CD73 in the plaque of ApoE(-/-) mice which increased over time. CD73 co-localized with macrophages, Tregs, and cells of mesenchymal origin. Genome-wide microarray analysis of the aorta lacking CD73 revealed upregulation of endothelin-1 (Edn1) mRNA together with changes of genes in lipid metabolism and the Wnt and nuclear factor kappa B pathways. Measurement of plasma levels verified the upregulation of Edn1 in CD73(-/-) and double mutants. Plasma triglycerides (TG) were also found to be significantly elevated in the CD73(-/-)/ApoE(-/-) mice compared with ApoE(-/-) controls.

CONCLUSION

Lack of CD73 promotes atherogenesis most likely by de-inhibition of resident macrophages and T cells. Elevated Edn1 and TG levels may have contributed. This establishes CD73-derived adenosine as a direct or indirect regulator of atherogenesis.

Ecto-5'-nucleotidase deficiency exacerbates pressure-overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction

This study examined whether endogenous extracellular adenosine acts to facilitate the adaptive response of the heart to chronic systolic overload. To examine whether endogenous extracellular adenosine can protect the heart against pressure-overload-induced heart failure, transverse aortic constriction was performed on mice deficient in extracellular adenosine production as the result of genetic deletion of CD73. Although there was no difference in left ventricular size or function between CD73-deficient mice (knockout [KO] mice) and wild-type mice under unstressed conditions, aortic constriction for 2 or 4 weeks induced significantly more myocardial hypertrophy, left ventricular dilation, and left ventricular dysfunction in KO mice compared with wild-type mice. Thus, after 2 weeks of transverse aortic constriction, left ventricular fractional shortening decreased to 27.4+/-2.5% and 21.9+/-1.7% in wild-type and KO mice, respectively (P<0.05). Consistent with a role of adenosine in reducing tissue remodeling, KO mice displayed increased myocardial fibrosis and myocyte hypertrophy compared with wild-type mice. Furthermore, adenosine treatment reduced phenylephrine-induced cardiac myocyte hypertrophy and collagen production in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes and cardiac fibroblasts, respectively. Consistent with a role for adenosine in modulating cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, KO mice demonstrated increased activation of mammalian target of rapamycin signaling, accompanied by higher expression of the hypertrophy marker atrial natriuretic peptide. Conversely, the adenosine analogue 2-chloro-adenosine significantly reduced cell size, mammalian target of rapamycin/p70 ribosomal S6 kinase activation, and atrial natriuretic peptide expression in cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes. These data demonstrate that CD73 helps to preserve cardiac function during chronic systolic overload by preventing maladaptive tissue remodeling.

ZM241385, DPCPX, MRS1706 are inverse agonists with different relative intrinsic efficacies on constitutively active mutants of the human adenosine A2B receptor

The human adenosine A(2B) receptor belongs to class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). In our previous work, constitutively active mutant (CAM) human adenosine A(2B) receptors were identified from a random mutation bank. In the current study, three known A(2B) receptor antagonists, 4-{2-[7-amino-2-(2-furyl)[1,2,4]triazolo-[2,3-a][1,3,5]triazin-5-yl-amino]ethyl}phenol (ZM241385), 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX), and N-(4-acetylphenyl)-2-[4-(2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-2,6-dioxo-1,3-dipropyl-1H-purin-8-yl)phenoxy]acetamide (MRS1706) were tested on wild-type and nine CAM A(2B) receptors with different levels of constitutive activity in a yeast growth assay. All three compounds turned out to be inverse agonists for the adenosine A(2B) receptor because they were able to fully reverse the basal activity of four low-level constitutively active A(2B) receptor mutants and to partially reverse the basal activity of three medium-level constitutively active A(2B) receptor mutants. We also discovered two highly constitutively active mutants whose basal activity could not be reversed by any of the three compounds. A two-state receptor model was used to explain the experimental observations; fitting these yielded the following relative intrinsic efficacies for the three inverse agonists ZM241385, DPCPX, and MRS1706: 0.14 +/- 0.03, 0.35 +/- 0.03, and 0.31 +/- 0.02, respectively. Moreover, varying L, the ratio of active versus inactive receptors in this model, from 0.11 for mutant F84L to 999 for two highly constitutively active mutants yielded simulated dose-response curves that mimicked the experimental curves. This study is the first description of inverse agonists for the human adenosine A(2B) receptor. Moreover, the use of receptor mutants with varying levels of constitutive activity enabled us to determine the relative intrinsic efficacy of these inverse agonists.

Expression of adenosine receptors in cardiac fibroblasts as a function of insulin and glucose level

Adenosine among other factors is known to regulate the growth and function of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). Its action is mediated by cell-surface receptors linked to a variety of signaling systems. The goal of present work was to examine the effects of glucose and insulin on adenosine receptors (ARs) mRNA and protein level in primary culture of rat CFs by means of real-time PCR and Western blot. Elevated glucose level increased the expression of A(1)-AR, A(2A)-AR, decreased the expression of A(3)-AR, and had no effect on A(2B)-AR expression. On the other hand insulin suppressed the expression of A(1)-AR, and A(2B)-AR, and had no effect on A(2A)-AR and A(3)-AR expression. Our measurements showed that accumulation of cAMP in response to ARs agonists correlated well with the changes in receptors expression level. These results indicate that changes in glucose and insulin level independently and differentially regulate the ARs expression and functional state in CFs.

A2B adenosine receptors induce IL-19 from bronchial epithelial cells, resulting in TNF-alpha increase

Adenosine is a signaling nucleoside that has been proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Previous studies suggest that adenosine might play an important role in modulating levels of inflammatory mediators in the lung. Because airway epithelium is an important cellular source of inflammatory mediators, the objective of the present study was to determine whether adenosine affects the expression and release of inflammatory cytokines from human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs). Among the four subtypes of adenosine receptors, the A(2B) receptor was expressed at the highest level. 5'-(N-ethylcarboxamido)-adenosine (NECA), a stable analog of adenosine, increased the release of IL-19 by 4.6- +/- 1.1-fold. A selective antagonist of the A(2B) receptor, CVT-6694, attenuated this effect of NECA. The amount of IL-19 released from HBEC was sufficient to activate a human monocytic cell line (THP-1) and increase the release of TNF-alpha. Furthermore, TNF-alpha was found to upregulate A(2B) receptor expression in HBECs by 3.1- +/- 0.3-fold. Hence, these data indicate that NECA increases the release of IL-19 from HBECs via activation of A(2B) receptors, and IL-19 in turn activates human monocytes to release TNF-alpha, which upregulates A(2B) receptor expression in HBECs. The results of this study suggest that there is a novel pathway whereby adenosine can initiate and amplify an inflammatory response which might be important in pathogenesis of inflammatory lung diseases.

Characterization of adenosine receptors in the human bladder carcinoma T24 cell line

The molecular and pharmacological properties of adenosine receptors in the T24 human bladder epithelial carcinoma cell line were assessed by Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), Ca2+ Flux, cAMP production and interleukin-8 measurements. RT-PCR experiments detected the presence of transcripts for the adenosine A1, A2A and A2B receptors but not for the adenosine A3 subtype. Application of specific adenosine receptor ligands resulted in concentration-dependent increases in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) with the following order of potency and EC50 values: 5'-N-Ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) (1153+/-214)>5'-(N-Cyclopropyl)carboxamidoadenosine (CPCA) (1436+/-186)>adenosine (4823+/-932). This rank order of potency is typical of adenosine A2B receptors. In addition, select adenosine receptor antagonists N-(4-acetylphenyl)-2-[4-(2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-2,6 dioxo-1,3-dipropyl-1H-purin-8-yl)phenoxy]acetamide (MRS 1706), 8-[4-[((4-Cyano[2,6-]-phenyl)carbamoylmethyl)oxy]phenyl]-1,3-di(n-propyl)-xanthine (MRS 1754), 1,3-Diethyl-8-phenylxanthine (DPCPX), 1,3-Diethyl-8-phenylxanthine (DPX), Alloxazine, 8-(3-Chlorostyryl)caffeine (CSC), and Theophylline blocked the NECA-induced calcium responses. Additionally, NECA, CPCA, and adenosine stimulated cAMP formation with a rank order of potency characteristic of adenosine A2B receptors. The select adenosine A2A antagonist, 5-amino-7-(phenylethyl)-2-(2-furyl)-pyrazolo[4,3-e]-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-c] pyrimidine (SCH 58261) failed to antagonize the NECA response, whereas the potent and highly selective adenosine A2B antagonists MRS 1754 and MRS 1706 inhibited NECA-stimulated cAMP production. Lastly, NECA-induced interleukin-8 secretion was inhibited by MRS 1754. Taken together, these data indicate that [Ca2+]i accumulation and cAMP production as well as interleukin-8 secretion is mediated through the adenosine A2B receptor in the T24 cell line.

Characterization of adenosine receptor(s) involved in adenosine-induced bronchoconstriction in an allergic mouse model

We recently reported that adenosine caused bronchoconstriction and enhanced airway inflammation in an allergic mouse model. In this study, we further report the characterization of the subtype of adenosine receptor(s) involved in bronchoconstriction. 5'-(N-ethylcarboxamido)adenosine (NECA), a nonselective adenosine agonist, elicited bronchoconstriction in a dose-dependent manner. Little effects of N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine (A(1)-selective agonist) and 2-p-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethylamino-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (A(2A)-selective agonist) compared with NECA were observed in this model. 2-Chloro-N(6)-(3-iodobenzyl)-9-[5-(methylcarbamoyl)-beta-d-ribofuranosyl]adenosine, an A(3)-selective receptor agonist, produced a dose-dependent bronchoconstrictor response, which was blocked by selective A(3) antagonist 2,3-diethyl-4,5-dipropyl-6-phenylpyridine-3-thiocarboxylate-5-carboxylate (MRS1523). However, MRS1523 only partially inhibited NECA-induced bronchoconstriction. Neither selective A(1) nor A(2A) antagonists affected NECA-induced bronchoconstriction. Enprofylline, a relatively selective A(2B) receptor antagonist, blocked partly NECA-induced bronchoconstriction. Furthermore, a combination of enprofylline and MRS1523 completely abolished NECA-induced bronchoconstrictor response. Using RT-PCR, we found that all four adenosine receptor subtypes are expressed in control lungs. Allergen sensitization and challenge significantly increased transcript levels of the A(2B) and A(3) receptors, whereas the A(1) receptor message decreased. No change in transcript levels of A(2A) receptors was observed after allergen sensitization and challenge. These findings suggest that A(2B) and A(3) adenosine receptors play an important role in adenosine-induced bronchoconstriction in our allergic mouse model. Finally, whether the airway effects of the receptor agonists/antagonists are direct or indirect needs further investigations.

Functional characterization of the adenosine receptor contributing to glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis in rat hepatocytes

The adenosine receptor subtype mediating glucose production by glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis was studied in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Adenosine and adenosine agonists caused cyclic AMP accumulation in rat hepatocytes. The order of potency was 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA)>R(-)-N(6)-(2-phenylisopropyl)adenosine (RPIA)>adenosine>2-[p-(carboxyethyl)phenylethylamino]-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (CGS21680). Furthermore, adenosine agonists stimulated glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. The order of potency was NECA>RPIA>CGS21680. The rank order of potency is typical for adenosine A(2B) receptors. Glycogenolysis stimulated by NECA was fully inhibited by nonselective adenosine antagonists, 9-chloro-2-(2-furanyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]quinazolin-5-amine (CGS15943). However, the adenosine A(2A) receptor-selective antagonist, 8-(3-chlorostyryl)caffeine (CSC), and the adenosine A(1) receptor-selective antagonist, (+)-(R)-[(E)-3-(2-phenylpyrazolo[1,5-alpha]pyridin-3-yl)acryloyl]-2-piperidine ethanol (FK453), had a low inhibitory potency. A strong correlation was found between the inhibitory effect of adenosine antagonists on NECA-induced glucose production and that on intracellular cyclic AMP generation in rat hepatocytes. Our results suggest that adenosine stimulates cyclic AMP formation and regulates glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, most likely through the adenosine A(2B) receptor subtype in rat hepatocytes.

Prostaglandin E(2) increases cyclic AMP and inhibits endothelin-1 production/secretion by guinea-pig tracheal epithelial cells through EP(4) receptors

Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) increased adenosine 3' : 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) formation in tracheal epithelial cells and concomitantly decreased the production/secretion of immunoreactive endothelin (irET). Naturally occurring prostanoids and selective and non-selective EP receptor agonists showed the following rank order of potency in stimulating cyclic AMP generation by epithelial cells: PGE(2) (EP-selective)>16,16-dimethyl PGE(2) (EP-selective)>11-deoxy PGE(2) (EP-selective)>>>iloprost (IP/EP(1)/EP(3)-selective), butaprost (EP(2)-selective), PGD(2) (DP-selective), PGF(2alpha) (FP-selective). The lack of responsiveness of the latter prostanoids indicated that the prostanoid receptor present in these cells is not of the DP, FP, IP, EP(1), EP(2) or EP(3) subtype. Pre-incubating the cells with the selective TP/EP(4)-receptor antagonists AH23848B and AH22921X antagonized the PGE(2)-evoked cyclic AMP generation. This suggested that EP(4) receptors mediate PGE(2) effects. However, in addition to any antagonistic effects at EP(4)-receptors, both compounds, to a different extent, modified cyclic AMP metabolism. The selective EP(1), DP and EP(2) receptor antagonist (AH6809) failed to inhibit PGE(2)-evoked cyclic AMP generation which confirmed that the EP(2) receptor subtype did not contribute to the change in cyclic AMP formation in these cells. The PGE(2)-induced inhibition of irET production by guinea-pig tracheal epithelial cells was due to cyclic AMP generation and activation of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase since this effect was reverted by the cyclic AMP antagonist Rp-cAMPS. These results provide the first evidence supporting the existence of a functional prostaglandin E(2) receptor that shares the pharmacological features of the EP(4)-receptor subtype in guinea-pig tracheal epithelial cells. These receptors modulate cyclic AMP formation as well as ET-1 production/secretion in these cells.