Plasma adenosine concentrations are elevated in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats

Purinergic transmission in blood vessels

There are nineteen different receptor proteins for adenosine, adenine and uridine nucleotides, and nucleotide sugars, belonging to three families of G protein-coupled adenosine and P2Y receptors, and ionotropic P2X receptors. The majority are functionally expressed in blood vessels, as purinergic receptors in perivascular nerves, smooth muscle and endothelial cells, and roles in regulation of vascular contractility, immune function and growth have been identified. The endogenous ligands for purine receptors, ATP, ADP, UTP, UDP and adenosine, can be released from different cell types within the vasculature, as well as from circulating blood cells, including erythrocytes and platelets. Many purine receptors can be activated by two or more of the endogenous ligands. Further complexity arises because of interconversion between ligands, notably adenosine formation from the metabolism of ATP, leading to complex integrated responses through activation of different subtypes of purine receptors. The enzymes responsible for this conversion, ectonucleotidases, are present on the surface of smooth muscle and endothelial cells, and may be coreleased with neurotransmitters from nerves. What selectivity there is for the actions of purines/pyrimidines comes from differential expression of their receptors within the vasculature. P2X1 receptors mediate the vasocontractile actions of ATP released as a neurotransmitter with noradrenaline (NA) from sympathetic perivascular nerves, and are located on the vascular smooth muscle adjacent to the nerve varicosities, the sites of neurotransmitter release. The relative contribution of ATP and NA as functional cotransmitters varies with species, type and size of blood vessel, neuronal firing pattern, the tone/pressure of the blood vessel, and in ageing and disease. ATP is also a neurotransmitter in non-adrenergic non-cholinergic perivascular nerves and mediates vasorelaxation via smooth muscle P2Y-like receptors. ATP and adenosine can act as neuromodulators, with the most robust evidence being for prejunctional inhibition of neurotransmission via A1 adenosine receptors, but also prejunctional excitation and inhibition of neurotransmission via P2X and P2Y receptors, respectively. P2Y2, P2Y4 and P2Y6 receptors expressed on the vascular smooth muscle are coupled to vasocontraction, and may have a role in pathophysiological conditions, when purines are released from damaged cells, or when there is damage to the protective barrier that is the endothelium. Adenosine is released during hypoxia to increase blood flow via vasodilator A2A and A2B receptors expressed on the endothelium and smooth muscle. ATP is released from endothelial cells during hypoxia and shear stress and can act at P2Y and P2X4 receptors expressed on the endothelium to increase local blood flow. Activation of endothelial purine receptors leads to the release of nitric oxide, hyperpolarising factors and prostacyclin, which inhibits platelet aggregation and thus ensures patent blood flow. Vascular purine receptors also regulate endothelial and smooth muscle growth, and inflammation, and thus are involved in the underlying processes of a number of cardiovascular diseases.

Purinergic signaling and blood vessels in health and disease

Purinergic signaling plays important roles in control of vascular tone and remodeling. There is dual control of vascular tone by ATP released as a cotransmitter with noradrenaline from perivascular sympathetic nerves to cause vasoconstriction via P2X1 receptors, whereas ATP released from endothelial cells in response to changes in blood flow (producing shear stress) or hypoxia acts on P2X and P2Y receptors on endothelial cells to produce nitric oxide and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor, which dilates vessels. ATP is also released from sensory-motor nerves during antidromic reflex activity to produce relaxation of some blood vessels. In this review, we stress the differences in neural and endothelial factors in purinergic control of different blood vessels. The long-term (trophic) actions of purine and pyrimidine nucleosides and nucleotides in promoting migration and proliferation of both vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells via P1 and P2Y receptors during angiogenesis and vessel remodeling during restenosis after angioplasty are described. The pathophysiology of blood vessels and therapeutic potential of purinergic agents in diseases, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, ischemia, thrombosis and stroke, diabetes, and migraine, is discussed.

Effect of acute exercise on cardiovascular hemodynamic and red blood cell concentrations of purine nucleotides in hypertensive compared with normotensives rats

OBJECTIVE

The mechanisms of exercise-induced health benefits are complex and not fully understood. This study investigated the effects of exercise and hypertension on cardiovascular hemodynamic responses and red blood cell (RBC) concentrations of purine nucleotides using normotensive and hypertensive rat models in vivo.

METHODS

Sprague Dawley rats (SDRs) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were exercised on a treadmill for 15 min at a speed of 10 m/min and 5% grade. Blood samples were obtained from each rat before, during, and after exercise for measurement of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) and guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) concentrations in RBCs by a validated high-performance liquid chromatography assay. They were returned to a restrainer after exercise, and hemodynamic recording collected continuously up to 6 h. Two separate groups (SDRs and SHRs) without exercise were used as controls. Biomarker data were compared between SDRs and SHRs using analysis of variance and t test and difference considered significant at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

The study has demonstrated for the first time a difference in the postexercise effect between SDRs and SHRs. The 15 min of exercise significantly increased systolic blood pressure (SBP) (129 ± 16 to 162 ± 26 mmHg) and heart rate (HR) (416 ± 29 to 491 ± 26 bpm) in SDRs (p < 0.05), but not in SHRs. The postexercise hemodynamic effects were more profound in SHRs. SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) also fell significantly in the control group of SHRs (SBP 184 ± 14 to 152 ± 29 mmHg and DBP 149 ± 9 to 120 ± 14 mmHg, p < 0.05 for both) towards the end of the experiment but not in the SDR group. The RBC concentrations of ATP and GTP increased after exercise in both SDRs and SHRs which were significantly correlated with the postexercise hemodynamic effect (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

SHRs were more tolerant to increases in HR and SBP induced by exercise, and have more profound postexercise hemodynamic effects than SDRs. The hemodynamic effects were linked closely with RBC concentrations of ATP and GTP in both SDRs and SHRs.

Selective attenuation of norepinephrine release and stress-induced heart rate increase by partial adenosine A1 agonism

The release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) is modulated by presynaptic adenosine receptors. In the present study we investigated the effect of a partial activation of this feedback mechanism. We hypothesized that partial agonism would have differential effects on NE release in isolated hearts as well as on heart rate in vivo depending on the genetic background and baseline sympathetic activity. In isolated perfused hearts of Wistar and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR), NE release was induced by electrical stimulation under control conditions (S1), and with capadenoson 6 · 10(-8) M (30 µg/l), 6 · 10(-7) M (300 µg/l) or 2-chloro-N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA) 10(-6) M (S2). Under control conditions (S1), NE release was significantly higher in SHR hearts compared to Wistar (766+/-87 pmol/g vs. 173+/-18 pmol/g, p<0.01). Capadenoson led to a concentration-dependent decrease of the stimulation-induced NE release in SHR (S2/S1  =  0.90 ± 0.08 with capadenoson 6 · 10(-8) M, 0.54 ± 0.02 with 6 · 10(-7) M), but not in Wistar hearts (S2/S1  =  1.05 ± 0.12 with 6 · 10(-8) M, 1.03 ± 0.09 with 6 · 10(-7) M). CCPA reduced NE release to a similar degree in hearts from both strains. In vivo capadenoson did not alter resting heart rate in Wistar rats or SHR. Restraint stress induced a significantly greater increase of heart rate in SHR than in Wistar rats. Capadenoson blunted this stress-induced tachycardia by 45% in SHR, but not in Wistar rats. Using a [(35)S]GTPγS assay we demonstrated that capadenoson is a partial agonist compared to the full agonist CCPA (74+/-2% A(1)-receptor stimulation). These results suggest that partial adenosine A(1)-agonism dampens stress-induced tachycardia selectively in rats susceptible to strong increases in sympathetic activity, most likely due to a presynaptic attenuation of NE release.

Stimulation of adenosine A(2B) receptors induces interleukin-6 secretion in cardiac fibroblasts via the PKC-delta-P38 signalling pathway

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Inflammatory response and cytokine activation are markedly stimulated after myocardial infarction, and contribute to cardiac remodelling. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, has pleiotropic effects on cardiac remodelling. Adenosine, released by all cell types, binds to a class of G protein-coupled receptors to induce various cardiovascular effects. The aim of this work was to investigate whether activation of adenosine receptors, particularly A(2B) adenosine receptors, could stimulate IL-6 secretion in cardiac fibroblasts (CFs).

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

elisa was used to assess IL-6 concentration in supernatant, and immunostaining was used to analyse IL-6 protein level in CFs. The levels of phosphorylated and total p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase and protein kinase C-delta (PKC-delta) were determined by Western blot analysis.

KEY RESULTS

Adenosine-5'-N-ethyluronamide (NECA), a stable adenosine analogue, dose- and time-dependently stimulated IL-6 secretion in CFs. The effect of NECA was dose-dependently inhibited by an A(2B) antagonist, and silencing of the A(2B) receptor also inhibited IL-6 secretion. By using PKC isoform-selective inhibitors and translocation peptide inhibitors, the PKC-delta isoform was found to be involved in the up-regulation of IL-6 production. Inhibition of p38 by SB203580, and adenoviral transfer of dominant-negative p38 inhibited NECA-induced IL-6 production. Furthermore, PKC-delta functioned as an upstream regulator of p38 MAPK in this process.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

We demonstrated a novel relationship between adenosine and IL-6 secretion, in that IL-6 secretion induced by NECA was mediated by adenosine A(2B) receptor activation in CFs and was dependent on a PKCdelta-P38 pathway.

Inhibition of Phenylephrine-Induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy by Activation of Multiple Adenosine Receptor Subtypes

Plasma adenosine levels are elevated in cardiovascular disease including hypertension and heart failure, and the nucleoside has been proposed to serve as an endogenous antimyocardial remodeling factor. We studied the modulation of phenylephrine-induced hypertrophy by adenosine receptor activation in isolated neonatal cultured ventricular myocytes. Phenylephrine (10 muM) increased cell size by 35% and significantly increased expression of atrial natriuretic peptide. These effects were reduced by the stable adenosine analog 2-chloroadenosine and were completely blocked by the adenosine A(1) receptor agonist N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine (1 microM), the A(2A) receptor agonist 2-p-(2-carboxyethyl)-phenethylamino-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (100 nM), and the A(3) receptor agonist N(6)-(3-iodobenzyl)adenosine-5'-methyluronamide (100 nM). The antihypertrophic effects of all three agonists were completely reversed by their respective antagonists. Phenylephrine significantly up-regulated expression of the immediate early gene c-fos especially within the first 30 min of phenylephrine treatment. These effects were almost completely inhibited by all adenosine receptor agonists. Although phenylephrine also induced early stimulation of both p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase, these responses were unaffected by adenosine agonists. The expression of the G-protein regulatory factors RGS2 and RGS4 were increased by nearly 3-fold by phenylephrine treatment although this was completely prevented by adenosine receptor agonists. These agents also blocked the ability of phenylephrine to up-regulate Na/H exchange isoform 1 (NHE1) expression in hypertrophied myocytes. Thus, our results demonstrate an antihypertrophic effect of adenosine acting via multiple receptor subtypes through a mechanism involving down-regulation of NHE1 expression. The ability to prevent regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) up-regulation further suggests that adenosine receptor activation minimizes signaling which leads to hypertrophic responses.

Tonic activity of the rat adipocyte A1-adenosine receptor

1. Adipocyte A(1)-adenosine receptors (A(1) AdoR) tonically inhibit adenylyl cyclase and lipolysis. Three potential explanations for tonic activity of A(1)AdoR of rat epididymal adipocytes were investigated: high affinity of adenosine for the receptor, efficient coupling of receptor activation to response, and spontaneous activity of the receptor in the absence of agonist. 2. The affinity of adenosine for the adipocyte A(1)AdoR was determined as 4.6 microM by analysis of effects of an irreversible receptor antagonist on agonist concentration-response relationships. In contrast, the potency of adenosine to decrease cyclic AMP in isolated adipocytes was 1.4 nM. 3. Occupancy by agonist of the A(1)AdoR was efficiently coupled to functional response (decrease of adipocyte cyclic AMP content). Activation by adenosine of less than 1% of A(1)AdoRs caused a near-maximal decrease of cyclic AMP in adipocytes. Thus the receptor reserve for adenosine to decrease cyclic AMP content of adipocytes was greater than 99%. 4. Affinities and receptor reserves for other A(1)AdoR agonists were determined. Agonists appeared to differ more in their affinity for the receptor than in their intrinsic efficacy to activate it. 5. A(1)AdoRs were inactive in the absence of agonist. 6. It is concluded that adipocyte A(1)AdoR are tonically activated by endogenous adenosine at nanomolar concentrations. The expression of a high density of A(1)AdoR that are efficiently coupled to a functional response enables the adipocyte to respond with high sensitivity to the low-affinity agonist, adenosine. Adipocytes may be a model for cells whose functions are tonically modulated by adenosine present in the interstitium of well-oxygenated tissues.

Caffeine and stress: implications for risk, assessment, and management of hypertension

Caffeine use is widespread, and its consumption increases during periods of stress. Caffeine raises blood pressure by elevating vascular resistance, and this effect is larger and more prolonged in hypertensive patients than in normotensive. The pressor response to caffeine occurs equally in persons at rest and under stress. The elevated baseline pressures of the hypertensive patient are therefore increased by both caffeine and stress, potentially leading to undesirably high pressures. Such combined effects on blood pressure may potentially confound the evaluation of hypertension, and possibly reduce the effectiveness of antihypertensive therapy. These effects are not abolished by pharmacologic tolerance to caffeine, as tolerance may not be complete with daily intake. The contribution of caffeine's effects to the development of hypertension warrants continued study, and caffeine use by patients merits consideration in terms of assessment and management of this disorder.

Caffeine increases renal renin secretion in a rat model of genetic heart failure

In a previous study, we showed that caffeine (CAFF) increases basal renin secretion by blocking intrarenal adenosine receptors and, when sympathetic activity is increased, augments renin release in part by blockade of brain adenosine receptors, leading to increased central sympathetic tone. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of CAFF treatment on neurohumoral status and heart performance in experimental heart failure. Two series of experiments were performed. First, the effects of CAFF (10 mg/kg +150 microg/min over 40 min) on heart performance (time-pressure variables) and neurohumoral status were studied in conscious, 9-month-old Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and spontaneously hypertensive heart failure (SHHF/Mcc-fa(cp) rats. Second, caffeine (0.1% in drinking water) was given for 10 days to 14-month-old SHHF/Mcc-fa(cp) rats, and cardiac performance, renal function, and neurohumoral status determined in vivo. CAFF infusion increased heart rate, left ventricular peak systolic pressure, and workload in hypertensive (SHRs and SHHF), but not in normotensive (WKY) animals and had no effects on cardiac contractility in all three strains. CAFF increased plasma renin activity (PRA), norepinephrine (NE), and epinephrine (E) levels in all three strains [treatment effect, p<0.001, 2F analysis of variance (ANOVA)], and these effects were greater in hypertensive (SHRs and SHHF) animals as compared with normotensive WKY rats (p<0.015). Ten-day CAFF treatment in 14-month-old SHHF did not change measured cardiac time-pressure variables, or hemodynamic or renal excretory function parameters that can affect renin secretion. However, CAFF treatment significantly increased renal renin secretion (71.1+/-19.2 vs. 9.5+/-5.8 ng Ang I/h/min/kg for caffeine and control group, respectively; p<0.01). In summary, acute administration of CAFF increases workload, but has no effects on cardiac contractility in conscious SHHF rats. The cardiac effects are accompanied by increased renin release and NE and E plasma levels. Moreover, this study provides the first evidence that short-term caffeine consumption increases renal renin secretion in heart failure, an effect most likely due to the blockade of intrarenal adenosine receptors. It is possible that long-term activation of neurohumoral mechanisms by CAFF could have adverse effects in heart failure.

Effects of adenosine deaminase inhibition on blood pressure in old spontaneously hypertensive rats

Adenosine is an ubiquitously occurring endogenous nucleoside that via cell surface receptors exerts multiple antihypertensive actions, and mediates a number of biological responses that may reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Therefore modulation of endogenous levels of adenosine may offer beneficial effects in hypertension. The objective of this study was to determine whether inhibition of adenosine deaminase lowers blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). We investigated the effects of erythro-9-(2-hydroxyl-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA), an adenosine deaminase inhibitor, on hemodynamic and renal parameters in 16-week-old and 36-week-old SHR and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) and in 36-week-old SHR and WKY pretreated with 1,3-dipropyl-8-p-sulfopheznylxanthine (DPSPX, an adenosine antagonist that does not enter the brain and is restricted to the extracellular space). Adenosine deaminase inhibition with EHNA (10 mg/kg, iv.) produced a marked fall in arterial blood pressure in older (MABP 162.0+/-7.6 mmHg and 120.7+/-11.7 mmHg for baseline and EHNA period, respectively; p<0.01), but not younger, SHR, whereas no effects on blood pressure were observed in age-matched normotensive WKY rats. EHNA did not affect renal hemodynamic and excretory function in any of six groups of animals. DPSPX blocked the antihypertensive effects of EHNA, suggesting that the effects of EHNA on blood pressure are mediated via peripheral adenosine receptors. Further studies are required to elucidate why inhibition of adenosine deaminase lowers blood pressure only in older SHR. The present data suggest that inhibition of adenosine deaminase may provide beneficial effects in older hypertensives and lead us to propose that design and use of extracellular adenosine deaminase inhibitors may offer cardiovascular protection in hypertension.

Genetic variation in immediate and delayed postictal refractory period in rats

We determined postictal refractoriness in Sprague-Dawley rats by comparing lengths of two suprathreshold ECS seizures given 15 s to 24 h apart. A bimodal (immediate and delayed) decrease in seizure duration was found, suggesting ECS alters mechanisms of seizure termination. Since adenosine is implicated in seizure termination, we determined immediate (30 s) and delayed (24 h) postictal ECS refractoriness in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats which vary in adenosine properties and initial ECS seizure length. At 30 s, the decrease in seizures did not differ between WKY (-44%) and SHR (-36%) rats. At 24 h, SHR rats showed no change while the WKY rats showed a 20% decrease in seizure length (P < 0.01). These two strains also differed in the ability of the adenosine antagonist caffeine (50 mg/kg, i.p.) to prolong ECS seizures (no change for WKY, +13% for SHR, P < 0.001). The results suggest immediate and delayed postictal refractoriness are subject to genetic variation and may depend on central adenosine mechanisms.

Plasma adenosine concentrations are elevated in Dahl salt-sensitive rats

We measured plasma levels of adenosine in Dahl salt-sensitive rats (DS) and Dahl salt-resistant rats (DR) to examine the potential role of adenosine in cardiovascular regulation in this type of hypertension. Plasma adenosine concentrations were significantly higher in DS than in DR. The NaCl content in the diet did not affect plasma adenosine concentration in either DS or DR. Significant positive correlation was found between adenosine concentrations and systolic blood pressure when the data for DS and DR were analyzed together. These results suggest that adenosine may play an important role in the pathophysiology of hypertension in DS.