Suppressing NADPH oxidase-dependent oxidative stress in the vasculature with nitric oxide donors

Involvement of GLR-mediated nitric oxide effects on ROS metabolism in Arabidopsis plants under salt stress

Plant glutamate receptor-like channels (GLRs) play important roles in plant development, immune response, defense signaling and Nitric oxide (NO) production. However, their involvement in abiotic stress responses, particularly in regulating Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), is not well understood. This study aimed to investigate GLR-mediated NO production on ROS regulation in salt-stressed cells. To achieve this, Arabidopsis thaliana Columbia (Col-0) were treated with NaCl, glutamate antagonists [(DNQX (6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione and AP-5(D-2-amino-5-phosphono pentanoic acid)], and NO scavenger [cPTIO (2-(4-Carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide potassium salt)]. Salt-stressed plants in combination with DNQX and AP-5 have exhibited higher increase in lipid peroxidation (TBARS), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide radical (O-2) contents as compared to solely NaCl-treated plants. Furthermore, NO and total glutathione contents, and S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) activity decreased with these treatments. AP-5 and DNQX increased the activities of NADPH oxidase (NOX), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), cell wall peroxidase (CWPOX) in salt-stressed Arabidopsis leaves. However, their activities (except NOX) were significantly inhibited by cPTIO. Conversely, the combination of NaCl and GLR antagonists, NO scavenger decreased the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) resulting in elevated GSSG levels, a low GSH/GSSG ratio, impaired ROS scavenging, excessive ROS accumulation and cell membrane damage. The findings of this study provide evidence that GLR-mediated NO plays a crucial role in improvement of the tolerance of Arabidopsis plants to salt-induced oxidative stress. It helps to maintain cellular redox homeostasis by reducing ROS accumulation and increasing the activity of SOD, GSNOR, and the ASC-GSH cycle enzymes.

Recent Developments in Pharmacological Effect, Mechanism and Application Prospect of Diazeniumdiolates

Nitric oxide (NO) is a simple structured and unstable free radical molecule, which participates in the regulation of many pathophysiological processes. It functions both as a second messenger and as an endogenous neurotransmitter. Diazeniumdiolates (NONOates) are a series of compounds containing the functional parent nuclear structure of [N(O)NO]-, which are the most widely studied NO donors. NONOates are unstable and easy to release NO in physiological conditions. The biomedical applications and drug development of NO donor have attracted the scientists' attention in recent years. In this review, recent advances in NONOates research are highlighted in terms of chemical structures, molecular characteristics, pharmacological effects, and biomedical application prospects.

Improvement of vascular dysfunction by argirein through inhibiting endothelial cell apoptosis associated with ET-1/Nox4 signal pathway in diabetic rats

Endothelial cell apoptosis plays an important role in the pathophysiological mechanism of vascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Argirein, a new synthetic compound was demonstrated to inactivate NADPH oxidase to alleviate cardiac dysfunction in T2DM. Here, we investigated whether argirein medication attenuated the vascular dysfunction in T2DM by inhibiting endothelial cell apoptosis which was associated with NADPH oxidase. The rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs) were incubated with glucose (30 mM) for 48 hour in vitro. It was shown that high glucose significantly increased the protein expression of BAX (Bcl-2 Associated X protein) and Caspase-3 and decreased Bcl2 (B-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma 2) protein level in RAECs, which was normalized by argirein medication. The annexin V-FITC bound cell percentage and DNA fragments in agarose electrophoresis were markedly suppressed by argirein to confirm the anti-apoptotic property of argirein in RAECs. Furthermore, we found that argirein blocked the endothelin (ET)-1/Nox4 signal-dependent superoxide (O₂^−.) generation, which regulated endothelial cell apoptosis in RAECs. In vivo, argirein intervention relieved the vasodilatory response to acetylcholine and restored the expressions of Nox4 and BAX in the aorta endothelium of high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats following streptozocin (STZ) injection. For the first time, we demonstrated that argirein could inhibit vascular endothelial cell apoptosis, which was attributed to blocking ET-1/Nox4 signal-dependent O₂⁻ generation in RAECs. This current study revealed the therapeutic effects of argirein to prevent the vascular complication in T2DM through inhibiting endothelial cell apoptosis which was associated with the anti-oxidative property of argirein.

Vasoactive enzymes and blood flow responses to passive and active exercise in peripheral arterial disease

BACKGROUND

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is characterised by impaired leg blood flow, which contributes to claudication and reduced exercise capacity. This study investigated to what extent vasoactive enzymes might contribute to altered blood flow in PAD (Fontaine stage II).

METHODS

We compared femoral artery blood flow during reactive hyperaemia, leg-extension exercise and passive leg movement, and determined the level of vasoactive enzymes in skeletal muscle samples from the vastus lateralis in PAD (n = 10, 68.5 ± 6.5 years) and healthy controls (CON, n = 9, 62.1 ± 12.3 years). Leg blood flow was measured with Doppler ultrasound and muscle protein levels of phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase, NADPH oxidase, cyclooxygenase 1 and 2, thromboxane synthase, and prostacyclin synthase were determined.

RESULTS

Leg blood flow during the initial 90 s of passive leg movement (242 ± 33 vs 441 ± 75 ml min(-1), P = 0.03) and during reactive hyperaemia (423 ± 100 vs 1255 ± 175 ml min(-1), P = 0.002) was lower in PAD than CON, whereas no significant difference was observed for leg blood flow during exercise (1490 ± 250 vs 1887 ± 349 ml min(-1), P = 0.37). PAD had higher NADPH oxidase than CON (1.04 ± 0.19 vs 0.50 ± 0.06 AU, P = 0.02), with no differences for other enzymes. Leg blood flow during exercise was correlated with prostacyclin synthase (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Elevated NADPH oxidase indicates that oxidative stress may be a primary cause of low nitric oxide availability and impaired blood flow in PAD.

Modulating endothelial nitric oxide synthase: a new cardiovascular therapeutic strategy

The pathogenesis of many cardiovascular diseases is associated with reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and/or increased endothelial NO synthase (eNOS)-dependent superoxide formation. These findings support that restoring and conserving adequate NO signaling in the heart and blood vessels is a promising therapeutic intervention. In particular, modulating eNOS, e.g., through increasing the bioavailability of its substrate and cofactors, enhancing its transcription, and interfering with other modulators of eNOS pathway, such as netrin-1, has a high potential for effective treatments of cardiovascular diseases. This review provides an overview of the possibilities for modulating eNOS and how this may be translated to the clinic in addition to describing the genetic models used to study eNOS modulation.

Role of oxidant scavengers in the prevention of Ca²+ homeostasis disorders

A number of disorders, such as Alzheimer disease and diabetes mellitus, have in common the alteration of the redox balance, resulting in an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation that might lead to the development of apoptosis and cell death. It has long been known that ROS can significantly alter Ca²+ mobilization, an intracellular signal that is involved in the regulation of a wide variety of cellular functions. Cells have a limited capability to counteract the effects of oxidative stress, but evidence has been provided supporting the beneficial effects of exogenous ROS scavengers. Here, we review the effects of oxidative stress on intracellular Ca²+ homeostasis and the role of antioxidants in the prevention and treatment of disorders associated to abnormal Ca²+ mobilization induced by ROS.

NADPH oxidase isoform selective regulation of endothelial cell proliferation and survival

Proliferation and apoptosis of endothelial cells are crucial angiogenic processes that contribute to carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Emerging evidence implicates the regulation of proliferation and apoptosis by reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)). In the present study, we investigated the roles of the ROS-generating Nox4- and Nox2-containing reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases in proliferation of human endothelial cells by examining the impact of these enzyme systems on (1) specific proliferative and tumorigenic kinases, extracellular regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) and Akt, (2) cytoskeletal organization, and (3) the mechanisms that influence cellular apoptosis. ROS production and the expression of NADPH oxidase subunit Nox4, but not Nox2, were markedly higher in proliferating than in quiescent endothelial cells. Addition of the H(2)O(2) scavenger catalase or downregulation of Nox4 protein with specific siRNA reduced ROS levels, cell proliferation, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation but had no effect on either cell morphology or caspase 3/7 activity. Although downregulation of Nox2 protein with siRNA also reduced ROS production and cell proliferation, it caused an increase in caspase 3/7 activity, reduced Akt phosphorylation, and caused cytoskeletal disorganization. Therefore, in endothelial cells, Nox4-derived H(2)O(2) activates ERK1/2 to promote proliferation, whereas Nox2-containing NADPH oxidase maintains the cytoskeleton and prevents apoptosis to support cell survival. Our study provides a new understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underpin endothelial cell survival and a rationale for the combined suppression of Nox4- and Nox2-containing NADPH oxidases for unwanted angiogenesis in cancer.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase activation contributes to post-exercise hypotension in spontaneously hypertensive rats

We investigated the role that endothelial nitric oxide synthase plays in post-exercise hypotension in spontaneously hypertensive rats. To accomplish this, rats were subjected to a single bout of dynamic exercise on a treadmill at 15 m/min for 20 min. L-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 40 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly inhibited post-exercise hypotension (25+/-11 and 5+/-3 mm Hg, respectively; P<0.05). In addition, the superoxide anion generation was decreased, while the plasma nitrite production and serine phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase were significantly elevated in spontaneously hypertensive rats at 30 min after the termination of exercise. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the increased phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase plays a crucial role in the reduction of arterial pressure following a single bout of dynamic exercise in spontaneously hypertensive rats.