Glutamine metabolism to glucosamine is necessary for glutamine inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide synthesis

2001 ◽  
Vol 353 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guoyao WU ◽  
Tony E. HAYNES ◽  
Hui LI ◽  
Wene YAN ◽  
Cynthia J. MEININGER

L-Glutamine is a physiological inhibitor of endothelial NO synthesis. The present study was conducted to test the hypothesis that metabolism of glutamine to glucosamine is necessary for glutamine inhibition of endothelial NO generation. Bovine venular endothelial cells were cultured for 24h in the presence of 0, 0.1, 0.5 or 2mM D-glucosamine, or of 0.2 or 2mM L-glutamine with or without 20µM 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON) or with 100µM azaserine. Both DON and azaserine are inhibitors of L-glutamine:D-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase (isomerizing) (EC 2.6.1.16), the first and rate controlling enzyme in glucosamine synthesis. Glucosamine at 0.1, 0.5 and 2mM decreased NO production by 34, 45 and 56% respectively compared with controls where glucosamine was lacking. DON (20µM) and azaserine (100µM) blocked glucosamine synthesis and prevented the inhibition of NO generation by glutamine. Neither glutamine nor glucosamine had an effect on NO synthase (NOS) activity, arginine transport or cellular tetrahydrobiopterin and Ca2+ levels. However, both glutamine and glucosamine inhibited pentose cycle activity and decreased cellular NADPH concentrations; these effects of glutamine were abolished by DON or azaserine. Restoration of cellular NADPH levels by the addition of 1mM citrate also prevented the inhibiting effect of glutamine or glucosamine on NO synthesis. A further increase in cellular NADPH levels by the addition of 5mM citrate resulted in greater production of NO. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the metabolism of glutamine to glucosamine is necessary for the inhibition of endothelial NO generation by glutamine. Glucosamine reduces the cellular availability of NADPH (an essential cofactor for NOS) by inhibiting pentose cycle activity, and this may be a metabolic basis for the inhibition of endothelial NO synthesis by glucosamine.

2004 ◽  
Vol 287 (1) ◽  
pp. L60-L68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis G. Chicoine ◽  
Michael L. Paffett ◽  
Tamara L. Young ◽  
Leif D. Nelin

Nitric oxide (NO) is produced by NO synthase (NOS) from l-arginine (l-Arg). Alternatively, l-Arg can be metabolized by arginase to produce l-ornithine and urea. Arginase (AR) exists in two isoforms, ARI and ARII. We hypothesized that inhibiting AR with l-valine (l-Val) would increase NO production in bovine pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (bPAEC). bPAEC were grown to confluence in either regular medium (EGM; control) or EGM with lipopolysaccharide and tumor necrosis factor-α (L/T) added. Treatment of bPAEC with L/T resulted in greater ARI protein expression and ARII mRNA expression than in control bPAEC. Addition of l-Val to the medium led to a concentration-dependent decrease in urea production and a concentration-dependent increase in NO production in both control and L/T-treated bPAEC. In a second set of experiments, control and L/T bPAEC were grown in EGM, EGM with 30 mM l-Val, EGM with 10 mM l-Arg, or EGM with both 10 mM l-Arg and 30 mM l-Val. In both control and L/T bPAEC, treatment with l-Val decreased urea production and increased NO production. Treatment with l-Arg increased both urea and NO production. The addition of the combination l-Arg and l-Val decreased urea production compared with the addition of l-Arg alone and increased NO production compared with l-Val alone. These data suggest that competition for intracellular l-Arg by AR may be involved in the regulation of NOS activity in control bPAEC and in response to L/T treatment.


2000 ◽  
Vol 279 (4) ◽  
pp. F671-F678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohui Zhang ◽  
Hong Li ◽  
Haoli Jin ◽  
Zachary Ebin ◽  
Sergey Brodsky ◽  
...  

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCy) is an independent and graded cardiovascular risk factor. HHCy is prevalent in patients with chronic renal failure, contributing to the increased mortality rate. Controversy exists as to the effects of HHCy on nitric oxide (NO) production: it has been shown that HHCy both increases and suppresses it. We addressed this problem by using amperometric electrochemical NO detection with a porphyrinic microelectrode to study responses of endothelial cells incubated with homocysteine (Hcy) to the stimulation with bradykinin, calcium ionophore, or l-arginine. Twenty-four-hour preincubation with Hcy (10, 20, and 50 μM) resulted in a gradual decline in responsiveness of endothelial cells to the above stimuli. Hcy did not affect the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), but it stimulated formation of superoxide anions, as judged by fluorescence of dichlorofluorescein, and peroxynitrite, as detected by using immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting of proteins modified by tyrosine nitration. Hcy did not directly affect the ability of recombinant eNOS to generate NO, but oxidation of sulfhydryl groups in eNOS reduced its NO-generating activity. Addition of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate restored NO responses to all agonists tested but affected neither the expression of the enzyme nor formation of nitrotyrosine-modified proteins. In addition, a scavenger of peroxynitrite or a cell-permeant superoxide dismutase mimetic reversed the Hcy-induced suppression of NO production by endothelial cells. In conclusion, electrochemical detection of NO release from cultured endothelial cells demonstrated that concentrations of Hcy >20 μM produce a significant indirect suppression of eNOS activity without any discernible effects on its expression. Folates, superoxide ions, and peroxynitrite scavengers restore the NO-generating activity to eNOS, collectively suggesting that cellular redox state plays an important role in HCy-suppressed NO-generating function of this enzyme.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 10287
Author(s):  
Chih-Hsien Wu ◽  
Yi-Lin Chiu ◽  
Chung-Yueh Hsieh ◽  
Guo-Shiang Tsung ◽  
Lian-Shan Wu ◽  
...  

Cilostazol was suggested to be beneficial to retard in-stent atherosclerosis and prevent stent thrombosis. However, the mechanisms responsible for the beneficial effects of cilostazol are not fully understood. In this study, we attempted to verify the mechanism of the antithrombotic effect of cilostazol. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured with various concentrations of cilostazol to verify its impact on endothelial cells. KLF2, silent information regulator transcript-1 (SIRT1), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and endothelial thrombomodulin (TM) expression levels were examined. We found cilostazol significantly activated KLF2 expression and KLF2-related endothelial function, including eNOS activation, Nitric oxide (NO) production, and TM secretion. The activation was regulated by SIRT1, which was also stimulated by cilostazol. These findings suggest that cilostazol may be capable of an antithrombotic and vasculoprotective effect in endothelial cells.


2011 ◽  
Vol 300 (4) ◽  
pp. C880-C887 ◽  
Author(s):  
Israel Ramirez-Sanchez ◽  
Lisandro Maya ◽  
Guillermo Ceballos ◽  
Francisco Villarreal

The consumption of cacao-derived (i.e., cocoa) products provides beneficial cardiovascular effects in healthy subjects as well as individuals with endothelial dysfunction such as smokers, diabetics, and postmenopausal women. The vascular actions of cocoa are related to enhanced nitric oxide (NO) production. These actions can be reproduced by the administration of the cacao flavanol (−)-epicatechin (EPI). To further understand the mechanisms behind the vascular action of EPI, we investigated the effects of Ca2+ depletion on endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) activation/phosphorylation and translocation. Human coronary artery endothelial cells were treated with EPI or with bradykinin (BK), a well-known Ca2+-dependent eNOS activator. Results demonstrate that both EPI and BK induce increases in intracellular calcium and NO levels. However, under Ca2+-free conditions, EPI (but not BK) is still capable of inducing NO production through eNOS phosphorylation at serine 615, 633, and 1177. Interestingly, EPI-induced translocation of eNOS from the plasmalemma was abolished upon Ca2+ depletion. Thus, under Ca2+-free conditions, EPI can stimulate NO synthesis independent of calmodulin binding to eNOS and of its translocation into the cytoplasm. We also examined the effect of EPI on the NO/cGMP/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) pathway activation in isolated Ca2+-deprived canine mesenteric arteries. Results demonstrate that under these conditions, EPI induces the activation of this vasorelaxation-related pathway and that this effect is inhibited by pretreatment with nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, suggesting a functional relevance for this phenomenon.


1993 ◽  
Vol 265 (5) ◽  
pp. C1379-C1387 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Pollock ◽  
M. Nakane ◽  
L. D. Buttery ◽  
A. Martinez ◽  
D. Springall ◽  
...  

We have produced specific monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against particulate bovine aortic endothelial nitric oxide synthase. In Western blots, native and cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells as well as cultured bovine microvascular endothelial cells possess immunoreactive NO synthase. In dot blots, MAb H210 and H32 detect 1 ng and 100 pg of purified endothelial NO synthase, respectively. Both antibodies are specific to the endothelial NO synthase and do not cross-react with other known isoforms of NO synthase, namely from the brain, from cytokine/endotoxin-induced macrophages, or from cytokine/endotoxin-induced vascular smooth muscle cells. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated the specificity of endothelial NO synthase for endothelial cells in various bovine and human tissues. Many types of endothelial cells, macrovascular, microvascular, arterial, and venous were found to possess this specific isoform of NO synthase. Electron microscopy showed the enzyme to be associated with the plasma membrane, membranes of cytoplasmic vesicles, and in the cytoplasm in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The results demonstrate that particulate endothelial NO synthase is present in a site to act rapidly to produce NO for release into the blood or toward the smooth muscle in many vascular beds.


1995 ◽  
Vol 269 (3) ◽  
pp. C757-C765 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Buckley ◽  
Z. Mirza ◽  
A. R. Whorton

Vascular endothelium responds to Ca(2+)-mobilizing agonists by producing nitric oxide (NO), a potent vasodilator and inhibitor of platelet aggregation. Regulation of constitutively expressed endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) in intact cells is not well understood. We investigated the kinetics of NO formation in response to Ca(2+)-mobilizing agonists, the requirement for extracellular L-arginine, and the role of NO in regulating eNOS activity. When endothelial cells were stimulated with bradykinin and ATP in the presence of 100 microM L-arginine, we observed a rapid and transient rise in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) from 50 +/- 8 nM to 698 +/- 74 and 637 +/- 53 nM, respectively, and a rapid and transient rise in NO production from a basal level of 37 pmol.min-1.mg protein-1 to 256 and 275 pmol.min-1.mg protein-1, respectively. When cells were stimulated with A-23187 or thapsigargin in the presence of 100 microM L-arginine, we observed a sustained increase in [Ca2+]i and a sustained increase in NO production. The rate of NO synthesis was linear over 30 min, rising above control levels of 7 pmol/min to 53 pmol/min for A-23187 and 62 pmol/min for thapsigargin. Thapsigargin stimulated NO production and [Ca2+]i with 50% effective concentration values of 0.01 and 0.05 microM, respectively. Ca(2+)-stimulated NO production was attenuated by the NO synthase inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, the removal of extracellular L-arginine, and the Ca(2+)-chelator ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. When we exposed cells to NO gas (3.1 mM for 15 min) and S-nitrosoglutathione (10 mM for 1 h) thapsigargin-stimulated NO production was decreased by 50%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


2005 ◽  
Vol 386 (3) ◽  
pp. 567-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunying LI ◽  
Wei HUANG ◽  
M. Brennan HARRIS ◽  
Jonathan M. GOOLSBY ◽  
Richard C. VENEMA

eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) catalyses the conversion of L-arginine into L-citrulline and NO. Evidence has been presented previously that eNOS is associated with the CAT (cationic amino acid transporter)-1 arginine transporter in endothelial caveolae, and it has been proposed that eNOS–CAT-1 association facilitates the delivery of extracellular L-arginine to eNOS. Definitive proof of a protein–protein interaction between eNOS and CAT-1 is lacking, however, and it is also unknown whether the two proteins interact directly or via an adaptor protein. In the present study, we raised a polyclonal antibody against CAT-1, and show using reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation protocols that eNOS and CAT-1 do indeed form a complex in BAECs (bovine aortic endothelial cells). In vitro binding assays with GST (glutathione S-transferase)–CAT-1 fusion proteins and eNOS show that the two proteins interact directly and that no single CAT-1 intracellular domain is sufficient to mediate the interaction. Overexpression of CAT-1 in BAECs by adenoviral-mediated gene transfer results in significant increases in both L-arginine uptake and NO production by the cells. However, whereas increased L-arginine transport is reversed completely by the CAT-1 inhibitor, L-lysine, increased NO release is unaltered, suggesting that NO production in this in vitro model is independent of CAT-1-mediated transport. Furthermore, eNOS enzymic activity is increased in lysates of CAT-1-overexpressing cells accompanied by increased phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser-1179 and Ser-635, and decreased association of eNOS with caveolin-1. Taken together, these data suggest that direct interaction of eNOS with CAT-1 enhances NO release by a mechanism not involving arginine transport.


2008 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syamantak Majumder ◽  
Ajit Muley ◽  
Gopi Krishna Kolluru ◽  
Samir Saurabh ◽  
K. P. Tamilarasan ◽  
...  

Cadmium (Cd) perturbs vascular health and interferes with endothelial function. However, the effects of exposing endothelial cells to low doses of Cd on the production of nitric oxide (NO) are largely unknown. The objective of the present study was to evaluate these effects by using low levels of CdCl2 concentrations, ranging from 10 to 1000 nmol/L. Cd perturbations in endothelial function were studied by employing wound-healing and MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assays. The results suggest that a CdCl2 concentration of 100 nmol/L maximally attenuated NO production, cellular migration, and energy metabolism in endothelial cells. An egg yolk angiogenesis model was employed to study the effect of Cd exposure on angiogenesis. The results demonstrate that NO supplementation restored Cd-attenuated angiogenesis. Immunofluorescence, Western blot, and immuno-detection studies showed that low levels of Cd inhibit NO production in endothelial cells by blocking eNOS phosphorylation, which is possibly linked to processes involving endothelial function and dysfunction, including angiogenesis.


2011 ◽  
Vol 286 (22) ◽  
pp. 20100-20108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhihong Xiao ◽  
Tingting Wang ◽  
Honghua Qin ◽  
Chao Huang ◽  
Youmei Feng ◽  
...  

Endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) plays a central role in cardiovascular regulation. eNOS function is critically modulated by Ca2+ and protein phosphorylation, but the interrelationship between intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and eNOS phosphorylation is poorly understood. Here we show that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ release activates eNOS by selectively promoting its Ser-635/633 (bovine/human) phosphorylation. With bovine endothelial cells, thapsigargin-induced ER Ca2+ release caused a dose-dependent increase in eNOS Ser-635 phosphorylation, leading to elevated NO production. ER Ca2+ release also promoted eNOS Ser-633 phosphorylation in mouse vessels in vivo. This effect was independent of extracellular Ca2+ and selective to Ser-635 because the phosphorylation status of other eNOS sites, including Ser-1179 or Thr-497, was unaffected in thapsigargin-treated cells. Blocking ERK1/2 abolished ER Ca2+ release-induced eNOS Ser-635 phosphorylation, whereas inhibiting protein kinase A or Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II had no effect. Protein phosphorylation assay confirmed that ERK1/2 directly phosphorylated the eNOS Ser-635 residue in vitro. Further studies demonstrated that ER Ca2+ release-induced ERK1/2 activation mediated the enhancing action of purine or bradykinin receptor stimulation on eNOS Ser-635/633 phosphorylation in bovine/human endothelial cells. Mutating the Ser-635 to nonphosphorylatable alanine prevented ATP from activating eNOS in cells. Taken together, these studies reveal that ER Ca2+ release enhances eNOS Ser-635 phosphorylation and function via ERK1/2 activation. Because ER Ca2+ is commonly mobilized by agonists or physicochemical stimuli, the identified ER Ca2+-ERK1/2-eNOS Ser-635 phosphorylation pathway may have a broad role in the regulation of endothelial function.


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