On the mechanism of the autacoid function of parasympathetic nerves.
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We investigated effects of platelet-derived dinucleotides diadenosine 5',5"'-P1,P3-triphosphate (AP3A) and diadenosine 5',5"'-P1,P4-tetraphosphate (AP4A) on coronary vasculature. In isolated rabbit hearts, saline perfused at constant flow (36 +/- 3 ml/min), AP3A and AP4A induced dose-dependent decreases in coronary perfusion pressure. Dose-effect curves of AP3A [-log M mean effective concentration (EC50) 6.2 +/- 0.1] and AP4A (EC50 6.4 +/- 0.2) were identical and not significantly different from those of adenosine, ADP, and ATP (n = 4-8). There were, however, distinct differences between both dinucleotides: pretreatment with endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF)-inhibitors oxyhemoglobin (6 microM, n = 6) and NG-nitro-L-arginine (30 microM, n = 6) significantly reduced AP4A-induced dilation by 44 and 42% but did not affect vasomotor effects of AP3A or of sodium nitroprusside, adenosine, ATP, and ADP. Concentration of the stable hydrolysis product of prostaglandin (PG)I2, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, increased by 173 +/- 25% in coronary effluent (n = 23) during infusion of AP3A (1 microM). This increase was significantly higher than during infusion of equimolar concentrations of AP4A (38 +/- 10%), ATP (23 +/- 5%), adenosine (20 +/- 10%), or an equimolar combination of AMP and ADP (52 +/- 25%), the hydrolysis products of AP3A. Luminometric and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed a nearly complete (94 +/- 3%) degradation of ATP during passage through the coronary bed while significant amounts of AP3A (31 +/- 5%) and AP4A (33 +/- 6%) remained uncleaved.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Cigarette smoking is associated with an increased incidence of a number of diseases. Minimal information is available at the molecular level concerning the mechanism of action of cigarette smoke. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is one of the most potent proinflammatory agents described. PAF concentration may be regulated by the degradation of PAF as catalyzed by the plasma enzyme, PAF acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH). This enzyme is associated with the lipoprotein fraction. The exposure of low density lipoprotein to a cigarette smoke extract (CSE) has been shown to alter the charge of low density lipoprotein and its uptake by macrophages. The activity of PAF-AH in the lipoprotein fraction has been assayed after exposure to CSE. The activity of PAF-AH was inhibited by the CSE in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of PAF-AH by the CSE was not altered by superoxide dismutase or catalase addition. Sulfhydryl compounds prevented and reversed the inhibition of PAF-AH caused by CSE. The inhibitor present in CSE was not nicotine, its major metabolic product, (-)-cotinine, or several compounds known to be present in the extract. The charge alteration reaction(s) and PAF-AH inhibition appear to be localized at different sites of the lipoprotein molecule. The observed inhibition may account for the increase in the plasma PAF concentration that is known to occur in smokers. The increase of PAF may contribute to the increased incidence of cardiovascular and lung diseases known to be present in smokers.
The present studies define the physiologic role of endogenous adenosine in the perfused shark rectal gland, a model epithelia for hormone-stimulated chloride transport. Chloride ion secretion, and venous adenosine and inosine concentrations increased in parallel in response to hormone stimulation. From a basal rate of 157 +/- 26 mu eq/h per g, chloride secretion increased to 836 +/- 96 and 2170 +/- 358 with 1 and 10 microM forskolin, venous adenosine increased from 5.0 +/- 1 to 126 +/- 29 and 896 +/- 181 nM, and inosine increased from 30 +/- 9 to 349 +/- 77 and 1719 +/- 454 nM (all P less than 0.01). Nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBTI), a nucleoside transport inhibitor, completely blocked the release of adenosine and inosine. Inhibition of chloride transport with bumetanide, an inhibitor of the Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransporter, or ouabain, an inhibitor of Na+/K+ ATPase activity, reduced venous adenosine and inosine to basal values. When the interaction of endogenous adenosine with extracellular receptors was prevented by adenosine deaminase, NBTI, or 8-phenyltheophylline, the chloride transport response to secretagogues increased by 1.7-2.3-fold. These studies demonstrate that endogenous adenosine is released in response to hormone-stimulated cellular work and acts at A1 adenosine receptors as a feedback inhibitor of chloride transport.
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Paf-acether (platelet-activating factor) is one of the most potent inflammatory mediators synthesized by and acting on most inflammatory cells. It also displays potent immunoregulatory properties. Two metabolic steps are involved in its biosynthesis: the action of a phospholipase A2 on membrane alkyl-acyl (long chain) phospholipids with choline polar head results in the production of lyso paf-acether, and acetylation of the lyso compound by an acetyltransferase yields the biologically active molecule. Recently we showed that E. coli and other bacteria are able to produce paf-acether using exogenous lyso paf-acether. This finding prompted us to search for the presence of paf-acether in fermented milk products. The fraction corresponding to paf-acether isolated from milk exhibited the same physicochemical and biological characteristics as synthetic paf-acether and that from eukaryotic cells. The presence of a biologically active phospholipid in fermented products may bring new perspectives with respect to the study of gastrointestinal diseases as well as the putative immunostimulating effect of yogurt.
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Significant progress has been made in the elucidation of the chemistry and biology of the products of arachidonic acid metabolism and the acetylated alkyl phosphoglycerides. While many of their biological properties make them tempting candidates as mediators of inflammation, their precise role in the acute and/or chronic inflammatory process remains to be proven. Thus, at present, it might be best to view these potent lipids not as inflammatory mediators but as autacoids. In the words of Douglas (16): "The very fact that the substances have been classified under the noncommital title of autacoids, is, in a sense, a confession that the evidence does not at present permit a more precise functional classification such as, for example, hormone or neurohormone.... But the core of the matter is that, while the autacoids possess an astonishingly wide range of pharmacologic activities and in vanishing small amounts, there are comparatively few instances where a physiologic role can be stated with assurance." Hopefully, the coming years should prove to be exciting and fruitful for students of inflammation and immunopathology; if so, we may be able to unequivocally elucidate the precise role(s) of these fascinating lipid autacoids in modulating the inflammatory process. At that time, the term autacoid may no longer be appropriate, and a new, functional classification, perhaps mediator, can be instituted with assurance.
Ethanol (ETOH) selectively suppressed Escherichia coli endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated, but not dibutyryl cAMP (db-cAMP)-stimulated upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in rat alveolar macrophages (AMs) in vivo (Zhao et al., Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. 21:1062-1074, 1997). LPS-induced stimulation of iNOS is inhibited in vitro by db-cAMP and purine-2-Y (P2Y) receptor-mediated agonists. We examined the effect of ETOH on this interaction in rat lung AMs in vivo. Two hours after co-administration of LPS [0.6 mg/kg, intratracheal (i.t.)] with db-cAMP (0.1 mg/kg, i.t.) or 2-methylthio-adenosine-triphosphate (2-mes-ATP) to Sprague-Dawley rats (225 to 250 g) (n = 10 to 24/gp) iNOS messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), iNOS protein, and nitrate and nitrite anions [reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNIs)] in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALf), and the ex vivo incubates of AMs were increased more than when these compounds were given individually to the rats. Co-administration of LPS with the autacoids did not affect LPS-stimulated increases of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) mRNA, but inhibited LPS-stimulated BALf TNF alpha protein and attenuated LPS-mediated decreases of cell-associated TNF alpha. Pretreatment of rats with ETOH (4.5 g/kg, i.p.) or diethyidithiocarbamate (DETC; 5 mg/kg, i.t.), an inhibitor of the nuclear transcription factor NF kappa B (NF-kappaB), 30 min before co-administration of LPS with the autacoids restored iNOS mRNA levels to that obtained with the autacoid alone. Pretreatment of rats with ETOH decreased iNOS protein and RNI below that produced by either compound given individually to the rats. Although pretreatment of rats with DETC also decreased iNOS protein and RNI levels produced by LPS, the levels of both substances were elevated above that of the autacoid alone, LPS-induced upregulation of iNOS mRNA was associated with elevated levels of p65/p50 NF-kappaB in the nucleus of AMs. Neither db-cAMP or 2-mes-ATP affected LPS-stimulated NF-kappaB-DNA binding. Moreover, ETOH and DETC inhibited LPS-stimulated NF-kappaB-DNA binding. We conclude that in rat AMs in vivo: (1) both db-cAMP and P2Y-receptor stimulation summate with, rather than inhibit, LPS-induced upregulation of the iNOS mRNA, protein, and RNI; (2) ETOH and DETC inhibit LPS-induced upregulation of iNOS mRNA only when stimulated through the NF-kappaB pathway; and (3) ETOH inhibits both autacoid and LPS-stimulated formation of iNOS protein by a mechanism independent of its ability to suppress iNOS transcription.
Blood platelets maintain vascular integrity and promote primary and secondary hemostasis following interruption of vessel continuity. Biochemical or physical damage to the coronary, carotid or peripheral arteries is followed by excessive platelet activation and recruitment culminating in vascular occlusion and tissue ischemia. Currently inadequate therapeutic approaches to stroke and coronary artery disease are a public health issue. Following our demonstration of neutrophil leukotriene production from arachidonate released from activated aspirin-treated platelets, we studied interactions between platelets and other blood cells, leading to concepts of transcellular metabolism and thromboregulation. Thrombosis has a proinflammatory component whereby biologically active substances are synthesized by interactions between different cell types that could not individually synthesize the product(s). Endothelial cells control platelet reactivity via three biochemical systems-autacoids leading to production of prostacyclin and nitric oxide, and endothelial ecto-ADPase/CD39/NTPDase-1. The autacoids are fluid-phase reactants, not produced by tissues in the basal state. They are only synthesized intracellularly and released upon interactions of cells with an agonist. When released, autacoids exert fleeting actions in the immediate milieu, and are rapidly inactivated. CD39 is an integral component of the endothelial cell surface and is substrate-activated. It maintains vascular fluidity in the complete absence of prostacyclin and nitric oxide, indicating that they are ancillary components of hemostasis. Therapeutic implications for the autacoids have not been compelling because of their transient, local and fleeting action, and limited potency. Conversely, CD39, acting solely on the platelet releasate, is efficacious in three different animal models. It metabolically neutralizes a prothrombotic platelet releasate via deletion of ADP--the major recruiting agent responsible for formation of an occlusive thrombus. In addition, solCD39 reduced ATP- and ischemia-induced norepinephrine release in the heart. This reduction can prevent fatal arrhythmia. Moreover, solCD39 ameliorated the sequelae of stroke in CD39 null mice. CD39 represents the next generation of cardioprotective and cerebroprotective molecules.