cGMP Analogue (cgmp + analogue)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Role of intracellular Ca2+ and calmodulin/MAP kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase signalling pathway in the mitogenic and antimitogenic effect of nitric oxide in glia- and neurone-derived cell lines

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 7 2006
Antonella Meini
Abstract To elucidate the mechanism of cell growth regulation by nitric oxide (NO) and the role played in it by Ca2+, we studied the relationship among intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), mitogen-activated protein kinases [extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK)] and proliferation in cell lines exposed to different levels of NO. Data showed that NO released by low [(z)-1-[2-aminiethyl]-N-[2-ammonioethyl]amino]diazen-1-ium-1,2diolate (DETA/NO) concentrations (10 µm) determined a gradual, moderate elevation in [Ca2+]i (46.8 ± 7.2% over controls) which paralleled activation of ERK and potentiation of cell division. Functionally blocking Ca2+ or inhibiting calmodulin or MAP kinase kinase activities prevented ERK activation and antagonized the mitogenic effect of NO. Experimental conditions favouring Ca2+ entry into cells led to increased [Ca2+]i (189.5 ± 4.8%), ERK activation and cell division. NO potentiated the Ca2+ elevation (358 ± 16.8%) and ERK activation leading to expression of p21Cip1 and inhibition of cell proliferation. Furthermore, functionally blocking Ca2+ down-regulated ERK activation and reversed the antiproliferative effect of NO. Both the mitogenic and antimitogenic responses induced by NO were mimicked by a cGMP analogue whereas they were completely antagonized by selective cGMP inhibitors. These results demonstrate for the first time that regulation of cell proliferation by low NO levels is cGMP dependent and occurs via the Ca2+/calmodulin/MAP kinase kinase/ERK pathway. In this effect the amplitude of Ca2+ signalling determines the specificity of the proliferative response to NO possibly by modulating the strength of ERK activation. In contrast to the low level, the high levels (50,300 µm) of DETA/NO negatively regulated cell proliferation via a Ca2+ -independent mechanism. [source]


The cyclic GMP-protein kinase G pathway regulates cytoskeleton dynamics and motility in astrocytes

JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2007
Mariela Susana Borán
Abstract We have previously demonstrated that inflammatory compounds that increase nitric oxide (NO) synthase expression have a biphasic effect on the level of the NO messenger cGMP in astrocytes. In this work, we demonstrate that NO-dependent cGMP formation is involved in the morphological change induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in cultured rat cerebellar astroglia. In agreement with this, dibutyryl-cGMP, a permeable cGMP analogue, and atrial natriuretic peptide, a ligand for particulate guanylyl cyclase, are both able to induce process elongation and branching in astrocytes resulting from a rapid, reversible and concentration-dependent redistribution of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and actin filaments without significant change in protein levels. These effects are also observed in astrocytes co-cultured with neurons. The cytoskeleton rearrangement induced by cGMP is prevented by the specific protein kinase G inhibitor Rp-8Br-PET-cGMPS and involves downstream inhibition of RhoA GTPase since is not observed in cells transfected with constitutively active RhoA. Furthermore, dibutyryl-cGMP prevents RhoA-membrane association, a step necessary for its interaction with effectors. Stimulation of the cGMP-protein kinase G pathway also leads to increased astrocyte migration in an in vitro scratch-wound assay resulting in accelerated wound closure, as seen in reactive gliosis following brain injury. These results indicate that cGMP-mediated pathways may regulate physio-pathologically relevant responses in astroglial cells. [source]


Alcohol Up-Regulates TLR2 Through a NO/cGMP Dependent Pathway

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 1 2010
Kristina L Bailey
Background:, Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with severe bronchitis. This is likely related to increased inflammation in the airways of alcohol abusers. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is an important mediator of inflammation in the airway epithelium. TLR2 initiates an inflammatory cascade in response to gram-positive bacteria. We have previously shown that alcohol up-regulates TLR2 in the airway epithelium. However, the mechanism of alcohol-mediated up-regulation of TLR2 has not been identified. Methods:, A human airway epithelial cell line, 16HBE14o,, was exposed to biologically relevant concentrations of alcohol (100 mM) in the presence and absence of N, -Nitro- l -arginine methyl ester hydrochloride, a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor; and Rp-8-Br-cGMP-S, an antagonist analogue of cGMP. TLR2 was measured using real-time PCR and Western blots. In addition, 16HBE14o, cells were incubated with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an NO donor, and 8-Br-cGMP, a cGMP analogue. TLR2 was measured using real-time PCR. Results:,N, -Nitro- l -arginine methyl ester hydrochloride blocked the alcohol-mediated up-regulation of TLR2. This indicates that NO plays a key role in alcohol's up-regulation of TLR2. SNP, a NO donor, up-regulated TLR2. Rp-8-Br-CGMP-S attenuated alcohol's up-regulation of TLR2, suggesting that NO was working through cGMP/PKG. 8-Br-cGMP up-regulated TLR2, also demonstrating the importance of cGMP/PKG. Conclusions:, Alcohol up-regulates TLR2 through a NO/cGMP/PKG dependent pathway in the airway epithelium. This is an important observation in the understanding how alcohol modulates airway inflammation. In addition, this is the first time that cyclic nucleotides have been shown to play a role in the regulation of TLR2. [source]


Different sensitivity of isoprenaline-induced responses in ventricular muscle to sodium nitroprusside in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats 1

AUTONOMIC & AUTACOID PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 2 2000
A. M. Manso
1 The aim of the present work was to study the possible modulatory role of nitric oxide (NO) on the positive inotropic effect induced by the ,-adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline in myocardial contractility, and whether this modulation is altered by hypertension. 2 The study was performed using right ventricular strips from the hearts of 6-month-old male Wistar,Kyoto (WKY) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The contractile force of electrically-stimulated ventricular strips was measured by a force-displacement transducer. 3 Isoprenaline (from 10 nmol l,1 to 10 ,mol l,1) induced a concentration-dependent increase in cardiac contractility in strips from both rat strains. This positive inotropic effect to isoprenaline was reduced by the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 0.1 mmol l,1) in muscles from WKY rats and slightly increased in those from SHR. The SNP-induced increase in strips from SHR was abolished by superoxide dismutase (100 U ml,1). 4 NG-nitro-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME, 0.1 mmol l,1) and 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 10 ,mol l,1), respective inhibitors of NO synthase and guanylate cyclase, increased the response to isoprenaline in muscles from WKY rats, whereas it was unaltered in strips from SHR. 5 In strips from WKY rats, the combination of ODQ and SNP produced an increase in the response elicited by isoprenaline, which was similar to that observed with ODQ or L-NAME. 8-Br-cyclicGMP (8-Br-cGMP, 0.1 mmol l,1), a permeable and structural cGMP analogue, decreased the effect induced by isoprenaline only in muscles from WKY rats. 6 These results suggest that the positive inotropic response to isoprenaline in ventricular strips from WKY rats is negatively modulated by NO, and positively by superoxide anions in those from SHR. The lack of a modulatory response to NO in ventricular strips from SHR is probably a result of an alteration of mechanisms in NO-signalling pathway downstream of cGMP formation in SHR hearts. [source]