Background/objective: Hypomagnesemia (Hypo-Mg) in rodents leads to neurogenic inflammation associated with substance P (SP) elevations; neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is a principle cell surface proteolytic enzyme, which degrades SP. The effects of chronic Hypo-Mg on neutrophil NEP activity, cell activation and the associated cardiac dysfunction were examined.
Methods/results: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (180 g) were fed Mg-sufficient or Mg-deficient (Hypo-Mg) diets for five weeks. Enriched blood neutrophils were isolated at the end of one, three and five weeks by step gradient centrifugation. NEP enzymatic activity decreased by 20% (P value was nonsignificant), 50% (P<0.025) and 57% (P<0.01), respectively, for week 1, 3 and 5 Hypo-Mg rats. In association, neutrophil basal superoxide (•O(2) (-))-generating activities were elevated: 30% at week 1 (P value was nonsignificant), and fourfold to sevenfold for weeks 3 to 5 (P<0.01). Maximal phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated •O(2) (-) production by Hypo-Mg neutrophils increased twofold at week 5. Also, plasma 8-isoprostane levels were elevated twofold to threefold, and red blood cell glutathione decreased by 50% (P<0.01) after three to five weeks of chronic Hypo-Mg. When Hypo-Mg rats were treated with the SP receptor blocker (L-703,606), neutrophil NEP activities were retained at 75% (week 3) and 77% (week 5) (P<0.05); activation of neutrophil •O(2) (-) and other oxidative indexes were also significantly (P<0.05) attenuated. After five weeks, histochemical (hematoxylin and eosin) staining of Hypo-Mg-treated rat ventricles revealed significant white blood cell infiltration, which was substantially reduced by L-703,606. Echocardiography after three weeks of Hypo-Mg only showed modest diastolic impairment, but five weeks resulted in significant (P<0.05) depression in both left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions; changes in these functional parameters were attenuated by L-703,606.
Conclusion: NEP activity regulates neutrophil •O(2) (-) formation by controlling SP bioavailability. When oxidative inactivation of NEP is prevented by SP receptor blockade, partial protection is afforded against cardiac contractile dysfunction.
Keywords: Cardiac dysfunction; Hypomagnesemia; Neutral endopeptidase; Neutrophil activation; Oxidative stress; Substance P; receptor blockade.