Anti-peroxynitrite treatment ameliorated vasorelaxation of resistance arteries in aging rats: involvement with NO-sGC-cGKs pathway

PLoS One. 2014 Aug 12;9(8):e104788. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104788. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Declined vasorelaxation function in aging resistance arteries is responsible for aging-related multiple organ dysfunctions. The aim of the present study is to explore the role of peroxynitrite (ONOO-) in aging resistance arterial vasorelaxation dysfunction and the possible mechanism. In the present study, young (3-4 months olds) and aging (20 months olds) male SD rats were randomized to receive vehicle (Saline) or FeTMPyP (ONOO- scavenger) for 2 weeks. The vasorelaxation of resistance arteries was determined in vitro; NOx level was tested by a colorimetric assay; the expression of nitrotyrosine (NT), soluble Guanylate Cyclase (sGC), vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), phosphorylated VASP (P-VASP) and cGMP in resistance arteries were detected by immunohistochemical staining. In the present study, endothelium-dependent dilation in aging resistance arteries was lower than in those from young rats (young vs. aging: 68.0% ± 4.5% vs. 50.4% ± 2.9%, P<0.01). And the endothelium-independent dilation remained constant. Compared with young rats, aging increased nitrative stress in resistance arteries, evidenced by elevated NOx production in serum (5.3 ± 1.0 nmol/ml vs. 3.3 ± 1.4 nmol/ml, P<0.05) and increased NT expression (P<0.05). ONOO- was responsible for the vasorelaxation dysfunction, evidenced by normalized vasorelaxation after inhibit ONOO- or its sources (P<0.05) and suppressed NT expression after FeTMPyP treatment (P<0.05). The expression of sGC was not significantly different between young and aging resistance arteries, but the cGMP level and P-VASP/VASP ratio (biochemical marker of NO-sGC-cGKs signaling) decreased, which was reversed by FeTMPyP treatment in vivo (P<0.05). The present study suggested that ONOO- mediated the decline of endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation of aging resistance arteries by induction of the NO-sGC-cGKs pathway dysfunction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholine / pharmacology
  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Arteries / drug effects*
  • Arteries / metabolism*
  • Arteries / pathology
  • Arteries / physiopathology
  • Blood Pressure
  • Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Guanylate Cyclase / metabolism*
  • Heart Rate
  • Male
  • Nitric Oxide / blood
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism*
  • Peroxynitrous Acid / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Vasodilation / drug effects*
  • Vasodilator Agents / pharmacology

Substances

  • Vasodilator Agents
  • Peroxynitrous Acid
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Guanylate Cyclase
  • Acetylcholine

Grants and funding

This research was supported by two funders: 1. National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant NO. 81270283 and 30973163 to HL). http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/. 2. Funding Project for Academic Human Resources Development in Institutions of Higher Learning Under the Jurisdiction of Beijing Municipality (PHR201106112 to HL). http://www.bjedu.gov.cn/publish/portal0/tab40/. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.