Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:4.6.1.2 (guanylate cyclase)
8,497 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Type 1 diabetes is an immuno-inflammatory condition which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly in young adults. This study investigated whether vascular function is altered in mice prone to autoimmune diabetes and whether the nitric oxide (NO)-cyclic GMP axis is involved. Aortic rings suspended in organ chambers and precontracted with phenylephrine were exposed to cumulative concentrations of acetylcholine. To investigate the role of NO, some experiments were performed in the presence of either 1400W (N-(3-aminomethyl)benzyl-acetamidine hydrochloride), a selective inhibitor of the iNOS-isoform, L-NAME (N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride), an inhibitor of all three NOS-isoforms, or ODQ (1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one), a selective inhibitor of guanylate cyclase. Moreover, contractility to phenylephrine, big endothelin-1, and endothelin-1 was assessed and histological analysis and iNOS immunohistochemistry were performed. Endothelium-dependent relaxation was reduced in prediabetic NOD mice (78+/-4 vs. 88+/-2%, respectively, P<0.05 vs. control) despite normal plasma glucose levels (n.s. vs. control). Preincubation with 1400W further attenuated responses in prediabetic (P<0.05 vs. untreated) but not in diabetic or in control mice. In contrast, basal NO bioactivity remained unaffected until the onset of diabetes in NOD mice. Contractile responses to big endothelin-1 and endothelin-1 were reduced in prediabetic animals (P<0.05 vs. control), whereas in diabetic mice only responses to big endothelin-1 were decreased (P<0.05 vs. control). These data demonstrate that endothelium-dependent and -independent vascular function in NOD mice is abnormal already in prediabetes in the absence of structural injury. Early proinflammatory activation due to iNOS in diabetes-prone NOD mice appears to be one of the mechanisms contributing to impaired vasoreactivity.
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PMID:Impaired vascular function in normoglycemic mice prone to autoimmune diabetes: role of nitric oxide. 1718 32

The nitric oxide (NO)-soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC)-cyclic 3',5'-guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway plays an important role in cardiovascular regulation by promoting vasodilation and inhibiting vascular smooth muscle cell growth, platelet aggregation, and leukocyte adhesion. In pathophysiological states with endothelial dysfunction this signaling pathway is impaired. Activation of sGC has traditionally been achieved with nitrovasodilators; however, these drugs are associated with the development of tolerance and potentially deleterious cGMP-independent actions. In this review the actions of BAY 41-2272, the prototype of a new class of NO-independent sGC stimulators, in cardiovascular disease models is discussed. BAY 41-2272 binds to a regulatory site on the alpha-subunit of sGC and stimulates the enzyme synergistically with NO. BAY 41-2272 had antihypertensive actions and attenuated remodeling in models of systemic arterial hypertension. It also unloaded the heart in experimental congestive heart failure. BAY 41-2272 reduced pulmonary vascular resistance in acute and chronic experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension. Furthermore, BAY 41-2272 inhibited platelet aggregation in vitro and leukocyte adhesion in vivo. These findings make direct sGC stimulation with BAY 41-2272 a promising new therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular diseases and warrant further studies. Finally, the significance of the novel NO- and heme-independent sGC activator BAY 58-2667, which activates two forms of NO-insensitive sGC, is briefly discussed.
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PMID:Nitric oxide-independent stimulation of soluble guanylate cyclase with BAY 41-2272 in cardiovascular disease. 1744 86

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a respiratory pathogen that has been linked to cardiovascular disease. We have recently shown that C. pneumoniae activates platelets, leading to oxidation of low-density lipoproteins. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the inhibitory effects of different pharmacological agents on platelet aggregation and secretion induced by C. pneumoniae. Platelet interaction with C. pneumoniae was studied by analyzing platelet aggregation and ATP-secretion with Lumi-aggregometry. Platelet aggregation and ATP-secretion induced by C. pneumoniae was markedly inhibited by the NO-donor S-nitroso-N-acetyl-D,L-penicillamine (SNAP), an effect that was counteracted by the guanylyl cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ). Pre-treatment of platelets with the 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) inhibitors cinnamyl-3,4-dihydroxy-alpha-cyanocinnamate (CDC) and 5,6,7-trikydroxyflavone (baicalein) completely blocked the activation, whereas the cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors 2-acetyloxybenzoic acid (aspirin) and (8E)-8-[hydroxy-(pyridin-2-ylamino)methylidene]-9-methyl-10,10-dioxo-10$l;(6)thia-9-azabicyclo[4.4.0]deca-1,3,5-trien-7-one (piroxicam) had no inhibitory effects. Opposite to C. pneumoniae-induced activation, platelets stimulated by collagen were inhibited by the COX-inhibitors but were unaffected by the 12-LOX-inhibitors. The platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonist Ginkgolide B blocked the C. pneumoniae-induced platelet activation, whereas the responses to collagen were unaffected. Furthermore, the P2Y1 and P2Y12 purinergic receptor antagonists 2'-deoxy-N6-methyladenosine 3',5'-bisphosphate (MRS2179) and N(6)-(2-methyl-thioethyl)-2-(3,3,3-trifluoropropylthio)-beta,gamma-dichloromethylene-ATP (cangrelor) inhibited the aggregation and secretion caused by C. pneumoniae. It is well-known that the efficacy of COX inhibitors in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease varies between different patients, and that patients with low responses to aspirin have a higher risk to encounter cardiovascular events. The findings in this study showing that platelets stimulated by C. pneumoniae are unaffected by COX inhibitors but sensitive to 12-LOX inhibitors, may thus be of importance in future management of atherosclerosis and thrombosis.
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PMID:Platelet activation triggered by Chlamydia pneumoniae is antagonized by 12-lipoxygenase inhibitors but not cyclooxygenase inhibitors. 1745 68

Platelet hyperaggregability and associated thrombosis have been documented in a number of cardiovascular disease states. While one of the current mainstays of anti-thrombotic treatment (i.e. aspirin, clopidogrel, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists) has been directed at reducing platelet activation and aggregation, it is apparent that there are limitations to the effectiveness of these therapies. Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in platelet physiology. The ability of NO to regulate cyclic guanosine-3,'5'-monophosphate (cGMP), via activation of soluble guanylate cyclase, is the principal mechanism of negative control over platelet activity. NO is not only of the endothelial source, it is also released from activated platelets, providing a negative feedback. Studies in patients with symptomatic ischemia, chronic heart failure, diabetes and various risk factors for cardiovascular disease have demonstrated that platelets from these subjects exhibit reduced responsiveness to the anti-aggregating efficacy of NO: a phenomenon termed "platelet NO resistance". It constitutes an impaired physiological response to endogenous NO (endothelium-derived relaxing factor or EDRF), and as such may contribute to the increased risk of ischemic events. NO resistance also accounts for reduced pharmaco-activity of exogenous NO donors, e.g. organic nitrates. Platelet NO resistance results largely from a combination of "scavenging" of NO by superoxide anion radical and inactivation of soluble guanylate cyclase. NO resistance has both diagnostic and prognostic implications. The current review examines the association of platelet NO resistance with pathological hyperaggregability and discusses potential therapeutic strategies targeting this abnormality.
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PMID:Platelet hyperaggregability: impaired responsiveness to nitric oxide ("platelet NO resistance") as a therapeutic target. 1832 4

Endothelial dysfunction underlies cardiovascular disease (CVD) in humans and is reported in animal models of developmental origins of such disease. We have investigated whether impaired antioxidant defences and NO generation underlie the genesis of endothelial dysfunction and operate as part of the normal processes of developmental plasticity regulating the induction of phenotype in the offspring. Female Wistar rats were fed either a control (C, 18% protein) or protein-restricted (PR, 9% protein) diet throughout pregnancy. Dams and pups were returned to standard laboratory chow post partum. In male offspring, PR resulted in a reduced endothelial responsiveness to acetylcholine (P < 0.05) in resistance arteries, with vascular remodelling evident from a reduction in smooth muscle content. mRNA expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) was increased (P < 0.05) but there was no change in mRNA levels of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) or glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL) expression. Interestingly, expression of the antioxidant enzyme haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was reduced in the liver (P < 0.05). Female PR offspring also showed a reduced endothelial responsiveness but exhibited no changes in expression of eNOS, iNOS, soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) or antioxidant genes. Thus, in this model of the developmental origins of CVD, the structure and function of resistance arteries in offspring is altered in complex ways which cannot simply be explained by attenuation in vascular eNOS or in antioxidant protection afforded by GCL or MnSOD. The dysfunction in male offspring may partially be counteracted by an up-regulation of eNOS expression; however, PR does lead to reduced HO-1 expression in these offspring, which may affect both their growth and vascular function. Our findings have established that PR induces significant phenotypic changes in male offspring that may be indicative of an adaptive response during development.
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PMID:Endothelial dysfunction and reduced antioxidant protection in an animal model of the developmental origins of cardiovascular disease. 1882 46

Activation of soluble guanylate cyclase by nitric oxide (NO) controls signaling pathways that play critical roles in normal vascular physiology and in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. We have identified the secreted protein thrombospondin-1 as a key regulator of NO signaling. Thrombospondin-1 limits the angiogenic activity of NO in endothelial cells, its vasodilator activity in vascular smooth muscle, and its antithrombotic activity in platelets. Loss of either thrombospondin-1 or its receptor CD47 in transgenic mice results in hyperdynamic responses to NO and reveals the importance of this pathway in normal physiology. Thrombospondin-1 and CD47 null mice show improved abilities to respond to ischemic stress, suggesting that therapeutic targeting of this pathway could benefit patients with a variety of ischemic conditions. We review the preclinical development of therapeutics targeting thrombospondin-1 or CD47 for improving survival of fixed ischemia, ischemia due to aging and peripheral vascular disease, and skin grafting.
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PMID:Enhancing cardiovascular dynamics by inhibition of thrombospondin-1/CD47 signaling. 1885 17

The nitric oxide (NO) signalling pathway is altered in cardiovascular diseases, including systemic and pulmonary hypertension, stroke, and atherosclerosis. The vasodilatory properties of NO have been exploited for over a century in cardiovascular disease, but NO donor drugs and inhaled NO are associated with significant shortcomings, including resistance to NO in some disease states, the development of tolerance during long-term treatment, and non-specific effects such as post-translational modification of proteins. The development of pharmacological agents capable of directly stimulating the NO receptor, soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), is therefore highly desirable. The benzylindazole compound YC-1 was the first sGC stimulator to be identified; this compound formed a lead structure for the development of optimized sGC stimulators with improved potency and specificity for sGC, including CFM-1571, BAY 41-2272, BAY 41-8543, and BAY 63-2521. In contrast to the NO- and haem-independent sGC activators such as BAY 58-2667, these compounds stimulate sGC activity independent of NO and also act in synergy with NO to produce anti-aggregatory, anti-proliferative, and vasodilatory effects. Recently, aryl-acrylamide compounds were identified independent of YC-1 as sGC stimulators; although structurally dissimilar to YC-1, they have a similar mode of action and promote smooth muscle relaxation. Pharmacological stimulators of sGC may be beneficial in the treatment of a range of diseases, including systemic and pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, atherosclerosis, erectile dysfunction, and renal fibrosis. An sGC stimulator, BAY 63-2521, is currently in clinical development as an oral therapy for patients with pulmonary hypertension. It has demonstrated efficacy in a proof-of-concept study, reducing pulmonary vascular resistance and increasing cardiac output from baseline. A full, phase 2 trial of BAY 63-2521 in pulmonary hypertension is underway.
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PMID:NO-independent, haem-dependent soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators. 1908 34

Gases, such as nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S), and sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) are known toxic pollutants in the air. However, they are now recognized as important signaling molecules synthesized in animals and humans from arginine, glycine (heme), and cysteine, respectively. At physiological levels, NO, CO, and SO(2) activate guanylyl cyclase to generate cGMP which elicits a variety of responses (including relaxation of vascular smooth muscle cells, hemodynamics, neurotransmission, and cell metabolism) via cGMP-dependent protein kinases. H(2)S is also a crucial regulator of both neurological function and endothelium-dependent relaxation through cGMP-independent mechanisms involving stimulation of membrane K(ATP) channels and intracellular cAMP signaling. Additionally, NO, CO, and H(2)S confer cytoprotective and immunomodulatory effects. Moreover, NH(3) is a major product of amino acid catabolism and profoundly affects the function of neurons and the vasculature through glutamine-dependent inhibition of NO synthesis. Emerging evidence shows that amino acids are not only precursors for these endogenous gases, but are also regulators of their production in a cell-specific manner. Thus, recent advances on gaseous signaling have greatly expanded our basic knowledge of amino acid biochemistry and nutrition. These exciting discoveries will aid in the design of new nutritional and pharmacological means to prevent and treat major health problems related to developmental biology and nutrient metabolism, including intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth, aging, neurological disorders, cancer, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
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PMID:Amino acids and gaseous signaling. 1926 54

The structural integrity and functional activity of the endothelium play an important role in atherogenesis and related adverse outcomes. Cardiovascular disease risk conditions contribute to oxidative stress, which causes a disruption in the balance between nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species, with a resulting relative decrease in bioavailable NO and/or the NO-soluble guanylate cyclase cascade in blood vessels. This leads to endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cell dysfunction, resulting in increased tone and alterations in cell growth and gene expression that create a prothrombotic, proinflammatory environment. This leads to formation, progression, and destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques which may result in myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death. NO clearly has a critical role in the maintenance and repair of the vasculature, and a decrease in bioavailable NO is linked to adverse outcomes. This background provides the rationale for exploring the potential therapeutic role for NO-donating agents in the prevention of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
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PMID:The impact of nitric oxide in cardiovascular medicine: untapped potential utility. 1939 21

Lead is a ubiquitous environmental toxin that is capable of causing numerous acute and chronic circulatory, neurological, hematological, gastrointestinal, reproductive and immunological pathologies. The mechanism of lead induced toxicity is not fully understood. The prime targets to lead toxicity are the heme synthesis enzymes, thiol-containing antioxidants and enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and antioxidant molecules like GSH). The low blood lead levels are sufficient to inhibit the activity of these enzymes and induce generation of reactive oxygen species and intensification oxidative stress. Oxidative stress plays important role in pathogenesis of lead-induced toxicity and pathogenesis of coupled disease. The primary target of lead toxicity is the central nervous system. There are different cellular, intracellular and molecular mechanisms of lead neurotoxicity: such as induction of oxidative stress, intensification of apoptosis of neurocites, interfering with Ca(2+) dependent enzyme like nitric oxide synthase. Population studies have demonstrated a link between lead exposure and subsequent development of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The vascular endothelium is now regarded as the main target organ for the toxic effect of lead. Lead affects the vasoactive function of endothelium through the increased production of reactive oxygen species, inactivation of endogenous nitric oxide and downregulation of soluble guanylate cyclase by reactive oxygen species, leading to a limiting nitric oxide availability, impairing nitric oxide signaling. This review summarizes recent findings of the mechanism of the lead-induced toxicity and possibilities of its prevention.
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PMID:Mechanisms of lead-induced poisoning. 1964


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