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

It has recently been demonstrated that NO plays an obligatory role in muscarinic inhibition of beta-adrenergically stimulated ion channels in cardiac sinoatrial node cells (J Gen Physiol. 1995;106:45-65). We looked for evidence that NO might play a similar role in ventricular cells by using histochemical staining for NO synthase (NOS) activity and whole-cell patch-clamp recording of cAMP-regulated Cl- currents. Myocytes isolated from guinea pig hearts stained positively for NADPH-diaphorase activity, suggesting that these cells do express NOS. Acetylcholine (ACh) inhibition of the R(-)-isoproterenol bitartrate (Iso)-activated Cl- current was also reversed by the cGMP-lowering agents LY-83583 and methylene blue, consistent with idea that NO activation of guanylate cyclase may contribute to muscarinic responses. However, LY-83583 and methylene blue activated the Cl- current in the presence of subthreshold concentrations of Iso alone, suggesting that their effects may not be due to antagonism of an NO/cGMP-dependent response. Furthermore, ACh inhibition of Iso-activated Cl- currents could not be mimicked by the NO donors sodium nitroprusside,3-morpholinosydnonimine, and spermine-NO. Similarly, ACh inhibition of the Iso-activated Cl- current could not be blocked by the NOS inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. These results indicate that even though ventricular myocytes possess NOS activity, NO production does not play an important role in muscarinic inhibition of beta-adrenergically regulated Cl- channels in these cells.
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PMID:Nitric oxide synthase activity in guinea pig ventricular myocytes is not involved in muscarinic inhibition of cAMP-regulated ion channels. 862 Jun 13

cGMP mediates vertebrate phototransduction by directly gating cationic channels on the plasma membrane of the photoreceptor outer segment. This second messenger is produced by a guanylate cyclase and hydrolyzed by a light-activated cGMP-phosphodiesterase. Both of these enzyme activities are Ca2+ sensitive, the guanylate cyclase activity being inhibited and the light-activated phosphodiesterase being enhanced by Ca2+. Changes in these activities due to a light-induced decrease in intracellular Ca2+ are involved in the adaptation of photoreceptors to background light. We describe here experiments to characterize the guanylate cyclase activity and its modulation by Ca2+ using a truncated rod outer segment preparation, in order to evaluate the enzyme's role in light adaptation. The outer segment of a tiger salamander rod was drawn into a suction pipette to allow recording of membrane current, and the remainder of the cell was sheared off with a probe to allow internal dialysis. The cGMP-gated channels on the surface membrane were used to monitor conversion of GTP, supplied from the bath, into cGMP by the guanylate cyclase in the outer segment. At nominal 0 Ca2+, the cyclase activity had a Km of 250 microM MgGTP and a Vmax of 25 microM cGMP s-1 in the presence of 1.6 mM free Mg2+; in the presence of 0.5 mM free Mg2+, the Km was 310 microM MgGTP and the Vmax was 17 microM cGMP s-1. The stimulation by Mg2+ had an EC50 of 0.2 mM Mg2+ for MgGTP at 0.5 mM. Ca2+ inhibited the cyclase activity. In a K+ intracellular solution, with 0.5 mM free Mg2+ and 2.0 mM GTP, the cyclase activity was 13 microM cGMP s-1 at nominal 0 Ca2+; Ca2+ decreased this activity with a IC50 of approximately 90 nM and a Hill coefficient of approximately 2.0.
J Gen Physiol 1995 Nov
PMID:Characterization of guanylate cyclase activity in single retinal rod outer segments. 864 96

We have used the truncated outer segment preparation to measure rod cGMP-phosphodiesterase activity, as well as its modulation by Ca2+, in darkness and in light. The basal enzyme activity in darkness was approximately 0-3 s-1, and was largely independent of Ca2+ concentration from 10 nM to 10 microM. The steady state activity elicited by a step of light (lambda = 520 nm) was strongly enhanced by Ca2+, increasing from approximately 0.005 s-1/(h nu micron-2 s-1) at 10 nM Ca2+ to approximately 0.16 s-1/h nu micron-2 s-1) at 10 microM Ca2+. Based on these measurements, as well as previous measurements on the effects of Ca2+ on rod guanylate cyclase and the cGMP-gated channel, we have calculated the step response-intensity relation for the rod cell in steady state. This relation agrees reasonably well with the relation directly measured from intact rods. We have also evaluated the relative contributions from the three Ca2+ effects to rod sensitivity. At low background light intensities, the Ca2+ modulation of the guanylate cyclase appears to be the most important for sensitivity regulation. At higher light intensities, especially above half-saturation of the response, the Ca2+ modulation of the light-stimulated phosphodiesterase shows a progressively important influence on the light response; it also extends the Weber-Fechner behavior of the cell to higher intensities. The contribution of the Ca2+ modulation of the cGMP-gated channel is slight throughout.
J Gen Physiol 1995 Nov
PMID:The cGMP-phosphodiesterase and its contribution to sensitivity regulation in retinal rods. 864 97

A rich variety of mechanisms govern the inactivation of the rod phototransduction cascade. These include rhodopsin phosphorylation and subsequent binding of arrestin; modulation of rhodopsin kinase by S-modulin (recoverin); regulation of G-protein and phosphodiesterase inactivation by GTPase-activating factors; and modulation of guanylyl cyclase by a high-affinity Ca(2+)-binding protein. The dependence of several of the inactivation mechanisms on Ca2+i makes it difficult to assess the contributions of these mechanisms to the recovery kinetics in situ, where Ca2+i is dynamically modulated during the photoresponse. We recorded the circulating currents of salamander rods, the inner segments of which are held in suction electrodes in Ringer's solution. We characterized the response kinetics to flashes under two conditions: when the outer segments are in Ringer's solution, and when they are in low-Ca2+ choline solutions, which we show clamp Ca2+i very near its resting level. At T = 20-22 degrees C, the recovery phases of responses to saturating flashes producing 10(2.5)-10(4.5) photoisomerizations under both conditions are characterized by a dominant time constant, tau c = 2.4 +/- 0.4 s, the value of which is not dependent on the solution bathing the outer segment and therefore not dependent on Ca2+i. We extended a successful model of activation by incorporating into it a first-order inactivation of R*, and a first-order, simultaneous inactivation of G-protein (G*) and phosphodiesterase (PDE*). We demonstrated that the inactivation kinetics of families of responses obtained with Ca2+i clamped to rest are well characterized by this model, having one of the two inactivation time constants (tau r* or tau PDE*) equal to tau c, and the other time constant equal to 0.4 +/- 0.06 s.
J Gen Physiol 1996 Jan
PMID:The kinetics of inactivation of the rod phototransduction cascade with constant Ca2+i. 874 28

1. In isolated rat aortic rings, leminoprazole (2-[2-N-methyl-N-(2-methylpropyl)amino]benzylsulfinyl benzimidazole) (10(-6) - 10(-4) M) inhibited contractile responses to phenylephrine (PE), KCl and Ca2+ in KCl-depolarized tissues in a Ca2+ free medium. Leminoprazole also relaxed the aorta contracted by PE and KCl. 2. The relaxing effect of leminoprazole was markedly inhibited by nifedipine and verapamil (inhibitors of voltage operated Ca2+ channels). Relaxation induced by verapamil, but not by nifedipine, was inhibited by pre-treatment by leminoprazole. 3. The relaxing effect of leminoprazole was also inhibited by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), methylene blue (a guanylate cyclase inhibitor) or endothelium removal but not by indomethacin (a cyclooxygenase inhibitor), glyburide (a KATP channel inhibitor) or iberiotoxin (a KCa channel inhibitor). 4. Zaprinast (a cGMP-phosphodiesterase inhibitor) also inhibited the relaxing action of leminoprazole. In addition, relaxation induced by nitroglycerin was potentiated by leminoprazole. 5. Further, in the presence of methylene blue, residual relaxation induced by leminoprazole was still potentiated by verapamil. 6. These results suggest that the vasoinhibitory effect of leminoprazole in rat aortic rings is due to the increased level of cGMP through inhibition of cGMP-phosphodiesterase and also due to inhibition of voltage operated Ca2+ channels.
Gen Pharmacol 1996 Jan
PMID:Vasoinhibitory effect of leminoprazole, a H+,K(+)-ATPase inhibitor, on rat aortic rings. 874 7

We have used suction electrode recording together with rapid steps into 0.5 mM IBMX solution to investigate changes in guanylyl cyclase velocity produced by pigment bleaching in isolated cones of the salamander Ambystoma tigrinum. Both backgrounds and bleaches accelerate the time course of current increase during steps into IBMX. We interpret this as evidence that the velocity of the guanylyl cyclase is increased in background light or after bleaching. Our results indicate that cyclase velocity increases nearly linearly with increasing percent pigment bleached but nonlinearly (and may saturate) with increasing back-ground intensity. In cones (as previously demonstrated for rods), light-activated pigment and bleached pigment appear to have somewhat different effects on the transduction cascade. The effect of bleaching on cyclase rate is maintained for at least 15-20 min after the light is removed, much longer than is required after a bleach for circulating current and sensitivity to stabilize in an isolated cone. The effect on the cyclase rate can be completely reversed by treatment with liposomes containing 11-cis retinal. The effects of bleaching can also be partially reversed by beta-ionone, an analogue of the chromophore 11-cis-retinal which does not form a covalent attachment to opsin. Perfusion of a bleached cone with beta-ionone produces a rapid increase in circulating current and sensitivity, which rapidly reverses when the beta-ionone is removed. Perfusion with beta-ionone also causes a partial reversal of the bleach-induced acceleration of cyclase velocity. We conclude that bleaching produces an "equivalent background" excitation of the transduction cascade in cones, perhaps by a mechanism similar to that in rods.
J Gen Physiol 1995 Sep
PMID:Bleached pigment activates transduction in salamander cones. 878 47

1. In rat aortic rings precontracted by phenylephrine, H7 (10(-5)M) and staurosporine (10(-7)M), which inhibit PKA, PKG and PKC, and H-89 (10(-6)M), which inhibits PKA and PKG, potentiated relaxations induced by nitroglycerin. Forskolin-induced relaxations were not affected by H7 (10(-5)M). 2. Nitroglycerin-induced relaxations were not affected by calphostin-C (10(-7)M), which inhibits PKC, H-89 (10(-7)M), which inhibits PKA, and staurosporine (2 x 10(-9)M), which inhibits PKC. 3. Iberiotoxin (3 x 10(-8)M), an inhibitor of large conductance Kca channels, partly inhibited the relaxation induced by nitroglycerin and completely inhibited the potentiating effect of H7 on nitroglycerin-induced relaxations. 4. The potentiating effect of zaprinast (10(-5)M), an inhibitor of cGMP-phosphodiesterase, on nitroglycerin-induced relaxation was not affected by iberiotoxin. In the presence of methylene blue (10(-5)M), an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase, the residual relaxing response to nitroglycerin was not affected by H7, but it was inhibited by iberiotoxin. 5. These results suggest that the potentiation of nitroglycerin-induced relaxation by H7, staurosporine and H-89 may be due to inhibition of PKG.
Gen Pharmacol 1996 Jun
PMID:The potentiation of nitroglycerin-induced relaxation by PKG inhibition in rat aortic rings. 885 8

Psychophysical experiments have shown an equivalence between sensitivity reduction by background light and by bleaches for the human scotopic system. We have compared the effects of backgrounds and bleaches on the light-sensitive membrane-current responses of isolated rod photoreceptors from the salamander Ambystoma tigrinum. The quantum catch loss was factored out from the desensitization due to bleaching to give the fraction of "extra" desensitization due to adaptation. For backgrounds, desensitization is well described by the Weber/Fechner equation. The extra desensitization after bleaches can also be described by the Weber/Fechner equation, if an "equivalent" background produced by bleaching is made linearly proportional to the fraction of pigment bleached. A background which produces an extra desensitization of a factor of two is equivalent to a fractional bleach of approximately 6%. Equivalent background and bleaching desensitizations were associated with similar reductions in circulating current. There is a linear relation between log flash sensitivity and decrease in circulating current. Equivalent background and bleaching desensitizations were associated with similar increases in cGMP phosphodiesterase and guanylate cyclase activity. These were inferred from membrane current changes after steps into lithium or IBMX solutions. There were also similar reductions in the integration times of dim flash responses for equivalent desensitizations produced by backgrounds and bleaches. These results suggest that the equivalence between background and bleaching found psychophysically may arise at the very earliest stages of visual processing and that these two processes of desensitization have similar underlying mechanisms.
J Gen Physiol 1996 Oct
PMID:Equivalence of background and bleaching desensitization in isolated rod photoreceptors of the larval tiger salamander. 889 81

1. In rat aortic rings contracted by phenylephrine, acetylcholine relaxation was partly inhibited by: iberiotoxin, a Ca(2+)-activated K(KCa) channel inhibitor; glyburide, an ATP-dependent K(KATP) channel inhibitor; and 4-aminopyridine, a voltage-dependent K(KV) channel inhibitor, and was almost abolished by the removal of endothelium. 2. NG-nitro-L-arginine (NOARG), a NO synthase inhibitor, markedly reduced acetylcholine relaxation and abolished the inhibitory effects of iberiotoxin and glyburide on the acetylcholine relaxation. The inhibitory effect of 4-aminopyridine on acetylcholine relaxation was partly reduced by NOARG. 3. Methylene blue, a guanylate cyclase inhibitor, markedly inhibited acetylcholine relaxation and also abolished the inhibitory effects of iberiotoxin and glyburide and partly inhibited that of 4-amino-pyridine on acetylcholine relaxation. 4. Metyrapone, a cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase inhibitor, and AA861, a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, but not indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, partly inhibited acetylcholine relaxation and reduced the inhibitory effect of 4-aminopyridine on acetylcholine relaxation. 5. These results indicate that, in rat aortic rings, acetylcholine relaxation may be dependent on the activation of KCa, KATP and KV channels. The activations of KCa and KATP channels may also be dependent on NO synthesis and subsequent formation of cGMP. The activation of KV channels may also be dependent on NO synthesis and subsequent activation of guanylate cyclase. In addition, the activation of KV channels may be dependent on the metabolism of arachidonic acid through 5-lipoxygenase and cytochrome P-450-dependent on the monooxygenase pathways.
Gen Pharmacol 1997 Mar
PMID:The involvement of KCa, KATP and KV channels in vasorelaxing responses to acetylcholine in rat aortic rings. 906 90

1. Forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase, potentiated the relaxing response to isoproterenol in rabbit aortic rings precontracted by phenylephrine (PE). 2. The potentiating effect of forskolin was inhibited by propranolol, a beta-adrenoceptor inhibitor, but not by methylene blue, a guanylate cyclase inhibitor. 3. The relaxing response to terbutaline, a beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist, but not lower concentrations of dobutamine, a beta 1-adrenoceptor agonist, also was potentiated by forskolin. Forskolin, however, potentiated the relaxing response to high concentrations of dobutamine, which activates both beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors. 4. Yohimbine, an alpha 2-adrenoceptor inhibitor, glyburide, an ATP-sensitive K+ channel inhibitor, iberiotoxin, a Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel inhibitor, or endothelium-removal failed to affect the potentiating effect of forskolin. 5. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (cAmp) also potentiated the relaxing response to terbutaline. 6. These results suggest that in rabbit aortic rings forskolin causes the apparent potentiation of isoproterenol-induced relaxation by mainly affecting the relaxing response due to the activation of beta 2-adrenoceptors by the forskolin-induced increase in the level of cAMP.
Gen Pharmacol 1997 May
PMID:Potentiation of the relaxing action of isoproterenol by forskolin in rabbit aortic rings: the involvement of beta 2-adrenoceptors. 918 14


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