title: Endotoxin impairs agonist-induced calcium mobilization in bovine aortic myocytes by a nitric oxide-independent mechanism.
abstract: We hypothesized that endotoxin (LPS) would impair vasoconstrictor-agonist-induced calcium (Ca2+) mobilization by a nitric oxide (NO)-dependent mechanism. We incubated bovine aortic myocytes (passages 16 to 23) for 22 to 24 hours with 0 to 1.0 mg/ml Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Medium (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) + 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS)) was assayed for nitrite (chemiluminescence), and myocytes were loaded with fura-2 acetoxymethyl ester (fura-2AM), after which we assessed basal and thrombin (10 U/ml)-induced peak Ca2+ mobilization by microspectrofluorimetry. LPS (0.01 to 1.0 mg/ml) led to dose-dependent nitrite accumulation, which was blocked by coincubation with N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 1 mmol/L). LPS also impaired Ca2+ responses in a dose-dependent manner (from -13% at 0.1 mg/ml to -47% at 1.0 mg/ml, n = 8 to 43/dose). However, coincubation with L-NAME did not ameliorate the Ca2+ mobilization defect (peak Ca2+ increments: control = 419 +/-30 nmol/L, vs LPS (1 mg/ml) = 206+/-18 nmol/L (mean+/-SE), n = 15; p < 0.001; control/L-NAME: 417+/-31 nmol/L vs LPS/L-NAME: 212+/-19 nmol/L; n = 17 p < 0.001), despite inhibition of associated nitrite accumulation in the medium (control vs LPS: p < 0.001; control/L-NAME vs LPS/L-NAME: p > 0.05; LPS vs LPS/L-NAME: p < 0.001). Supplemental L-arginine augmented LPS-induced nitrite generation without affecting Ca2+ mobilization. Indomethacin failed to prevent the LPS-induced decrement in thrombin response, but did inhibit LPS-induced myocyte nitrite production, suggesting "crosstalk" between the NO-synthase and cyclo-oxygenase (COX) systems. These experiments suggest that LPS-induced vascular contractile impairment is at least partly mediated by an NO-independent impairment of agonist-induced myocyte Ca2+ mobilization. This further suggests that any important contribution of NO synthesis to LPS-induced contractile dysfunction must depend on impairment of the Ca2+ sensitivity of the contractile apparatus (i.e., pharmacomechanical coupling).
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Wylam
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Umans
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009126:Muscle Relaxation; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D002118:Calcium; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester