title: Gene transfer of endothelial nitric oxide synthase to the lung of the mouse in vivo. Effect on agonist-induced and flow-mediated vascular responses.
abstract: The effects of transfer of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene to the lung were studied in mice. After intratracheal administration of AdCMVbetagal, expression of the beta-galactosidase reporter gene was detected in pulmonary airway cells, in alveolar cells, and in small pulmonary arteries. Gene expression with AdCMVbetagal peaked 1 day after administration and decayed over a 7- to 14-day period, whereas gene expression after AdRSVbetagal transfection peaked on day 5 and was sustained over a 21- to 28-day period. One day after administration of AdCMVeNOS, eNOS protein levels were increased, and there was a small reduction in mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. The pressure-flow relationship in the pulmonary vascular bed was shifted to the right in animals transfected with eNOS, and pulmonary vasodepressor responses to bradykinin and the type V cGMP-selective phosphodiesterase inhibitor zaprinast were enhanced, whereas systemic responses were not altered. Pulmonary vasopressor responses to endothelin-1 (ET-1), angiotensin II, and ventilatory hypoxia were reduced significantly in animals transfected with the eNOS gene, whereas pressor responses to norepinephrine and U46619 were not changed. Systemic pressor responses to ET-1 and angiotensin II were similar in eNOS-transfected mice and in control mice. Intratracheal administration of AdRSVeNOS attenuated the increase in pulmonary arterial pressure in mice exposed to the fibrogenic anticancer agent bleomycin. These data suggest that transfer of the eNOS gene in vivo can selectively reduce pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary pressor responses to ET-1, angiotensin II, and hypoxia; enhance pulmonary depressor responses; and attenuate pulmonary hypertension induced by bleomycin. Moreover, these data suggest that in vivo gene transfer may be a useful therapeutic intervention for the treatment of pulmonary hypertensive disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. champion@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Champion
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bivalacqua
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: D'Souza
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Jeter
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Heistad
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hyman
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kadowitz
mesh_terms: D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000256:Adenoviridae; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D001761:Bleomycin; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001920:Bradykinin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000032:analysis; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000201:enzymology; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D011688:Purinones / Q000494:pharmacology; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D019332:Endothelin-1; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D011688:Purinones; D013566:Sympathomimetics; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D001761:Bleomycin; D000804:Angiotensin II; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496315:Nos3 protein, mouse; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; C011145:zaprinast; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D001920:Bradykinin; D009638:Norepinephrine