title: Endothelial nitric-oxide synthase enhances lipopolysaccharide-stimulated tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression via cAMP-mediated p38 MAPK pathway in cardiomyocytes.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS), cAMP, and p38 MAPK in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) expression induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS dose- and time-dependently induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and TNF-alpha expression in neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. TNF-alpha expression was preceded by p38 MAPK phosphorylation, and selective inhibition of p38 MAPK abrogated LPS-induced TNF-alpha expression. Deficiency in eNOS decreased basal and LPS-stimulated TNF-alpha expression in cardiomyocytes. NOS inhibitor l-NAME attenuated LPS-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation and TNF-alpha production in wild-type cardiomyocytes, whereas NO donor 2,2'-(hydroxynitrosohydrazono)bis-ethanamine (DETA-NO) (2 microm) or overexpression of eNOS by adenoviral gene transfer restored the response of eNOS(-/-) cardiomyocytes to LPS. These effects of NO were mediated through cAMP-dependent pathway based on the following facts. First, deficiency in eNOS decreased basal levels of intracellular cAMP, and DETA-NO elevated intracellular cAMP levels in eNOS(-/-) cardiomyocytes. Second, a cAMP analogue 8-Br-cAMP mimicked the effect of NO in eNOS(-/-) cardiomyocytes. Third, either inhibition of cAMP or cAMP-dependent protein kinase attenuated LPS-stimulated p38 MAPK phosphorylation and TNF-alpha production in wild-type cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, eNOS enhances LPS-stimulated TNF-alpha expression in cardiomyocytes. Activation of p38 MAPK is essential in LPS-stimulated TNF-alpha expression. Moreover, the effects of NO on LPS-stimulated TNF-alpha expression are mediated through cAMP/cAMP-dependent protein kinase-dependent p38 MAPK pathway in neonatal cardiomyocytes.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Research Laboratory, Lawson Health Research Institute, London Health Sciences Center, Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Tianqing
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Xiangru
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Qingping
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001483:Base Sequence; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D010766:Phosphorylation; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496315:Nos3 protein, mouse; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases