title: Immunomodulator FTY720 Induces eNOS-dependent arterial vasodilatation via the lysophospholipid receptor S1P3.
abstract: The novel immunomodulator FTY720 is effective in experimental models of transplantation and autoimmunity, and is currently undergoing Phase III clinical trials for prevention of kidney graft rejection. FTY720 is a structural analogue of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and activates several of the S1P receptors. We show that FTY720 induces endothelium-dependent arterial vasodilation in phenylephrine precontracted mouse aortae. Vasodilation did not occur in thoracic aortic rings from eNOS-deficient mice, implicating and effect dependent of activation of the eNOS/NO pathway. Accordingly, FTY720 induced NO release, Akt-dependent eNOS phosphorylation and activation in human endothelial cells. For biological efficacy, FTY720 required endogenous phosphorylation, since addition of the sphingosine kinase antagonist N',N-dimethylsphingosine (DMS) prevented activation of eNOS in vitro and inhibited vasodilation in isolated arteries. The endothelial phosphorylation of FTY720 was extremely rapid with almost complete conversion after 10 minutes as determined by mass spectrometry. Finally, we identified the lysophospholipid receptor S1P3 as the S1P receptor responsible for arterial vasodilation by FTY720, as the effect was completely abolished in arteries from S1P3-deficient mice. In summary, we have identified FTY720 as the first immunomodulator for prevention of organ graft rejection in clinical development that, in addition, positively affects the endothelium by stimulating NO production, and thus potentially displaying beneficial effects on transplant survival beyond classical T cell immunosuppression.
authors.affiliation: Med. Klinik IV, Charite-Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tölle
authors.forename: Bodo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Levkau
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Keul
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brinkmann
authors.forename: Günter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giebing
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schönfelder
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schäfers
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: von Wnuck Lipinski
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jankowski
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jankowski
authors.forename: Jerold
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zidek
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van der Giet
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D000068876:Fingolimod Hydrochloride; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000502:physiology*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D049349:Receptors, Lysosphingolipid / Q000502:physiology*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D049349:Receptors, Lysosphingolipid; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D000068876:Fingolimod Hydrochloride; D013110:Sphingosine