title: A potentiating effect of endogenous NO in the physiologic secretion from airway submucosal glands.
abstract: It is known that several second messengers, such as Ca(2+) or cAMP, play important roles in the intracellular pathway of electrolyte secretion in tracheal submucosal gland. However, the participation of cGMP, and therefore nitric oxide (NO), is not well understood. To investigate the physiologic role of NO, we first examined whether tracheal glands can synthesize NO in response to acetylcholine (ACh), and then whether endogenous NO has some effects on the ACh-triggered ionic currents. From the experiments using the NO-specific fluorescent indicator 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate salt (DAF-2DA), we found that a physiologically relevant low dose of ACh (100 nM) stimulated the endogenous NO synthesis, and it was almost completely suppressed in the presence of the nonspecific NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor Nomega-Nitro-L-arginine Methyl Ester Hydrochloride (L-NAME) or the neuronal NOS (nNOS)-specific inhibitor 7-Nitroindazole (7-NI). Patch-clamp experiments revealed that both the NOS inhibitors (L-NAME or 7-NI) and cGK inhibitors (KT-5823 or Rp-8-Br-cGMP) partially decreased ionic currents induced by 30 nM of ACh, but not in the case of 300 nM of ACh. Our results indicate that NO can be synthesized through the activation of nNOS endogenously and has potentiating effects on the gland secretion, under a physiologically relevant ACh stimulation. When cells were stimulated by an inadequately potent dose of ACh, which caused an excess elevation in [Ca(2+)](i), the cells were desensitized. Therefore, due to NO, gland cells become more sensitive to calcium signaling and are able to maintain electrolyte secretion without desensitization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Respiratory Diseases, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan. tamada@rid.med.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamada
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nara
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanatsuka
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koshida
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hattori
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007191:Indazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008954:Models, Biological; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D034421:Sus scrofa; D014132:Trachea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002227:Carbazoles; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007191:Indazoles; D007211:Indoles; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; C073601:KT 5823; C016276:8-bromocyclic GMP; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D000109:Acetylcholine; C080122:7-nitroindazole; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester