title: Nitric oxide and catalase-sensitive relaxation by scutellarin in the mouse thoracic aorta.
abstract: The vascular activity of scutellarin (SCU), a flavonoid isolated from a Chinese traditional medicinal plant, was investigated in isolated thoracic aortic rings of mice. SCU-induced dose-dependent relaxation of phenylephrine (1 microM) stimulated contractions. This relaxation was reduced by endothelium removal, significantly reduced by both the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methylester, 300 microM) and slightly limited by the soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor (1 H-[1,2,4] oxidazolol [4,3-a] quinoxalin-1-one, 100 microM). The catalase inhibitor (3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, 50 mM) augmented the constriction and blocked the lowest SCU concentration relaxation, whereas catalase addition was without effect. Preincubation with 300 and 1000 microM SCU significantly suppressed the contractile dose-response to phenylephrine, causing both a significant rise in half maximal effective concentration and a decrease in the maximal developed force. Western blot analysis showed that SCU inhibition of contraction was independent of reductions in myosin light chain phosphorylation. These results suggested that SCU relaxation was predominantly endothelium dependent and likely involved the catalase-sensitive nitric oxide synthase signaling pathway, without loss of myosin phosphorylation. The potential clinical use of SCU may prove to be effective in increasing vasoreactivity, independently of smooth muscle contractile activity that is mediated by the 20-kDa myosin light chain phosphorylation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA.
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lust
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bofferding
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wingard
mesh_terms: D000640:Amitrole / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D047310:Apigenin; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005965:Glucuronates; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D000071756:Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase; D014230:Triazoles
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005965:Glucuronates; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D014230:Triazoles; C484876:scutellarin; D010656:Phenylephrine; C045575:1,2,4-triazole; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D047310:Apigenin; D001120:Arginine; D002374:Catalase; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D000071756:Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase; D000640:Amitrole