title: C2238 atrial natriuretic peptide molecular variant is associated with endothelial damage and dysfunction through natriuretic peptide receptor C signaling.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  C2238 atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) minor allele (substitution of thymidine with cytosine in position 2238) associates with increased risk of cardiovascular events.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the mechanisms underlying the vascular effects of C2238-αANP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vitro, human umbilical vein endothelial cell were exposed to either wild-type (T2238)- or mutant (C2238)-αANP. Cell survival and apoptosis were tested by Trypan blue, annexin V, and cleaved caspase-3 assays. C2238-αANP significantly reduced human umbilical vein endothelial cell survival and increased apoptosis. In addition, C2238-αANP reduced endothelial tube formation, as assessed by matrigel. C2238-αANP did not differentially modulate natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR)-A/B activity with respect to T2238-αANP, as evaluated by intracellular cGMP levels. In contrast, C2238-αANP, but not T2238-αANP, markedly reduced intracellular cAMP levels in an NPR-C-dependent manner. Accordingly, C2238-αANP showed higher affinity binding to NPR-C, than T2238-αANP. Either NPR-C inhibition by antisense oligonucleotide or NPR-C gene silencing by small interfering RNA rescued survival and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cell exposed to C2238-αANP. Similar data were obtained in human aortic endothelial cell with NPR-C knockdown. NPR-C activation by C2238-αANP inhibited the protein kinase A/Akt1 pathway and increased reactive oxygen species. Adenovirus-mediated Akt1 reactivation rescued the detrimental effects of C2238-αANP. Overall, these data indicate that C2238-αANP affects endothelial cell integrity through NPR-C-dependent inhibition of the cAMP/protein kinase A/Akt1 pathway and increased reactive oxygen species production. Accordingly, C2238-αANP caused impairment of acetylcholine-dependent vasorelaxation ex vivo, which was rescued by NPR-C pharmacological inhibition. Finally, subjects carrying C2238 minor allele showed early endothelial dysfunction, which highlights the clinical relevance of our results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  C2238-αANP reduces endothelial cell survival and impairs endothelial function through NPR-C signaling. NPR-C targeting represents a potential strategy to reduce cardiovascular risk in C2238 minor-allele carriers.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy. sebastiano.sciarretta@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sciarretta
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marchitti
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Amie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moyes
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barbato
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Castro
authors.forename: Rosita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stanzione
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cotugno
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castello
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calvieri
authors.forename: Ivano
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Eberini
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sadoshima
authors.forename: Adrian J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hobbs
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volpe
authors.forename: Speranza
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rubattu
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000502:physiology; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type / Q000502:physiology*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000502:physiology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D006152:Cyclic GMP
keywords: Akt; T2238C gene variant; atrial natriuretic peptide; endothelial dysfunction; natriuretic peptide receptor type C