Upregulation of Vascular Arginase in Hypertension Decreases Nitric Oxide–Mediated Dilation of Coronary Arterioles

Abstract

Abstract-One characteristic of hypertension is a decreased endothelium-dependent nitric oxide (NO)-mediated vasodilation; however, the underlying mechanism is complex. In endothelial cells (ECs), L-arginine is the substrate for both NO synthase (NOS) and arginase. Because arginase has recently been shown to modulate NO-mediated dilation of coronary arterioles by reducing L-arginine availability, we hypothesized that upregulation of vascular arginase in hypertension contributes to decreased NO-mediated vasodilation. To test this hypothesis, hypertension (mean arterial blood pressure Ͼ150 mm Hg) was maintained for 8 weeks in pigs by aortic coarctation. Coronary arterioles from normotensive (NT) and hypertensive (HT) pigs were isolated and pressurized for in vitro study. NT vessels dilated dose-dependently to adenosine (partially mediated by endothelial release of NO) and sodium nitroprusside (endothelium-independent vasodilator). Conversely, HT vessels exhibited reduced dilation to adenosine but dilated normally to sodium nitroprusside. Adenosine-stimulated NO release was increased Ϸ3-fold in NT vessels but was reduced in HT vessels. Moreover, arginase activity was 2-fold higher in HT vessels. Inhibition of arginase activity by N -hydroxynor-L-arginine or incubation with L-arginine partially restored NO release and dilation to adenosine in HT vessels. Immunohistochemistry showed that arginase expression was increased but NOS expression was decreased in arteriolar ECs of HT vessels. These results suggest that NO-mediated dilation of coronary arterioles is inhibited in hypertension by an increase in arginase activity in EC, which limits L-arginine availability to NOS for NO production. The inability of arginase blockade or L-arginine supplementation to completely restore vasodilation may be related to downregulation of endothelial NOS expression. Key Words: arginine Ⅲ hypertension Ⅲ microcirculation Ⅲ nitric oxide synthase Ⅲ vasodilation H ypertension is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease. One characteristic of hypertension that appears to be critical in the development of vascular disease is the impairment of endothelial function. For example, there is a markedly reduced endothelium-dependent vasodilation in both large and small coronary arteries from hypertensive humans and animal models of hypertension. 1 Mounting evidence suggests that this vascular impairment may be related to a diminished production and bioavailability of the potent vasodilator nitric oxide (NO), which may result from an increased vascular production of superoxide anion 2 or decreased endothelial levels of tetrahydrobiopterin 3,4 or L-arginine. 5 Interestingly, administration of NO precursor L-arginine restores endothelium-mediated vasodilatory function in patients with essential hypertension, 5 improves coronary hemodynamics in spontaneously hypertensive rats, 6 and increases NO production and reduces blood pressure in hypertensive rats with 7 or without 8 renal failure. These results suggest the possible reduction of L-arginine ...

HIF2α–arginase axis is essential for the development of pulmonary hypertension

“…Arginase activity assay. BOECs were prepared in lysis buffer for an arginase activity assay as previously described (45). Detailed methods are given in SI Methods.…”

Nitric oxide and coronary vascular endothelium adaptations in hypertension

“…71 In general, however, increased local vascular superoxide production-induced destruction of NO is thought to be the major mechanism limiting NO bioavailability in isolated coronary vessels from hypertensive animals, 48,72 as also seemed to be the case when evaluating the intact coronary vascular bed.…”

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