h-89 and 1-1-diethyl-2-hydroxy-2-nitrosohydrazine

Nitric oxide (NO) donors increase heart rate (HR) through a guanylyl cyclase-dependent stimulation of the pacemaker current I(f), without affecting basal I(Ca-L). The activity of I(f)is known to be enhanced by cyclic nucleotides and by an increase in cytosolic Ca(2+). We examined the role of cGMP-dependent signaling pathways and intracellular Ca(2+)stores in mediating the positive chronotropic effect of NO donors. In isolated guinea pig atria, the increase in HR in response to 1-100 micromol/l 3-morpholino-sydnonimine (SIN-1; with superoxide dismutase, n=6) or diethylamine-NO (DEA-NO, n=8) was significantly attenuated by blockers of the cGMP-inhibited phosphodiesterase (PDE3; trequinsin, milrinone or Ro-13-6438, n=22). In addition, the rate response to DEA-NO or sodium nitroprusside (SNP) was significantly reduced following inhibition of PKA (KT5720 or H-89, n=15) but not PKG (KT5728 or Rp-8-pCPT-cGMPs, n=16). Suppression of sarcoplasmic (SR) Ca(2+)release by pretreatment of isolated atria with ryanodine or cyclopiazonic acid (2 micromol/l and 60 micromol/l, n=16) significantly reduced the chronotropic response to 1-100 micromol/l SIN-1 or DEA-NO. Moreover, in isolated guinea pig sinoatrial node cells 5 micromol/l SNP significantly increased diastolic and peak Ca(2+)fluorescence (+13+/-1% and +28+/-1%, n=6, P<0.05). Our findings are consistent with a functionally significant role of cAMP/PKA signaling (via cGMP inhibition of PDE3) and SR Ca(2+)in mediating the positive chronotropic effect of NO donors.

Topics: Animals; Calcium; Carbazoles; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; Cyclic GMP; Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Inhibitors; Guinea Pigs; Heart Atria; Heart Rate; Hydrazines; Indoles; Isoquinolines; Male; Milrinone; Models, Biological; Molsidomine; Nitric Oxide Donors; Nitrogen Oxides; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Pyrroles; Quinazolines; Ryanodine; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum; Signal Transduction; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Sulfonamides; Superoxide Dismutase; Tetrahydroisoquinolines; Thionucleotides; Time Factors; Vasodilator Agents

This study aimed to demonstrate nitric oxide production by human spermatozoa and to characterize the interaction between nitric oxide and cAMP-related pathway in the control of human sperm capacitation and protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Spermatozoa were incubated in Tyrode's medium with or without bovine serum albumin (BSA), and nitric oxide was measured with the spin trap sodium N-methyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate. Under noncapacitating conditions, spermatozoa produced low levels of nitric oxide. However, under capacitating conditions, prominent nitric oxide adduct signals were obtained and a time-dependent increase of nitric oxide production was observed. When spermatozoa were incubated in Tyrode+BSA medium with nitric oxide-releasing compounds, intracellular cAMP concentrations increased to levels higher than those of spermatozoa incubated in Tyrode+BSA alone. In contrast, incubation with nitric oxide synthase inhibitors (N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester or N(G)-monomethyl L-arginine) decreased intracellular sperm cAMP concentrations. The inhibitory effect observed with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester on capacitation and tyrosine phosphorylation of two sperm proteins (105, 81 kDa) was overcome by the presence of cAMP analogs or of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. These results indicate that nitric oxide is produced by capacitating human spermatozoa and that it may act as a cellular messenger by modulating the cAMP pathway involved in capacitation and protein tyrosine phosphorylation.

Topics: 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine; Cyclic AMP; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; Humans; Hydrazines; Isoquinolines; Male; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Nitrogen Oxides; omega-N-Methylarginine; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; Phosphorylation; Signal Transduction; Sperm Capacitation; Spermatozoa; Spermine; Sulfonamides; Tyrosine