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Biomedical subjects

P Nambi

Publications and source records attributed to P Nambi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Dexamethasone down-regulates the expression of endothelin receptors in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Steroid hormones have been shown to modulate a number of physiological processes in addition to their potent antiinflammatory effects. Endothelin (ET) is a newly discovered vasoconstrictor that is synthesized and released by endothelial cells and acts on adjacent vascular smooth muscle cells by interacting with specific cell surface receptors. Proinflammatory agents such as thrombin and transforming growth factor beta have been shown to up-regulate ET gene expression in vascular endothelial cells. We wondered whether the anti-inflammatory steroids might have any regulatory effect on the ET receptors present in the vascular smooth muscle cells. Rat vascular smooth muscle cells (A-10 cell line, ATCC.CRL 1476) were used as a model system to study the effects of glucocorticoids on ET receptor expression and function. These cells display high density and high affinity ET receptors that belong to the ETA subtype. Pretreatment of these cells with dexamethasone reduced the number of ET receptors by 50-60% without changing the affinity. Of the steroids tested, dexamethasone was most effective followed by prednisolone and hydrocortisone. Aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid, was 5000-fold less potent than dexamethasone. This effect of dexamethasone was dependent on the time of pretreatment and concentration of the steroid used. This down-regulation of ET receptors was also accompanied by an attenuated response to ET-1 in dexamethasone-pretreated cells. The inhibitory effect of dexamethasone was selective for ET receptors because the vasopressin-mediated response was unaffected. In addition, dexamethasone pretreatment of these cells resulted in 50-60% reduction in the steady-state level of ETA receptor mRNA as revealed by Northern analysis. These results suggest that glucocorticoid pretreatment of smooth muscle cells resulted in the down-regulation of the ETA receptor at the mRNA level.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Homologous desensitization of calcitonin gene-related peptide response in rat glomerular mesangial cells in culture.

Addition of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) to rat glomerular mesangial cells in culture resulted in an increase in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation in a concentration-dependent fashion with an EC50 of approximately 3 nM. Inclusion of CGRP8-37, a CGRP1 selective antagonist shifted CGRP concentration-response curve to the right, suggesting the presence of CGRP1 subtype receptors in these cells. Pretreatment of these cells with CGRP followed by washing and rechallenge with CGRP or isoproterenol or forskolin resulted in selective attenuation of CGRP-mediated cAMP accumulation by 55-60% without affecting isoproterenol or forskolin-mediated accumulation, suggesting that CGRP pretreatment of mesangial cells induced homologous desensitization. CGRP-mediated desensitization of cAMP accumulation was found to be both concentration- and time-dependent. Desensitization did not affect the EC50 of CGRP for stimulation of cAMP accumulation, but resulted in a 55-60% reduction in maximal response. CGRP-mediated desensitization was fast, with half-maximal desensitization occurring as early as 5 min after pretreatment with CGRP. In addition, CGRP-mediated desensitization was blocked by the CGRP receptor antagonist, CGRP8-37, when included in the pretreatment protocol. These data suggest that rat mesangial cells display CGRP1 subtype receptors and that prolonged pretreatment of these cells with CGRP resulted in homologous desensitization.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Activation of endothelin ETB receptors increases glomerular cGMP via an L-arginine-dependent pathway.

The effects of endothelins (ET) on guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) levels in intact rat glomeruli were examined. ET-3 produced a rapid approximately fivefold increase in cGMP levels with the maximum effect occurring at 1 min. The ET-3-induced increase in cGMP accumulation occurred in the absence and presence of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. ET-1, ET-2, ET-3, and the structurally related toxin, sarafotoxin S6c, all increased glomerular cGMP levels in a concentration-dependent manner and with similar potencies (EC50 approximately 15-30 nM). The L-arginine analogue, N omega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), reduced basal levels of cGMP and also totally inhibited ET-induced increases in cGMP as did methylene blue, an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase. The effect of L-NNA was attenuated by L-arginine but not by D-arginine. The stimulation of cGMP accumulation by ET-3 was dependent on extracellular Ca2+ and was additive to atriopeptin III but not to acetylcholine. The ETA-selective antagonist, BQ 123, had no effect on ET-3-induced formation of cGMP. Glomerular membranes displayed high-affinity (Kd = 130-150 pM) and high-density (approximately 2.0 pmol/mg) binding sites for 125I-ET-1 and 125I-ET-3. ET-1, ET-3, and sarafotoxin S6c displaced 125I-ET-1 binding to glomerular membranes with similar affinities. BQ 123 had no effect on 125I-ET-1 binding. We conclude that ET increases cGMP levels in glomeruli by stimulating the formation of a nitric oxide-like factor that activates soluble guanylate cyclase. This effect of ET appears to be mediated by activation of ETB receptors and may serve to modulate the contractile effects of ET.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1992

Identification of endothelin receptor subtypes in human renal cortex and medulla using subtype-selective ligands.

High affinity and high density endothelin (ET)-binding sites were identified in membranes prepared from human kidney cortex and medulla. Saturation binding experiments performed in membranes prepared from cortex and medulla using [125I]ET-1 and [125I]ET-3 revealed that the proportion of [125I]ET-3-binding sites was 30-35% less than that of [125I]ET-1-binding sites. The apparent dissociation constants and maximum binding for [125I]ET-1 and [125I]ET-3 to membranes from cortex were 91 +/- 5 pM and 165 +/- 10 fmol/mg protein, and 117 +/- 9 pM and 110 +/- 7 fmol/mg protein, respectively, whereas in medulla they were 139 +/- 10 pM and 360 +/- 11 fmol/mg protein, and 142 +/- 11 pM and 245 +/- 15 fmol/mg protein, respectively. In the presence of 10 nM sarafotoxin-6c, which is selective for ETB receptors, [125I]ET-1 binding was decreased by 65-70%, whereas [125I]ET-3 binding was totally abolished, suggesting that 65-70% of [125I]ET-1 binding and 100% of [125I]ET-3 binding was to ETB receptors. This was further confirmed by the use of a cyclic pentapeptide [cyclo(D-Trp,D-Asp,L-Pro, D-Val,L-Leu)] (BQ123), which is selective for ETA receptors. In the presence of 1 microM BQ123, [125I]ET-1 binding was decreased by 25-30%, whereas [125I]ET-3 binding was unaffected, confirming that 30-35% of ET receptors belong to the ETA subtypes, and that [125I]ET-1 bound to both ETA and ETB receptors with the same high affinity, but [125I]ET-3 bound only to ETB receptors with high affinity. These results suggest that human kidney cortex and medulla contain ETA and ETB receptors in a ratio of 30:70, and that sarafotoxin-6c and BQ123 are valuable tools in identifying the subtype of ET receptors in various tissues.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1992

Identification of endothelin receptor subtypes in rat kidney cortex using subtype-selective ligands.

125I-Endothelin (ET)-1 and 125I-ET-3 displayed specific, saturable, and high affinity binding to membranes prepared from rat kidney cortex. Saturation binding experiments using 125I-ET-1 and 125I-ET-3 revealed that 125I-ET-3 binding sites were 40-50% less abundant than 125I-ET-1 binding sites. The dissociation constants (Kd) and maximum binding (Bmax) for 125I-ET-1 and 125I-ET-3 with these membranes were 218 +/- 23 pM and 275 +/- 20 fmol/mg of protein and 207 +/- 19 pM and 113 +/- 17 fmol/mg of protein, respectively. In the presence of 10 nM sarafotoxin 6c, a selective agonist for ETb receptors, 125I-ET-1 binding was decreased by 45-50% and 125I-ET-3 binding was totally abolished, suggesting that approximately 40-50% of kidney cortex ET receptors are of the ETB subtype and that 125I-ET-1 binds to both ETA and ETB receptors with the same high affinity, whereas 125I-ET-3 binds to only ETB receptors with high affinity. In addition, in the presence of BQ123 [cyclo(D-Trp,D-Asp,L-Pro,D-Val,L-Leu)], a selective antagonist for ETA receptors, 125I-ET-1 binding was decreased by 50%, whereas 125I-ET-3 binding was unaffected. Our results strongly suggest that rat kidney cortex contains ETA and ETB receptors in a 50:50 ratio and that sarafotoxin 6c and BQ123 are valuable tools in identifying the subtypes of ET receptors in various tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Effect of thrombin on proliferation, contraction and prostaglandin production of rat glomerular mesangial cells in culture.

The effect of thrombin on mesangial cell function was investigated. Thrombin caused a dose-dependent increase in [3H] thymidine incorporation (EC50 = 0.36 +/- 0.09 U/ml), intracellular calcium [(Ca++)i] mobilization (EC50 = 1.9 +/- 0.5 U/ml) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production (EC50 = 0.25 +/- 0.02 U/ml) in rat glomerular mesangial cells. These effects were blocked by the thrombin inhibitor, hirudin (KB = 10.4 +/- 0.2 nM). The role of (Ca++)i mobilization and arachidonate metabolism in thrombin-stimulated proliferation was tested by the addition of the calcium channel blocker, nifedipine, and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, to mesangial cell cultures. Indomethacin, at doses that completely inhibited the thrombin-mediated production of PGE2, had no significant effect on proliferation. The Ca++ channel blocker, nifedipine, inhibited both PGE2 production and [3H] thymidine incorporation in a dose-dependent fashion, but only at concentrations considered nonspecific. In addition to its effects on PGE2, thymidine incorporation and Ca++ mobilization, thrombin caused mesangial cell contraction as determined by a substrate distortion technique. This effect was not inhibited by indomethacin. These results indicate that thrombin can alter mesangial cell function in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Increase in renal phorbol ester receptors in rats with cyclosporine A-induced nephrotoxicity.

Treatment of rats with cyclosporine A (50 mg/kg i.p.) for 4 days resulted in the impairment of renal function. Renal membrane and soluble phorbol ester receptor densities were significantly higher in cyclosporine A-treated rats compared to vehicle-treated rats. These data suggest that increased phorbol ester receptor (protein kinase C) may be involved in the increased renal vascular resistance associated with cyclosporine A-induced nephrotoxicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Expression of human preproendothelin-1 cDNA in COS cells results in the production of mature vasoactive endothelin-1.

Transient transfection of simian kidney (COS) cells with a recombinant plasmid encoding human preproendothelin-1 resulted in the production of biologically active endothelin-1. Conditioned medium from human preproendothelin-1 transfected cells demonstrated a significant increase in immunoreactive endothelin and big endothelin which co-eluted, when analyzed by reverse phase HPLC, with synthetic endothelin-1 and big endothelin-1, respectively. In addition, biological activity was confirmed by both inhibition of [125I]endothelin-1 binding to rat cerebellar and renal medullary membrane endothelin receptors and in vitro vasoconstriction of rabbit aorta. This is the first demonstration that human preproendothelin-1 is capable of being processed to a vasoactive form in a heterologous system and suggests that human preproendothelin-1 transfected COS cells may provide a useful model system for the study of endothelin biosynthesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Effect of nifedipine on cyclosporine A-induced nephrotoxicity, urinary endothelin excretion and renal endothelin receptor number.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of a calcium channel blocker on renal function, urinary endothelin excretion and endothelin receptor number in rats. Administration of cyclosporine resulted in a significant impairment of renal function when measured by either [14C]inulin or 24 h creatinine clearances. This nephrotoxicity was associated with statistically significant (P less than 0.05) increases in urinary endothelin excretion and renal endothelin receptor number. Treatment with nifedipine attenuated cyclosporine A-induced renal dysfunction and reduced urinary endothelin excretion. The data provide further evidence of a role for endothelin in cyclosporine A-induced nephrotoxicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Identification of endothelin receptors in cultured cerebellar neurons.

We have described the binding of [125I]endothelin-1 (ET-1) to cultured rat cerebellar granule cells. Binding of [125I]ET-1 was specific, saturable, and time-dependent. Scatchard analysis of saturation binding data indicated a single class of high affinity binding site with a KD of 95 pM, and a Bmax of 8110 receptors/cell. Functionally, the binding of ET-1 stimulated phosphatidylinositide (PI) hydrolysis in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. PI turnover was found to be inhibitable by 1 microM phorbol dibutyrate but not by 1 microgram/ml pertussis toxin, suggesting that the ET-1-mediated response is regulated by protein kinase C and a pertussis toxin-insensitive guanine nucleotide (GTP) binding protein.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Endothelin stimulates 86Rb efflux in rat glioma C6-Bu-1 cells.

Endothelin-1 (ET) elevates intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) and increased [Ca2+]i has been associated with K+ efflux. Therefore, we investigated ET stimulation of K+ efflux in rat glioma C6-BU-1 cells. K+ efflux was measured by monitoring the release of 86Rb+ from cells pre-loaded with 86RbCl. ET stimulated 86Rb+ efflux with an EC50 of 5.9 nM. ET-stimulated 86Rb+ efflux was insensitive to Ca2+ channel blockade, however it was reduced by 68% in Ca(2+)-free buffer, suggesting a sizable dependence on an extracellular source of Ca2+ influx through non voltage-operated Ca2+ channels. ET-stimulated 45Ca2+ efflux slightly preceded 86Rb+ efflux, again suggesting the presence of Ca2+ dependent K+ channels. ET-stimulated 86Rb+ efflux was insensitive to glyburide suggesting that efflux is not through ATP-sensitive K+ channels. ET-stimulated 86Rb+ efflux was insensitive to pertussis toxin (PTX) pre-treatment. Pre-incubation with the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, staurosporine, inhibited 86Rb+ efflux by 66%, suggesting the involvement of PKC activation in ET-mediated 86Rb+ efflux. In summary, in C6-BU-1 cells, ET stimulates Ca2+ dependent K+ efflux which is mediated in part by protein kinase C activation, but not a PTX sensitive G-protein, nor through an ATP-sensitive K+ channel. These data extend the intracellular mechanisms initiated by ET to include Ca2+ dependent K+ efflux in glial cells and further support a neuromodulatory role for ET.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1991

Comparison of endothelin binding and calcium mobilization in C6-BU-1 rat glioma and N18TG2 mouse neuroblastoma cells.

We have previously reported that endothelin (RT) receptor activation increases intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i) in NG108-15 cells, a hybrid of rat glioma C6-BU-1 and mouse neuroblastoma N18TG2 cells. This study was designed to further explore the origin of the ET receptor and [Ca2+]i mobilization in the parent cell lines hybridized to form the NG108-15 cells. [125I]ET-1 bound to a single class of high affinity sites in C6-BU-1 cells with a KD value of 108pM and Bmax of 12,400 sites/cell. ET-1, ET-2, ET-3 and big ET inhibited [125I]ET-1 binding to C6-BU-1 cells with KD values of 0.074, 0.167, 261 and 187 nM, respectively. All ETs produced a rapid increase in [Ca2+]i in C6-Bu-1 cells. EC50 values for ET-1, ET-2, ET-3 and big ET were 0.71, 1.14, 120 and 243 nM respectively. There was a significant correlation between the KD values obtained from competition binding experiments and the EC50 values from [Ca2+]i response curves in C6-BU-1 cells (r = 0.996, p less than 0.004). Ten nM ET-1 produced about 85% of the maximal [Ca2+]i increase in C6-BU-1 cells which was reduced by 96% in the absence of extracellular calcium. Furthermore, diltiazem (10 microM) and nifedipine (1 microM) failed to block ET-induced [Ca2+]i mobilization. None of the ETs elevated [Ca2+]i or displayed any specific [125I]ET-1 binding in N18TG2 cells. These data suggest that ET binds to a specific ET receptor in C6-BU-1 cells, and elevates [Ca2+]i through dihydropyridine-insensitive, receptor-mediated calcium influx. Further, the ability of ETs to elevate [Ca2+]i in NG108-15 hybrid cells is due to the ET receptor inherent to the C6-BU-1 glioma parent line.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Thermodynamic parameters for the glutamate dehydrogenase catalyzed alpha-imino acid-alpha-amino acid interconversion.

Delta 1-Piperidine 2-carboxylic acid, an alpha-imino acid, is reduced by 1,4-dihydropyridines to pipecolic acid, an alpha-amino acid, and the corresponding pyridinium ions. This nonenzymatic reaction occurs only in the direction of pipecolic acid production. Glutamate dehydrogenase catalyzes this reaction when the reductant is NADPH and gives as products L-pipecolic acid and NADP+. The reaction velocity for the enzyme-catalyzed reaction is measurable in either direction. The pH-independent equilibrium constant, Keq, for the reduction of the imino acid by NADPH to give pipecolic acid anion and NADP+ was determined from the equilibrium conditions and the pKa values of pipecolic acid (10.72) and of the cyclic imino acid (8.10). The value of Keq was found to be 175 +/- 30; the values of delta G0, delta H0 and delta S0 are -3.1 +/- 0.1 kcal/mol, 5 +/- 1 kcal/mol and 27 +/- 4 e.u., respectively. The data indicate that the reactants are far more solvated than the products and that there must be a large degree of solvent reorganization during the course of the reaction. If these thermodynamic parameters apply to the redox step of the enzyme-catalyzed glutamate reaction, then the burst phase which results upon mixing the enzyme, L-glutamate and NADP+ in stoichiometric amounts must contain a hidden nonredox step of large delta H0 value to account for the curved Arrhenius plot observed for this phase (A.H. Colen, R.T. Medary and H.F. Fisher, Biopolymers 20 (1981) 879).

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1991

Endothelin receptor binding and cellular signal transduction in neurohybrid NG108-15 cells.

Endothelins are a novel group of potent vasoconstrictor peptides originally isolated from cultured porcine endothelial cells. We and others have previously reported the presence of endothelin receptors in the central nervous system, and this study was designed to further characterize endothelin receptors and their transduction mechanism in cultured neurohybrid NG108-15 cells. Specific binding of [125I]endothelin-1 to NG108-15 cells reached saturation within 60 min at 22 degrees C and was only partially reversible. Scatchard analysis of the saturation binding revealed the presence of one class of high-affinity binding sites with an apparent dissociation constant of 160 pM and a maximal binding capacity of 3.3 x 10(4) sites/cell. Unlabeled endothelin analogues competitively inhibited [125I]endothelin-1 binding to NG108-15 cells and the apparent dissociation constant values obtained from the competition curves correlated well with the EC50 values obtained for inducing elevation of intracellular free Ca2+ level. Endothelin stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism in a dose-dependent manner with an EC50 value of 5.4 nM for inositol trisphosphate formation. The protein kinase C-activator phorbol ester dose-dependently inhibited endothelin-induced phosphoinositide turnover and intracellular free Ca2+ increase, suggesting the involvement of protein kinase C in the regulation of endothelin-induced responses. Neither endothelin-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis nor endothelin-induced increase in intracellular free Ca2+ were affected by pertussis toxin. These data indicate that endothelin receptors are present on NG108-15 cells and the G protein coupled to endothelin receptor for inducing activation of phospholipase C and increase of free intracellular Ca2+ is insensitive to pertussis toxin.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Identification of cardiac endothelin binding sites in rats: downregulation of left atrial endothelin binding sites in response to myocardial infarction.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a recently described potent vasoconstrictor peptide. Plasma and myocardial tissue levels of ET-1 are increased following myocardial ischemia, however, the factors which regulate ET-1 binding sites in vivo are not well understood. ET-1 binding sites were measured by Scatchard analysis of [125I]ET-1 binding to membranes of rat myocardium. The highest number of ET-1 binding sites (2,951 fmol/mg protein) were found in right atrial tissue, and followed the rank order of right atrium greater than left atrium (2,157 fmol/mg protein), greater than right ventricle (835 fmol/mg protein), greater than septum (609 fmol/mg protein) = left ventricle (498 fmol/mg protein). Following coronary artery occlusion for 24 h, ET-1 binding sites of left atrium were decreased by 35% (p less than 0.01), without a change in the Kd (i.e., 98 pM). Other regions of the myocardium did not exhibit any change in the number of ET-1 binding sites. Similarly, no change in ET-1 binding sites were observed following coronary artery occlusion for 0.5 h followed by 24 h reperfusion. These data indicate that there exists considerable regional differences in the density of ET-1 binding sites in the myocardium, and that ET-1 sites are selectively reduced in left atrial tissue following myocardial infarction.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Identification and characterization of calcitonin gene-related peptide receptors in porcine renal medullary membranes.

Membranes prepared from the medullary region of the porcine kidney displayed high affinity, high density (Kd, 0.12 nM; binding capacity, 127 fmol/mg protein) receptors for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Human CGRP (hCGRP), rat CGRP (rCGRP), and the hCGRP analog [hCGRP-(8-37)] competed for the binding of [125I]hCGRP, whereas salmon calcitonin (sCT) and CGRP-(22-37) were very weak in displacing [125I]hCGRP binding. In accordance with these binding data, CGRP stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in these membrane preparations in a concentration-dependent manner, with an EC50 similar to that of the Kd for binding. In the same preparations, sCT was ineffective in stimulating adenylate cyclase activity, suggesting that porcine kidney medullary membranes possess receptors specific for CGRP. Further hCGRP-(8-37), a CGRP antagonist, inhibited CGRP-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in a competitive manner. Covalent cross-linking of [125I]hCGRP to these membranes resulted in the specific labeling of one major band at approximately 30,000 mol wt and two minor bands at about 58,000 and 78,000 mol wt. The presence of CGRP receptors and their coupling to adenylate cyclase suggest a role for CGRP in kidney function, such as local regulation of the microcirculation, electrolyte transport, or water homeostasis in the porcine kidney.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1991

Regulation of topoisomerase I and II activities by cyclic nucleotide- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinases. Effects of interactions between the two transduction pathways.

Incubation of cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells (A-10) with activators of cyclic nucleotides resulted in transiently increased activity of extractable topoisomerase I or topoisomerase II. ANF, which induces cGMP accumulation, potentiated camptothecin-induced, topoisomerase I linked DNA strand breakage and increased the specific activity of extractable topoisomerase I (maximum activity 5-15 min after treatment), but had no effect on topoisomerase II activity. These effects are similar to those reported for AVP and phorbol esters, activators of protein kinase C. Forskolin and isoproterenol, which induce cAMP accumulation, activated extractable topoisomerase II (maximum 5-15 min after treatment), but not topoisomerase I. Permeable cyclic nucleotide analogs dBcAMP and 8BrcGMP selectively activated extractable topoisomerase II and topoisomerase I activities, respectively. Activation of topoisomerase I by either AVP or PdBu was attenuated by cotreatment with 8BrcGMP or dBcAMP, and activation of topoisomerase II by dBcAMP was attenuated by cotreatment with AVP or PdBU, suggesting that elements of the protein kinase C and the cyclic nucleotide linked signal-transduction pathways can interact to modify nuclear enzymic activity. IBMX, which elevates intracellular cAMP and cGMP, increased the extractable activities of both topoisomerase I and topoisomerase II. Thus, topoisomerase activity in cells may be governed in part by cyclic nucleotide levels.

Animals↗