Inhibition of pulmonary thromboxane A2 synthase activity and airway responses by CGS 13080

Respiratory therapeutics

Treatment of small animal respiratory diseases tends to target bronchodilators. Although this is not inappropriate, recent advances in the understanding of respiratory diseases have underscored the importance of inflammatory mediators in the pathophysiology of respiratory diseases. Drug therapy of the respiratory tract in small animals is most successful when it is based on a knowledge of normal physiology and disease pathophysiology of respiratory tract diseases.

Actions of SQ 29,548 on contractile responses and arachidonic acid metabolism of intrapulmonary arteries, in vitro

This study was undertaken to investigate the influence of SQ 29,548, a thromboxane (TX) A2 receptor antagonist, on contractile responses and arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism of bovine intrapulmonary arterial (IPA) rings. The contractile responses to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), histamine, phenylephrine, and potassium chloride (KC1) were not significantly altered by 10(-8) M SQ 29,548 in either endothelium-intact or denuded IPA. The concentration of SQ 29,548 was chosen as it reduced the response to 10(-7) M U46619, a TXA2 mimetic, by 50%. AA metabolism by IPA produced more PGI2 whereas that by intrapulmonary vein (IPV) produced more PGE2. SQ 29,548 in concentrations of 10(-8) to 10(-5) M did not affect the activity of PGI2 synthase or GSH-dependent PGE2 isomerase in IPA or IPV microsomal fractions. No microsomal TXA2 synthase activity was detectable. SQ 29,548 had no effect on PGH synthase activity of IPA or IPV. The data indicate the presence of a TXA2-mediated contractile response in the IPA which is endothelium-independent and is selectively antagonized by SQ 29,548. The data further indicate that the contractile responses of IPA to 5-HT, histamine, phenylephrine, and KCl do not have a TXA2-mediated component. It is suggested that SQ 29,548 is a pharmacological probe to determine the role of TXA2 n pathophysiologic states in the pulmonary vascular bed and may be a therapeutic agent to treat pulmonary hypertensive disorders in which TXA2 is involved.

Concentration-activity profile of the modulation of cyclooxygenase product formation by reduced glutathione in microsomal fractions from the goat lung

Age-related changes in pulmonary formation of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites are thought to play an important role in regulating cardiopulmonary function. This study addresses the potential role of reduced glutathione (GSH) in modulating cyclooxygenase product formation in the developing lung. Prostaglandin H2 (PGH2) metabolism was studied in microsomal fractions isolated from the lungs of unventilated fetal, neonatal and adult goats. GSH-dependent PGH2 to PGE2 isomerase activity in microsomal fractions from the perinatal (fetal and neonatal) goat lung was not saturable with respect to GSH and can respond to changes in GSH concentration over the range of 0.01 to 30 mM, which encompasses the full range the intracellular GSH levels reported in the literature. However, in fractions from the adult, a lower rate of PGE2 formation is observed at higher GSH concentrations. In addition, the tissue levels of GSH exhibited developmental stage-related differences with fetal being higher than neonatal or adult. The present observations may have physiologic relevance, in that decreases in pulmonary GSH levels after birth may contribute to decreases in plasma PGE2 levels by decreasing pulmonary PGE2 synthesis, thereby contributing to closure of the ductus arteriosus; conversely, increased GSH levels associated with hyperoxia may contribute to persistence of ductal patency. Formation of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and of TXB2 (the stable metabolites of prostacyclin and TXA2) was decreased when PGE2 formation was increased by GSH activation of PGE2 isomerase in fractions isolated from all three developmental stages. A similar pattern of product formation was observed when AA was employed as substrate. These data suggest the possibility that changes in GSH concentration may modulate eicosanoid formation in cells that contain GSH-dependent PGE2 isomerase, as well as either or both prostacyclin or thromboxane synthase(s).