1
|
Sumi MP, Westcott R, Stuehr E, Ghosh C, Stuehr DJ, Ghosh A. Regional variations in allergen-induced airway inflammation correspond to changes in soluble guanylyl cyclase heme and expression of heme oxygenase-1. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23572. [PMID: 38512139 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202301626rrr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Asthma is characterized by airway remodeling and hyperreactivity. Our earlier studies determined that the nitric oxide (NO)-soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC)-cGMP pathway plays a significant role in human lung bronchodilation. However, this bronchodilation is dysfunctional in asthma due to high NO levels, which cause sGC to become heme-free and desensitized to its natural activator, NO. In order to determine how asthma impacts the various lung segments/lobes, we mapped the inflammatory regions of lungs to determine whether such regions coincided with molecular signatures of sGC dysfunction. We demonstrate using murine models of asthma (OVA and CFA/HDM) that the inflamed segments of these murine lungs can be tracked by upregulated expression of HO1 and these regions in turn overlap with regions of heme-free sGC as evidenced by a decreased sGC-α1β1 heterodimer and an increased response to heme-independent sGC activator, BAY 60-2770, relative to naïve uninflamed regions. We also find that NO generated from iNOS upregulation in the inflamed segments has a higher impact on developing heme-free sGC as increasing iNOS activity correlates linearly with elevated heme-independent sGC activation. This excess NO works by affecting the epithelial lung hemoglobin (Hb) to become heme-free in asthma, thereby causing the Hb to lose its NO scavenging function and exposing the underlying smooth muscle sGC to excess NO, which in turn becomes heme-free. Recognition of these specific lung segments enhances our understanding of the inflamed lungs in asthma with the ultimate aim to evaluate potential therapies and suggest that regional and not global inflammation impacts lung function in asthma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mamta P Sumi
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Rosemary Westcott
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Eric Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Chaitali Ghosh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Dennis J Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Arnab Ghosh
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lam M, Lamanna E, Organ L, Donovan C, Bourke JE. Perspectives on precision cut lung slices-powerful tools for investigation of mechanisms and therapeutic targets in lung diseases. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1162889. [PMID: 37261291 PMCID: PMC10228656 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1162889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Precision cut lung slices (PCLS) have emerged as powerful experimental tools for respiratory research. Pioneering studies using mouse PCLS to visualize intrapulmonary airway contractility have been extended to pulmonary arteries and for assessment of novel bronchodilators and vasodilators as therapeutics. Additional disease-relevant outcomes, including inflammatory, fibrotic, and regenerative responses, are now routinely measured in PCLS from multiple species, including humans. This review provides an overview of established and innovative uses of PCLS as an intermediary between cellular and organ-based studies and focuses on opportunities to increase their application to investigate mechanisms and therapeutic targets to oppose excessive airway contraction and fibrosis in lung diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maggie Lam
- Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Emma Lamanna
- Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Institut Pasteur, Unit of Antibodies in Therapy and Pathology, INSERM UMR1222, Paris, France
| | - Louise Organ
- Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Chantal Donovan
- School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute and The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Jane E. Bourke
- Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Dai Y, Stuehr DJ. BAY58-2667 Activates Different Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase Species by Distinct Mechanisms that Indicate Its Principal Target in Cells is the Heme-Free Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase-Heat Shock Protein 90 Complex. Mol Pharmacol 2023; 103:286-296. [PMID: 36868790 PMCID: PMC10166446 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.122.000624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO)-unresponsive forms of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) exist naturally and in disease can disable NO-sGC-cGMP signaling. Agonists like BAY58-2667 (BAY58) target these sGC forms, but their mechanisms of action in living cells are unclear. We studied rat lung fibroblast-6 cells and human airway smooth muscle cells that naturally express sGC and HEK293 cells that we transfected to express sGC and variants. Cells were cultured to build up different forms of sGC, and we used fluorescence and FRET-based measures to monitor BAY58-driven cGMP production and any protein partner exchange or heme loss events that may occur for each sGC species. We found that: (i) BAY58 activated cGMP production by the apo-sGCβ-Hsp90 species after a 5-8 minute delay that was associated with apo-sGCβ exchanging its Hsp90 partner with an sGCα subunit. (ii) In cells containing an artificially constructed heme-free sGC heterodimer, BAY58 initiated an immediate and three times faster cGMP production. However, this behavior was not observed in cells expressing native sGC under any condition. (iii) BAY58 activated cGMP production by ferric heme sGC only after a 30-minute delay, coincident with it initiating a delayed, slow ferric heme loss from sGCβ We conclude that the kinetics favor BAY58 activation of the apo-sGCβ-Hsp90 species over the ferric heme sGC species in living cells. The protein partner exchange events driven by BAY58 account for the initial delay in cGMP production and also limit the speed of subsequent cGMP production in the cells. Our findings clarify how agonists like BAY58 may activate sGC in health and disease. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: A class of agonists can activate cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) synthesis by forms of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) that do not respond to NO and accumulate in disease, but the mechanisms of action are unclear. This study clarifies what forms of sGC exist in living cells, which of these can be activated by the agonists, and the mechanisms and kinetics by which each form is activated. This information may help to hasten deployment of these agonists for pharmaceutical intervention and clinical therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Dai
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Dennis J Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sumi MP, Tupta B, Roychowdhury S, Comhair S, Asosingh K, Stuehr DJ, Erzurum SC, Ghosh A. Hemoglobin resident in the lung epithelium is protective for smooth muscle soluble guanylate cyclase function. Redox Biol 2023; 63:102717. [PMID: 37120930 PMCID: PMC10172757 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2023.102717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemoglobin (Hb) present in the lung epithelium is of unknown significance. However Hb being an nitric oxide (NO) scavenger can bind to NO and reduce its deleterious effects. Hence we postulated an NO scavenging role for this lung Hb. Doing transwell co-culture with bronchial epithelial cells, A549/16-HBE (apical) and human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMCs as basal), we found that Hb can protect the smooth muscle soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) from excess NO. Inducing the apical A549/16-HBE cells with cytokines to trigger iNOS expression and NO generation caused a time dependent increase in SNO-sGC and this was accompanied with a concomitant drop in sGC-α1β1 heterodimerization. Silencing Hbαβ in the apical cells further increased the SNO on sGC with a faster drop in the sGC heterodimer and these effects were additive along with further silencing of thioredoxin 1 (Trx1). Since heme of Hb is critical for NO scavenging we determined the Hb heme in a mouse model of allergic asthma (OVA) and found that Hb in the inflammed OVA lungs was low in heme or heme-free relative to those of naïve lungs. Further we established a direct correlation between the status of the sGC heterodimer and the Hb heme from lung samples of human asthma, iPAH, COPD and cystic fibrosis. These findings present a new mechanism of protection of lung sGC by the epithelial Hb, and suggests that this protection maybe lost in asthma or COPD where lung Hb is unable to scavenge the NO due to it being heme-deprived.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mamta P Sumi
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Blair Tupta
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Sanjoy Roychowdhury
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Suzy Comhair
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Kewal Asosingh
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Dennis J Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Serpil C Erzurum
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Arnab Ghosh
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Becker-Pelster EM, Hahn MG, Delbeck M, Dietz L, Hüser J, Kopf J, Kraemer T, Marquardt T, Mondritzki T, Nagelschmitz J, Nikkho SM, Pires PV, Tinel H, Weimann G, Wunder F, Sandner P, Schuhmacher J, Stasch JP, Truebel HKF. Inhaled mosliciguat (BAY 1237592): targeting pulmonary vasculature via activating apo-sGC. Respir Res 2022; 23:272. [PMID: 36183104 PMCID: PMC9526466 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-022-02189-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Oxidative stress associated with severe cardiopulmonary diseases leads to impairment in the nitric oxide/soluble guanylate cyclase signaling pathway, shifting native soluble guanylate cyclase toward heme-free apo-soluble guanylate cyclase. Here we describe a new inhaled soluble guanylate cyclase activator to target apo-soluble guanylate cyclase and outline its therapeutic potential. Methods We aimed to generate a novel soluble guanylate cyclase activator, specifically designed for local inhaled application in the lung. We report the discovery and in vitro and in vivo characterization of the soluble guanylate cyclase activator mosliciguat (BAY 1237592). Results Mosliciguat specifically activates apo-soluble guanylate cyclase leading to improved cardiopulmonary circulation. Lung-selective effects, e.g., reduced pulmonary artery pressure without reduced systemic artery pressure, were seen after inhaled but not after intravenous administration in a thromboxane-induced pulmonary hypertension minipig model. These effects were observed over a broad dose range with a long duration of action and were further enhanced under experimental oxidative stress conditions. In a unilateral broncho-occlusion minipig model, inhaled mosliciguat decreased pulmonary arterial pressure without ventilation/perfusion mismatch. With respect to airway resistance, mosliciguat showed additional beneficial bronchodilatory effects in an acetylcholine-induced rat model. Conclusion Inhaled mosliciguat may overcome treatment limitations in patients with pulmonary hypertension by improving pulmonary circulation and airway resistance without systemic exposure or ventilation/perfusion mismatch. Mosliciguat has the potential to become a new therapeutic paradigm, exhibiting a unique mode of action and route of application, and is currently under clinical development in phase Ib for pulmonary hypertension. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-022-02189-1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva M Becker-Pelster
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany.
| | - Michael G Hahn
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Martina Delbeck
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Lisa Dietz
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Jörg Hüser
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Johannes Kopf
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Thomas Kraemer
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Tobias Marquardt
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Thomas Mondritzki
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany.,Fakultät für Gesundheit, University Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany
| | - Johannes Nagelschmitz
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Sylvia M Nikkho
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Philippe V Pires
- The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Hanna Tinel
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Gerrit Weimann
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Frank Wunder
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Peter Sandner
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany.,Department of Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Joachim Schuhmacher
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Johannes-Peter Stasch
- Pharmaceuticals R&D, Pharma Research Center, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18A, 42113, Wuppertal, Germany.,Institute of Pharmacy, University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Verheyen M, Puschkarow M, Gnipp S, Koesling D, Peters M, Mergia E. The differential roles of the two NO-GC isoforms in adjusting airway reactivity. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2022; 323:L450-L463. [PMID: 35972838 PMCID: PMC9529264 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00404.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The enzyme, nitric oxide-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (NO-GC), is activated by binding NO to its prosthetic heme group and catalyzes the formation of cGMP. The NO-GC is primarily known to mediate vascular smooth muscle relaxation in the lung, and inhaled NO has been successfully used as a selective pulmonary vasodilator. In comparison, NO-GC’s impact on the regulation of airway tone is less acknowledged and, most importantly, little is known about the issue that NO-GC signaling is accomplished by two isoforms: NO-GC1 and NO-GC2, implying the existence of distinct “cGMP pools.” Herein, we investigated the functional role of the NO-GC isoforms in respiration by measuring lung function parameters of isoform-specific knockout (KO) mice using noninvasive and invasive techniques. Our data revealed the participation and ongoing influence of NO-GC1-derived cGMP in the regulation of airway tone by showing that respiratory resistance was enhanced in NO-GC1-KOs and increased more pronouncedly after the challenge with the bronchoconstrictor methacholine. The tissue resistance and stiffness of NO-GC1-KOs were also higher because of narrowed airways that cause tissue distortion. Contrariwise, NO-GC2-KOs displayed reduced tissue elasticity, elastic recoil, and airway reactivity to methacholine, which did not even increase in an ovalbumin model of asthma that induced hyperresponsiveness in NO-GC1-KOs. In addition, conscious NO-GC2-KOs showed a higher breathing rate with a shorter duration of inspiration and expiration time, which remained faster even in the presence of bronchoconstrictors that slow down breathing. Thus, we provide evidence of two distinct NO/cGMP pathways in airways, accomplished by either NO-GC1 or NO-GC2, adjusting differentially the airway reactivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Malte Verheyen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Michelle Puschkarow
- Department of Experimental Pneumology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, NRW, Germany
| | - Stefanie Gnipp
- Department of Experimental Pneumology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, NRW, Germany
| | - Doris Koesling
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Marcus Peters
- Department of Molecular Immunology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, NRW, Germany
| | - Evanthia Mergia
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Nogales C, Mamdouh ZM, List M, Kiel C, Casas AI, Schmidt HHHW. Network pharmacology: curing causal mechanisms instead of treating symptoms. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2021:S0165-6147(21)00221-2. [PMID: 34895945 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 74.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
For complex diseases, most drugs are highly ineffective, and the success rate of drug discovery is in constant decline. While low quality, reproducibility issues, and translational irrelevance of most basic and preclinical research have contributed to this, the current organ-centricity of medicine and the 'one disease-one target-one drug' dogma obstruct innovation in the most profound manner. Systems and network medicine and their therapeutic arm, network pharmacology, revolutionize how we define, diagnose, treat, and, ideally, cure diseases. Descriptive disease phenotypes are replaced by endotypes defined by causal, multitarget signaling modules that also explain respective comorbidities. Precise and effective therapeutic intervention is achieved by synergistic multicompound network pharmacology and drug repurposing, obviating the need for drug discovery and speeding up clinical translation.
Collapse
|
8
|
Sandner P, Follmann M, Becker-Pelster E, Hahn MG, Meier C, Freitas C, Roessig L, Stasch JP. Soluble GC stimulators and activators: Past, present and future. Br J Pharmacol 2021. [PMID: 34600441 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of soluble GC (sGC) stimulators and sGC activators provided valuable tools to elucidate NO-sGC signalling and opened novel pharmacological opportunities for cardiovascular indications and beyond. The first-in-class sGC stimulator riociguat was approved for pulmonary hypertension in 2013 and vericiguat very recently for heart failure. sGC stimulators enhance sGC activity independent of NO and also act synergistically with endogenous NO. The sGC activators specifically bind to, and activate, the oxidised haem-free form of sGC. Substantial research efforts improved on the first-generation sGC activators such as cinaciguat, culminating in the discovery of runcaciguat, currently in clinical Phase II trials for chronic kidney disease and diabetic retinopathy. Here, we highlight the discovery and development of sGC stimulators and sGC activators, their unique modes of action, their preclinical characteristics and the clinical studies. In the future, we expect to see more sGC agonists in new indications, reflecting their unique therapeutic potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Sandner
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Markus Follmann
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
| | | | - Michael G Hahn
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Christian Meier
- Pharmaceuticals Medical Affairs and Pharmacovigilance, Bayer AG, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cecilia Freitas
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Lothar Roessig
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Johannes-Peter Stasch
- Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Bayarri MA, Milara J, Estornut C, Cortijo J. Nitric Oxide System and Bronchial Epithelium: More Than a Barrier. Front Physiol 2021; 12:687381. [PMID: 34276407 PMCID: PMC8279772 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.687381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Airway epithelium forms a physical barrier that protects the lung from the entrance of inhaled allergens, irritants, or microorganisms. This epithelial structure is maintained by tight junctions, adherens junctions and desmosomes that prevent the diffusion of soluble mediators or proteins between apical and basolateral cell surfaces. This apical junctional complex also participates in several signaling pathways involved in gene expression, cell proliferation and cell differentiation. In addition, the airway epithelium can produce chemokines and cytokines that trigger the activation of the immune response. Disruption of this complex by some inflammatory, profibrotic, and carcinogens agents can provoke epithelial barrier dysfunction that not only contributes to an increase of viral and bacterial infection, but also alters the normal function of epithelial cells provoking several lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis (CF) or lung cancer, among others. While nitric oxide (NO) molecular pathway has been linked with endothelial function, less is known about the role of the NO system on the bronchial epithelium and airway epithelial cells function in physiological and different pathologic scenarios. Several data indicate that the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is altered in lung diseases such as asthma, COPD, lung fibrosis, and cancer among others, and that reactive oxygen species mediate uncoupling NO to promote the increase of peroxynitrite levels, thus inducing bronchial epithelial barrier dysfunction. Furthermore, iNOS and the intracellular pathway sGC-cGMP-PKG are dysregulated in bronchial epithelial cells from patients with lung inflammation, fibrosis, and malignancies which represents an attractive drug molecular target. In this review we describe in detail current knowledge of the effect of NOS-NO-GC-cGMP-PKG pathway activation and disruption in bronchial epithelial cells barrier integrity and its contribution in different lung diseases, focusing on bronchial epithelial cell permeability, inflammation, transformation, migration, apoptosis/necrosis, and proliferation, as well as the specific NO molecular pathways involved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María Amparo Bayarri
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Javier Milara
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Biomedical Research Networking Centre on Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Pharmacy Unit, University General Hospital Consortium of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Cristina Estornut
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Julio Cortijo
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Biomedical Research Networking Centre on Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES), Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Research and Teaching Unit, University General Hospital Consortium of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Halayko
- University of Manitoba, 8664, SECTION OF RESPIRATORY DISEASES, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,University of Manitoba, 8664, Biology of Breathing Group, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Christopher D Pascoe
- University of Manitoba, 8664, Physiology and Pathophysiology, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,University of Manitoba Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, 423136, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Jessica D Gereige
- Boston University School of Medicine, 12259, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Sleep, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Michael C Peters
- University of California San Francisco, 8785, Pulmonary and Critical Care, San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Robyn T Cohen
- Boston University School of Medicine, 12259, Pediatrics, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Prescott G Woodruff
- UCSF, 8785, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine and CVRI, San Francisco, California, United States;
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Gebski EB, Anaspure O, Panettieri RA, Koziol-White CJ. Airway smooth muscle and airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma - mechanisms of airway smooth muscle dysfunction. Minerva Med 2021; 113:4-16. [PMID: 33496164 DOI: 10.23736/s0026-4806.21.07283-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric B Gebski
- Drexel College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Omkar Anaspure
- Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Reynold A Panettieri
- Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Cynthia J Koziol-White
- Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA -
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Friebe A, Englert N. NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase in the lung. Br J Pharmacol 2020; 179:2328-2343. [PMID: 33332689 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In the late 1960s, several labatories identified guanylyl cyclase (GC) as the cGMP-producing enzyme. Subsequently, two different types of GC were described that differed in their cellular localization. Primarily found in the cytosol, nitric oxide (NO)-sensitive guanylyl cyclase (NO-GC) acts as receptor for the signalling molecule NO, in contrast the membrane-bound isoenzyme is activated by natriuretic peptides. The lung compared with other tissues exhibits the highest expression of NO-GC. The enzyme has been purified from lung for biochemical analysis. Although expressed in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and in pericytes, the function of NO-GC in lung, especially in pericytes, is still not fully elucidated. However, pharmacological compounds that target NO-GC are available and have been implemented for the therapy of pulmonary arterial hypertension. In addition, NO-GC has been suggested as drug target for the therapy of asthma, acute respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary fibrosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Friebe
- Physiological Institute, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nils Englert
- Physiological Institute, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ghosh A, Koziol-White CJ, Jester WF, Erzurum SC, Asosingh K, Panettieri RA, Stuehr DJ. An inherent dysfunction in soluble guanylyl cyclase is present in the airway of severe asthmatics and is associated with aberrant redox enzyme expression and compromised NO-cGMP signaling. Redox Biol 2020; 39:101832. [PMID: 33360351 PMCID: PMC7772568 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A subset of asthmatics develop a severe form of the disease whose etiology involves airway inflammation along with inherent drivers that remain ill-defined. To address this, we studied human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMC), whose relaxation drives airway bronchodilation and whose dysfunction contributes to airway obstruction and hypersensitivity in severe asthma. Because HASMC relaxation can be driven by the NO-soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC)-cGMP signaling pathway, we questioned if HASMC from severe asthma donors might possess inherent defects in their sGC or in redox enzymes that support sGC function. We analyzed HASMC primary lines derived from 17 severe asthma and 16 normal donors and corresponding lung tissue samples regarding sGC activation by NO or by pharmacologic agonists, and also determined expression levels of sGC α1 and β1 subunits, supporting redox enzymes, and related proteins. We found a majority of the severe asthma donor HASMC (12/17) and lung samples primarily expressed a dysfunctional sGC that was NO-unresponsive and had low heterodimer content and high Hsp90 association. This sGC phenotype correlated with lower expression levels of the supporting redox enzymes cytochrome b5 reductase, catalase, and thioredoxin-1, and higher expression of heme oxygenases 1 and 2. Together, our work reveals that severe asthmatics are predisposed toward defective NO-sGC-cGMP signaling in their airway smooth muscle due to an inherent sGC dysfunction, which in turn is associated with inherent changes in the cell redox enzymes that impact sGC maturation and function. The etiology of severe asthma involves airway inflammation and inherent drivers that remain ill-defined. Airway smooth muscle cells of severe asthmatics display a NO-unresponsive and dysfunctional sGC which persists in culture. Their inherent sGC dysfunction is associated with low CYB5R3 expression and altered expression of other redox enzymes. That airway sGC dysfunction and redox enzyme changes cluster within severe asthma is unexpected and may help guide therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Ghosh
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
| | - Cynthia J Koziol-White
- Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - William F Jester
- Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Serpil C Erzurum
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Kewal Asosingh
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Reynold A Panettieri
- Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Dennis J Stuehr
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Affiliation(s)
- Maggie Lam
- Biomedicine Discovery InstituteMonash UniversityClayton, Australia
| | - Jane E Bourke
- Biomedicine Discovery InstituteMonash UniversityClayton, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Li G, Cohen JA, Martines C, Ram-Mohan S, Brain JD, Krishnan R, Ai X, Bai Y. Preserving Airway Smooth Muscle Contraction in Precision-Cut Lung Slices. Sci Rep 2020; 10:6480. [PMID: 32296115 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63225-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) are ideal for measuring small airway contraction. However, these measurements are currently limited to acute exposure scenarios that typically last a few minutes to a few hours. Using an insulin-supplemented culture medium, we prolong the small airway contractility in mouse PCLS for up to two weeks. Compared to conventional culture medium, insulin-supplemented culture medium provides no additional benefit in preserving cellular viability or airway structure. However, it protects the airway smooth muscle (ASM) against a loss of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC) expression. We elucidate the significance of this new culture medium for chronic disease modeling of IL-13-induced airway hyper-responsiveness.
Collapse
|