Potentiation of cGMP signaling increases oxygen delivery and oxidative metabolism in contracting skeletal muscle of older but not young humans

Aging is associated with progressive loss of cardiovascular and skeletal muscle function. The impairment in physical capacity with advancing age could be related to an insufficient peripheral O(2) delivery to the exercising muscles. Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying an impaired blood flow regulation remain unresolved. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) is one of the main second messengers that mediate smooth muscle vasodilation and alterations in cGMP signaling could, therefore, be one mechanism by which skeletal muscle perfusion is impaired with advancing age. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of inhibiting the main enzyme involved in cGMP degradation, phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5), on blood flow and O(2) delivery in contracting skeletal muscle of young and older humans. A group of young (23 ± 1 years) and a group of older (72 ± 2 years) male human subjects performed submaximal knee-extensor exercise in a control setting and following intake of the highly selective PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil. Sildenafil increased leg O(2) delivery (6–9%) and leg O(2) uptake (10–12%) at all three exercise intensities in older but not young subjects. The increase in leg O(2) delivery with sildenafil in the older subjects correlated with the increase in leg O(2) uptake (r(2) = 0.843). These findings suggest an insufficient O(2) delivery to the contracting skeletal muscle of aged individuals and that reduced cGMP availability is a novel mechanism underlying impaired skeletal muscle perfusion with advancing age

Identification of cytosolic phosphodiesterases in the erythrocyte: A possible role for PDE5

Background Within erythrocytes (RBCs), cAMP levels are regulated by phosphodiesterases (PDEs). Increases in cAMP and ATP release associated with activation of β-adrenergic receptors (βARs) and prostacyclin receptors (IPRs) are regulated by PDEs 2, 4 and PDE 3, respectively. Here we establish the presence of cytosolic PDEs in RBCs and determine a role for PDE5 in regulating levels of cGMP. Material/Methods Purified cytosolic proteins were obtained from isolated human RBCs and western analysis was performed using antibodies against PDEs 3A, 4 and 5. Rabbit RBCs were incubated with dbcGMP, a cGMP analog, to determine the effect of cGMP on cAMP levels. To determine if cGMP affects receptor-mediated increases in cAMP, rabbit RBCs were incubated with dbcGMP prior to addition of isoproterenol (ISO), a βAR receptor agonist. To demonstrate that endogenous cGMP produces the same effect, rabbit and human RBCs were incubated with SpNONOate (SpNO), a nitric oxide donor, and YC1, a direct activator of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), in the absence and presence of a selective PDE5 inhibitor, zaprinast (ZAP). Results Western analysis identified PDEs 3A, 4D and 5A. dbcGMP produced a concentration dependent increase in cAMP and ISO-induced increases in cAMP were potentiated by dbcGMP. In addition, incubation with YC1 and SpNO in the presence of ZAP potentiated βAR-induced increases in cAMP. Conclusions PDEs 2, 3A and 5 are present in the cytosol of human RBCs. PDE5 activity in RBCs regulates cGMP levels. Increases in intracellular cGMP augment cAMP levels. These studies suggest a novel role for PDE5 in erythrocytes

Influence of Lag Effect, Soil Release, And Climate Change on Watershed Anthropogenic Nitrogen Inputs and Riverine Export Dynamics

This study demonstrates the importance of the nitrogen-leaching lag effect, soil nitrogen release, and climate change on anthropogenic N inputs (NANI) and riverine total nitrogen (TN) export dynamics using a 30-yr record for the Yongan River watershed in eastern China. Cross-correlation analysis indicated a 7-yr, 5-yr, and 4-yr lag time in riverine TN export in response to changes in NANI, temperature, and drained agricultural land area, respectively. Enhanced by warmer temperature and improved agricultural drainage, the upper 20 cm of agricultural soils released 270 kg N ha(-1) between 1980 and 2009. Climate change also increased the fractional export of NANI to river. An empirical model (R(2) = 0.96) for annual riverine TN flux incorporating these influencing factors estimated 35%, 41%, and 24% of riverine TN flux originated from the soil N pool, NANI, and background N sources, respectively. The model forecasted an increase of 45%, 25%, and 6% and a decrease of 13% in riverine TN flux from 2010 to 2030 under continued development, climate change, status-quo, and tackling scenarios, respectively. The lag effect, soil N release, and climate change delay riverine TN export reductions with respect to decreases in NANI and should be considered in developing and evaluating N management measures

Liposomal-Delivery of Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors Augments UT-15C-Stimulated ATP Release from Human Erythrocytes

The use of liposomes to affect targeted delivery of pharmaceutical agents to specific sites may result in the reduction of side effects and an increase in drug efficacy. Since liposomes are delivered intravascularly, erythrocytes, which constitute almost half of the volume of blood, are ideal targets for liposomal drug delivery. In vivo, erythrocytes serve not only in the role of oxygen transport but also as participants in the regulation of vascular diameter through the regulated release of the potent vasodilator, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Unfortunately, erythrocytes of humans with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) do not release ATP in response to the physiological stimulus of exposure to increases in mechanical deformation as would occur when these cells traverse the pulmonary circulation. This defect in erythrocyte physiology has been suggested to contribute to pulmonary hypertension in these individuals. In contrast to deformation, both healthy human and PAH erythrocytes do release ATP in response to incubation with prostacyclin analogs via a well-characterized signaling pathway. Importantly, inhibitors of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) have been shown to significantly increase prostacyclin analog-induced ATP release from human erythrocytes. Here we investigate the hypothesis that targeted delivery of PDE5 inhibitors to human erythrocytes, using a liposomal delivery system, potentiates prostacyclin analog- induced ATP release. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that directed delivery of this class of drugs to erythrocytes could be a new and important method to augment prostacyclin analog-induced ATP release from these cells. Such an approach could significantly limit side effects of both classes of drugs without compromising their therapeutic effectiveness in diseases such as PAH

Phosphodiesterase 3 is present in rabbit and human erythrocytes and its inhibition potentiates iloprost-induced increases in cAMP

Increases in the second messenger cAMP are associated with receptor-mediated ATP release from erythrocytes. In other signaling pathways, cAMP-specific phosphodiesterases (PDEs) hydrolyze this second messenger and thereby limit its biological actions. Although rabbit and human erythrocytes possess adenylyl cyclase and synthesize cAMP, their PDE activity is poorly characterized. It was reported previously that the prostacyclin analog iloprost stimulated receptor-mediated increases in cAMP in rabbit and human erythrocytes. However, the PDEs that hydrolyze erythrocyte cAMP synthesized in response to iloprost were not identified. PDE3 inhibitors were reported to augment increases in cAMP stimulated by prostacyclin analogs in platelets and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Additionally, PDE3 activity was identified in embryonic avian erythrocytes, but the presence of this PDE in mammalian erythrocytes has not been investigated. Here, using Western blot analysis, we determined that PDE3B is a component of rabbit and human erythrocyte membranes. In addition, we report that the preincubation of rabbit and human erythrocytes with the PDE3 inhibitors milrinone and cilostazol potentiates iloprost-induced increases in cAMP. In addition, cilostamide, the parent compound of cilostazol, potentiated iloprost-induced increases in cAMP in human erythrocytes. These findings demonstrate that PDE3B is present in rabbit and human erythrocytes and are consistent with the hypothesis that PDE3 activity regulates cAMP levels associated with a signaling pathway activated by iloprost in these cells

Towards a multiscale description of microvascular flow regulation: O2-dependent release of ATP from human erythrocytes and the distribution of ATP in capillary networks

Integration of the numerous mechanisms that have been suggested to contribute to optimization of O2 supply to meet O2 need in skeletal muscle requires a systems biology approach which permits quantification of these physiological processes over a wide range of length scales. Here we describe two individual computational models based on in vivo and in vitro studies which, when incorporated into a single robust multiscale model, will provide information on the role of erythrocyte-released ATP in perfusion distribution in skeletal muscle under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Healthy human erythrocytes exposed to low O2 tension release ATP via a well characterized signaling pathway requiring activation of the G-protein, Gi, and adenylyl cyclase leading to increases in cAMP. This cAMP then activates PKA and subsequently CFTR culminating in ATP release via pannexin 1. A critical control point in this pathway is the level of cAMP which is regulated by pathway-specific phosphodiesterases. Using time constants (~100ms) that are consistent with measured erythrocyte ATP release, we have constructed a dynamic model of this pathway. The model predicts levels of ATP release consistent with measurements obtained over a wide range of hemoglobin O2 saturations (sO2). The model further predicts how insulin, at concentrations found in prediabetes, enhances the activity of PDE3 and reduces intracellular cAMP levels leading to decreased low O2-induced ATP release from erythrocytes. The second model, which couples O2 and ATP transport in capillary networks, shows how intravascular ATP and the resulting conducted vasodilation are affected by local sO2, convection and ATP degradation. This model also predicts network-level effects of decreased ATP release resulting from elevated insulin levels. Taken together, these models lay the groundwork for investigating the systems biology of the regulation of microvascular perfusion distribution by erythrocyte-derived ATP