Relationship between intracellular calcium and airway reactivity in guinea pigs

The present study was carried out to examine the relationship between intracellular free calcium ion concentrations and its regulatory enzymes, sodium potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na+,K+-ATPase) and calcium adenosine triphosphatase (Ca2+-ATPase), with airway reactivity to inhaled histamine in guinea pigs. Forty-nine guinea pigs were included in this study. Of these, 34 animals responded to histamine bronchoprovocation challenge in vivo with a greater than 35% fall in specific airways conductance and were labeled as "reactive," and the remaining 15 were "nonreactive." The dose of histamine producing a 35% fall in specific airways conductance was labeled as ED35 SGaw. The animals were then sacrificed, and the following biochemical measurements were carried out: intracellular free calcium ion concentrations [Ca2+]i in leukocytes and isolated tracheal smooth muscle cells, activities of Na+,K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase in tracheal homogenate, and plasma levels of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). Reactive guinea pigs showed significantly higher [Ca2+]i and Na+,K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase activities. Airway reactivity (ED35 SGaw) had significant negative correlation with [Ca2+]i, with activities of each of the ATPases and with plasma lysophosphatidylcholine. It is concluded that the level of [Ca2+]i is an important determinant of airway reactivity. Intracellular calcium levels modulate airway response to histamine with higher levels being associated with greater reactivity

Calreticulin transacetylase catalyzed activation of rat tracheal smooth muscle cell nitric oxide synthase by acetoxycoumarins

The Transacetylase function of Calreticulin (CR) catalyzing the transfer of acetyl groups from acetoxycoumarins (AC) to certain proteins was identified for the first time in our laboratory. Protein acetyltransferase action of CR was termed Calreticulin Transacetylase (CRTAase). In the present work, CRTAase of rat tracheal smooth muscle cells (TSMC) was characterized with respect to the specificity for various AC and its role in the activation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). 7,8-Diacetoxy-4-methylcoumarin (DAMC), a model AC, when incubated with TSMC along with L-arginine caused profound activation of NOS as compared to that with L-arginine alone. Further, the inclusion of N-omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) along with DAMC resulted in the reduction of NO levels of TSMC to that of control, there by confirming the activation of TSMC NOS. Also, several AC were found to activate TSMC NOS in tune with their specificities to CRTAase. The results presented in this paper bear evidence for the activation of TSMC NOS by AC and their effectiveness to enhance NO of airway cells may be expected to find useful applications in respiratory diseases

The role of calreticulin transacetylase in the activation of human platelet nitrite reductase by polyphenolic acetates

Our earlier investigations demonstrated the remarkable activation of cytochrome P-450 reductase and nitric oxide synthase by 7,8-diacetoxy-4-methylcoumarin, a model polyphenolic acetate by way of acetylation, catalyzed by the Calreticulin. Protein acetyltransferase action of Calreticulin was hence termed Calreticulin transacetylase (CRTAase). Nitric oxide synthase and nitrite reductase are now considered as parts of nitric oxide cycle. The activation of platelets nitric oxide synthase by 7,8-diacetoxy-4-methylcoumarin has already been demonstrated by us. Also, there are reports that certain proteins such as cytochrome P-450 reductase and cytochrome P-450 are endowed with the nitrite reductase activity in mammalian cells. Keeping these facts in view, we turned our attention to probe whether 7,8-diacetoxy-4-methylcoumarin could alter the levels of nitric oxide independent of the action of nitric oxide synthase in the human platelets model. The incubation of 7,8-diacetoxy-4-methylcoumarin and nitrite with platelets caused significant elevation of nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels possibly due to the activation of nitrite reductase. Several polyphenolic acetates were similarly found to activate the nitrite reductase in tune with their affinities as substrate to CRTAase. N-omega-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, the inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, failed to reverse such an effect of 7,8-diacetoxy-4-methylcoumarin. Clotrimazole which is known to be an inhibitor of nitrite reductase, effectively abolished the 7,8-diacetoxy-4-methylcoumarin mediated enhancement of nitric oxide levels in platelets as well as the nitric oxide mediated effects; such as cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels as well as adenosine diphospate induced platelets aggregation due to nitrite