酸性鞘磷脂酶/神经酰胺通路在疾病发生发展中 作用机制的研究进展

酸性鞘磷脂酶/神经酰胺通路可介导细胞凋亡、炎症和自噬等多种细胞活动,与心脑血管疾病、代谢类疾病、肺部和肝部疾病以及 神经系统疾病等多种疾病的发生、发展密切相关。酸性鞘磷脂酶现已成为多种疾病的临床生物标记物和潜在的治疗靶点。综述酸性鞘磷脂 酶/神经酰胺通路在各种疾病中的生物学功能和作用机制最新研究进展,旨在为相关疾病的治疗提供新思路。     

肾素-血管紧张素系统通过氧化应激机制参与血管反应性的调节

肾素-血管紧张素系统过度激活导致血管氧化应激损伤,进而影响血管功能.xanthine氧化酶、NAD(P)H氧化酶和脱耦联的NO合酶是血管组织中活性氧的主要来源.超氧化物阴离子和活性氧簇中的其他成分通过多种机制失活NO在心血管疾病的发生和发展中具有重要作用.随着对氧化应激损伤参与血管反应性调节机制的认识逐渐加深,有希望通过抑制氧化应激损伤改善血管内皮功能.     

血管紧张素转换酶2-血管紧张素1-7-Mas轴对血管作用的研究进展

血管紧张素转换酶2（ACE2）和Mas受体的发现使人们对肾素-血管紧张素（RAS）有了更全面的认识。ACE2可水解血管紧张素Ⅰ和血管紧张素Ⅱ直接或间接生成血管紧张素1-7（Ang 1-7）,并与高血压的形成密切相关。Ang 1-7主要通过Mas受体引起血管舒张、抑制细胞增殖。ACE2-Ang1-7-Mas轴的发现为RAS的研究、高血压等心血管疾病的防治和新药开发提供了新的思路和方向。     

猪肺血管紧张素转换酶的提纯

本文报道了猪肺血管紧张素转换酶(ACE)的提纯方法及其鉴定,并讨论了方法的改进。肺匀浆经1.6—2.6mol/L硫酸铵沉淀,Sephadex G-200凝胶过滤,DEAE-Sephaeel及羟基磷灰石柱层析步骤,从168克肺中获得4.5毫克酶蛋白纯品。活力回收45.2％,比活力15.6单位/毫克蛋白;和匀浆上清比较,提纯390倍。经聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(pH8.3)鉴定为一条带。按SDS聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)测得其分子量为132,000道尔顿。酶蛋白在-30℃貯存10月,比活力丢失30％。     

血管紧张素转换酶2对心脏作用的研究进展

血管紧张素转换酶2作为肾素—血管紧张素系统的新成员,对心脏功能及心脏节律发挥着重要的调节作用。缺乏ACE2会造成心功能的下降,原因可能是心肌慢性缺氧、血管紧张素Ⅱ水平的提高、血管紧张素(1-7)对心脏保护作用的缺失以及其他肽类底物的增加。但同时ACE2的过度表达又会引起心脏传导紊乱和致死性的心律失常。因此,ACE2精确的生理作用有待进一步明确,但调节ACE2的活性可能为心血管疾病的治疗提出了新的思路。本文主要介绍了ACE2的分布与特性,及其对心功能及心脏节律的影响。     

血管紧张素转换酶2在心血管疾病中的调控作用

血管紧张素转换酶2(angiotensin-converting enzyme 2,ACE2)是肾素-血管紧张素系统(renin-angio-tensin system,RAS)的重要成员,广泛分布于肺、心血管系统、肠道、肾脏、中枢神经系统和脂肪组织中.ACE2具有多种生理功能,在防止高血压、动脉粥样硬化、心力衰竭、肺...     

汉族人群中血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂所致咳嗽与血管紧张素转换酶基因及缓激肽β2受体基因多态性的关系

目的:探讨汉族人群中血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂(ACEI)所致咳嗽与血管紧张素转换酶(ACE)基因及缓激肽β2受体(BDK-RB2)基因多态性的关系。方法:应用聚合酶链反应(PCR)方法,检测汉族人群中151例由于服用ACEI引起的咳嗽患者及151例未发生咳嗽的患者的ACE I/D及BDKRB2 C/T的多态性,并采用紫外法检测ACE活性。结果:发现ACE基因分布在咳嗽组中II型为47.0%,ID型为42.4%,DD型为10.6%;无咳嗽组分别为39.7%、47.0%、13.3%,两组相比其差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01);BDKRB2基因分布在咳嗽组中CC型为21.3%,CT型为50.0%,TT型为28.7%,无咳嗽组分别为22.5%、47.7%、29.8%,两组相比其差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);咳嗽组ACE活性水平为([28.3±10.1)U/L]明显低于无咳嗽组([40.2±9.4)U/L],两组相比其差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01)。结论:汉族人群中ACEI所致咳嗽与ACE基因多态性及血清ACE水平有关,BDKRB2 C/T与咳嗽间未发现有统计学意义的关联。     

血管紧张素转换酶纯化与性质研究

为了深入了解猪肺血管紧张素转换酶 (angiotensin converting enzyme,ACE)的性质和功能 ,对猪肺 ACE的分离纯化以及部分酶学性质进行了研究 .猪肺组织匀浆经 1 .6～ 2 .6mol/L硫酸铵分级沉淀等步骤后 ,利用亲和胶进行亲和层析分离 .2 0 0 g猪肺组织中提纯出 0 .79mg ACE,比活力 38.8U/mg,SDS- PAGE电泳鉴定为一条带 ,分子量约 1 80 k D,等电点 (p I)为 p H4.5,糖含量约 2 3.6% ,氨基酸组成分析发现猪肺 ACE分子中含有 1 346个氨基酸 ,其中酸性氨基酸含量较高 ,碘乙酸的修饰结果表明猪肺 ACE中巯基基团未参与酶的催化反应 .酶反应动力学结果显示 ,ACE催化 Fa PGG底物反应时的最适 p H大约为 p H 7.6,反应活化能 Ea=4.37× 1 0 4 J/mol,酶活性部位附近的组氨酸和具有类似 α-氨基性质的氨基酸可能参与了 ACE催化反应 .有关猪肺 ACE的基本生化性质、氨基酸组成以及酶学性质的结果 ,为今后深入研究奠定了基础 .     

血管紧张素转换酶的克隆及序列分析

根据GenBank上公布的小鼠血管紧张素转换酶(ACE)基因序列,经多重比较设计1对特异性引物,从小鼠Balb/c肺部组织中提取总RNA,进行RT-PCR。产物经纯化回收,克隆到pMD-18T载体,转化大肠杆菌DH5α感受态细胞,检测阳性克隆、测序并进行序列分析。测序结果显示,该片段全长4 023 bp,开放阅读框(ORF)包含3 985 bp,编码1 328个氨基酸,相对分子质量为152.77 kD,等电点6.35。此序列与GenBank已登录的小鼠ACE同源性达99%,差异的5个碱基位于基因的非关键部位,说明小鼠ACE成功克隆。经同源性比较分析,达50%以上相同性的物种有17个,且符合种属之间的进化关系。因此,该序列可于研究物种亲缘关系或遗传距离的理想标记,为下一步研究其在酵母中的表达、生物活性和应用奠定了一定的基础。     

汉族人群中血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂所致咳嗽与血管紧张素转换酶基因及缓激肽β2受体基因多态性的关系冰

目的：探讨汉族人群中血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂（ACEI）所致咳嗽与血管紧张素转换酶（ACE）基因及缓激肽β2受体（BDK-RB2）基因多态性的关系。方法：应用聚合酶链反应（PCR）方法。检测汉族人群中151例由于服用ACEI引起的咳嗽患者及151例未发生咳嗽的患者的ACEI／D及BDKRB2C／T的多态性,并采用紫外法检测ACE活性。结果：发现ACE基因分布在咳嗽组中II型为47．0％,ID型为42．4％,DD型为10．6％;无咳嗽组分别为39．7％、47．0％、13.3％,两组相比其差异具有统计学意义（P〈0．01）;BDKRB2基因分布在咳嗽组中CC型为21．3％,CT型为50．0％,TT型为28．7％,无咳嗽组分别为22．5％、47．7％、29．8％。两组相比其差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）;咳嗽组ACE活性水平为[（28．3±10．1）U／L]明显低于无咳嗽组[（40．2±9．4）U／L],两组相比其差异具有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。结论：汉族人群中ACEI所致咳嗽与ACE基因多态性及血清ACE水平有关,BDKRB2C／T与咳嗽间未发现有统计学意义的关联。     

Angiotensin II antagonists versus drinking induced by bombesin or eledoisin in pigeons

The angiotensin II analogues Sar¹,Ile⁸-,Sar¹,Leu⁸- and, to a lesser extent, Sar¹,Ala⁸- and Sar¹-Gly⁸-angiotensin II proved to inhibit angiotensin-induced drinking in the pigeon, but did not significantly affect drinking induced by eledoisin or bombesin. The results suggest that the dipsogenic response elicited by bombesin or eledoisin, although almost identical to that evoked by angiotensin II, is mediated by the activation of central receptors different from those of angiotensin-induced drinking. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that several peptidergic mechanisms are involved in the regulation of water intake.     

Angiotensin II inhibits hepatic cAMP accumulation induced by glucagon and epinephrine and their metabolic effects

Incubation of isolated hepatocytes containing normal Ca2+ levels with angiotensin II, vasopressin or A23187 caused significant inhibition of the cAMP response to glucagon. Angiotensin II also inhibited cAMP accumulation induced by either glucagon or epinephrine in Ca2+-depleted hepatocytes. When submaximal doses of hormone were employed such that cell cAMP was elevated only 3-4-fold (approximately 2 pmol cAMP/mg wet wt cells) inhibition by angiotensin II was correlated with a decrease in phosphorylase activation. The data demonstrate that inhibition of hepatic cAMP accumulation results in reduced metabolic responses to glucagon and epinephrine and do not support the contention that the hepatic actions of glucagon are independent of cAMP.     

Defining a Role for Acid Sphingomyelinase in the p38/Interleukin-6 Pathway

Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) is one of the key enzymes involved in regulating the metabolism of the bioactive sphingolipid ceramide in the sphingolipid salvage pathway, yet defining signaling pathways by which ASM exerts its effects has proven difficult. Previous literature has implicated sphingolipids in the regulation of cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), but the specific sphingolipid pathways and mechanisms involved in inflammatory signaling need to be further elucidated. In this work, we sought to define the role of ASM in IL-6 production because our previous work showed that a parallel pathway of ceramide metabolism, acid β-glucosidase 1, negatively regulates IL-6. First, silencing ASM with siRNA abrogated IL-6 production in response to the tumor promoter, 4β-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), in MCF-7 cells, in distinction to acid β-glucosidase 1 and acid ceramidase, suggesting specialization of the pathways. Moreover, treating cells with siRNA to ASM or with the indirect pharmacologic inhibitor desipramine resulted in significant inhibition of TNFα- and PMA-induced IL-6 production in MDA-MB-231 and HeLa cells. Knockdown of ASM was found to significantly inhibit PMA-dependent IL-6 induction at the mRNA level, probably ruling out mechanisms of translation or secretion of IL-6. Further, ASM knockdown or desipramine blunted p38 MAPK activation in response to TNFα, revealing a key role for ASM in activating p38, a signaling pathway known to regulate IL-6 induction. Last, knockdown of ASM dramatically blunted invasion of HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cells through Matrigel. Taken together, these results demonstrate that ASM plays a critical role in p38 signaling and IL-6 synthesis with implications for tumor pathobiology.     

Inflammatory Monocytes Determine Endothelial Nitric-oxide Synthase Uncoupling and Nitro-oxidative Stress Induced by Angiotensin II

Endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) uncoupling and increased inducible NOS (iNOS) activity amplify vascular oxidative stress. The role of inflammatory myelomonocytic cells as mediators of these processes and their impact on tetrahydrobiopterin availability and function have not yet been defined. Angiotensin II (ATII, 1 mg/kg/day for 7 days) increased Ly6C^high and CD11b⁺/iNOS^high leukocytes and up-regulated levels of eNOS glutathionylation in aortas of C57BL/6 mice. Vascular iNOS-dependent NO formation was increased, whereas eNOS-dependent NO formation was decreased in aortas of ATII-infused mice as assessed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Diphtheria toxin-mediated ablation of lysozyme M-positive (LysM⁺) monocytes in ATII-infused LysM^iDTR transgenic mice prevented eNOS glutathionylation and eNOS-derived N^ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-sensitive superoxide formation in the endothelial layer. ATII increased vascular guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase I expression and biopterin synthesis in parallel, which was reduced in monocyte-depleted LysM^iDTR mice. Vascular tetrahydrobiopterin was increased by ATII infusion but was even higher in monocyte-depleted ATII-infused mice, which was paralleled by a strong up-regulation of dihydrofolate reductase expression. EPR spectroscopy revealed that both vascular iNOS- and eNOS-dependent NO formation were normalized in ATII-infused mice following monocyte depletion. Additionally, deletion as well as pharmacologic inhibition of iNOS prevented ATII-induced endothelial dysfunction. In summary, ATII induces an inflammatory cell-dependent increase of iNOS, guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase I, tetrahydrobiopterin, NO formation, and nitro-oxidative stress as well as eNOS uncoupling in the vessel wall, which can be prevented by ablation of LysM⁺ monocytes.     

Angiotensin II induces MMP 2 activity via FAK/JNK pathway in human endothelial cells

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and are modified in response to a variety of stimuli such as bioactive peptides, cytokines and/or grown factors. In this study, we demonstrated that angiotensin II (Ang II) induces a time- and dose-dependent increase in the activity of metalloproteinase 2 (MMP 2) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The effect of Ang II was markedly attenuated in cells pretreated with wortmannin and LY294002, two selective inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), indicating that PI3K plays a key role in regulating MMP 2 activity. Similar results were observed when HUVEC were pretreated with genistein, a non-selective tyrosine kinases inhibitor, or with the specific Src-family tyrosine kinase inhibitor PP2, demonstrating the involvement of protein tyrosine kinases, and particularly Src-family tyrosine kinases on the downstream signaling pathway of Ang II receptors. Furthermore, Ang II-induced MMP 2 activation was markedly blocked by SP600125, a selective c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor, or pre-treatment of cells with antisense oligonucleotide to focal adhesion kinase (FAK), indicating that both molecules were important for the activation of MMP 2 by Ang II receptor stimulation. In conclusion, these results suggest that Ang II mediates an increase in MMP 2 activity in macrovascular endothelial cells through signal transduction pathways dependent on PI3K and Src-family tyrosine kinases activation, as well as JNK and FAK phosphorylation.     

Angiotensin II mediates cell survival through upregulation and activation of the serum and glucocorticoid inducible kinase 1

The serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SGK1) is known to regulate a wide variety of cellular processes, including renal sodium retention and cell survival. Angiotensin II (Ang II) is one of the many signaling molecules capable of regulating SGK1 expression, and is also known to impact cell survival. Here, we examined the role of SGK1 in Ang II-mediated cell survival. We hypothesized that Ang II protects cells from apoptosis by upregulating and activating SGK1. To test this, we examined the effects of Ang II stimulation on SGK1 expression and downstream signaling. We also examined the effects of Ang II treatment and siRNA-mediated SGK1 knockdown on apoptosis after serum starvation. We found that after 2 h of Ang II treatment, SGK1 mRNA expression was increased approximately 2-fold. This induction was sensitive to reductions in intracellular calcium levels after pretreatment with BAPTA-AM, but insensitive to the L-type calcium channel blocker verapamil. SGK1 induction was also sensitive to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein. Ang II treatment also caused a rapid increase in the level of phosphorylation of SGK1 at Ser422 and Thr256, and Ser422 phosphorylation was rapamycin-sensitive. We found that Ang II treatment was protective against serum starvation-induced apoptosis, and this protective effect was significantly blunted when SGK1 was silenced via siRNA. Lastly, Ang II induced FOXO3A phosphorylation in an SGK1-dependent manner, thereby reducing the pro-apoptotic actions of FOXO3A. Overall, these results indicate that Ang II upregulates and activates SGK1, leading to increased cell survival via multiple, non-redundant mechanisms.     

Angiotensin II stimulates renal proximal tubule Na-ATPase activity through the activation of protein kinase C

Recently, our group described an AT₁-mediated direct stimulatory effect of angiotensin II (Ang II) on the Na⁺-ATPase activity of proximal tubules basolateral membranes (BLM) [Am. J. Physiol. 248 (1985) F621]. Data in the present report suggest the participation of a protein kinase C (PKC) in the molecular mechanism of Ang II-mediated stimulation of the Na⁺-ATPase activity due to the following observations: (i) the stimulation of protein phosphorylation in BLM, induced by Ang II, is mimicked by the PKC activator TPA, and is completely reversed by the specific PKC inhibitor, calphostin C; (ii) the Na⁺-ATPase activity is stimulated by Ang II and TPA in the same magnitude, being these effects abolished by the use of the PKC inhibitors, calphostin C and sphingosine; (iii) the Na⁺-ATPase activity is activated by catalytic subunit of PKC (PKC-M), in a similar and nonadditive manner to Ang II; and (iv) Ang II stimulates the phosphorylation of MARCKS, a specific substrate for PKC.     

Propionate alleviates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury aggravated by Angiotensin II dependent on caveolin-1/ACE2 axis through GPR41

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is still a lack of effective therapeutic drugs, and its molecular mechanism is urgently needed. Studies have shown that the intestinal flora plays an important regulatory role in cardiovascular injury, but the specific mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we found that an increase in Ang II in plasma was accompanied by an increase in the levels of myocardial injury during myocardial reperfusion in patients with cardiopulmonary bypass. Furthermore, Ang II treatment enhanced mice myocardial I/R injury, which was reversed by caveolin-1 (CAV-1)-shRNA or strengthened by angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-shRNA. The results showed that CAV-1 and ACE2 have protein interactions and inhibit each other''s expression. In addition, propionate, a bacterial metabolite, inhibited the elevation of Ang II and myocardial injury, while GPR41-shRNA abolished the protective effects of propionate on myocardial I/R injury. Clinically, the propionate content in the patient''s preoperative stool was related to Ang II levels and myocardial I/R injury levels during myocardial reperfusion. Taken together, propionate alleviates myocardial I/R injury aggravated by Ang II dependent on CAV-1/ACE2 axis through GPR41, which provides a new direction that diet to regulate the intestinal flora for treatment of myocardial I/R injury.     

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade attenuates renal fibrogenesis in an immune-mediated nephritic kidney through counter-activation of angiotensin II type 2 receptor

The relative roles of angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1 receptor (AT(1)R) and Ang II type 2 receptor (AT(2)R) in immune-mediated nephritis are unknown, and the effect of the blockade of AT(1)R and its indirect counter-activation of AT(2)R relative to the anti-fibrotic action in this disease is unclear. To address this question, we studied the role of AT(1)R and AT(2)R in anti-glomerular basement membrane nephritis in SJL mice. Groups of mice were treated with either an AT(1)R antagonist (CGP-48933; CGP group), an AT(2)R antagonist (PD-123319; PD group), both (CGP/PD group), or a vehicle (PCt group) from Day 29 to 56. At Day 56 post-treatment, fibrosis-related parameters such as interstitial matrix deposition, and the expression of genes of TGF-beta1, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and type I collagen were significantly reduced in the kidney in the CGP group. There were no significant effects on these parameters in the PD group. However, this anti-fibrotic action by CGP-48933 was totally abolished by co-treatment with PD-123319 in the CGP/PD group. The gene expression of renin was significantly increased in the kidneys in the CGP and CGP/PD groups, suggesting that CGP-48933 had increased Ang II generation in those groups. In conclusion, counter-activation of AT(2)R by increased Ang II under AT(1)R blockade likely conferred an anti-fibrotic protection in this model.