TY - JOUR
T1 - Induction of vasorelaxation through activation of nitric oxide synthase in endothelial cells by brazilin
AU - Hu, Chien Ming
AU - Kang, Jaw Jou
AU - Lee, Chen Chen
AU - Li, Ching Hao
AU - Liao, Jiunn Wang
AU - Cheng, Yu Wen
PY - 2003/5/2
Y1 - 2003/5/2
N2 - The vasorelaxant activity of Caesalpinia sappan L., a traditional Chinese medicine, and its major component brazilin were investigated in isolated rat aorta and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In isolated rat aorta, C. sappan L. extract and brazilin relaxed phenylephrine-induced vasocontraction and increased cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) content. Induction of vasorelaxation of brazilin was endothelium-dependent and could be markedly blocked by pretreatment with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME); NG-monomethyl-L-arginine acetate (L-NMMA) and guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, methylene blue; 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) and nitric oxide (NO) scavenger, hemoglobin. The increasing cGMP content induced by brazilin was also blocked by pretreatment with L-NAME, methylene blue, and the removal of extracellular Ca2+. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells, brazilin dose-dependently induced an increase in NO formation and NOS activity, which were greatly attenuated by either the removal of extracellular Ca2+ or the chelating of intracellular Ca2+ chelator, 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA-AM). Moreover, brazilin dose-dependently induced the influx of extracellular Ca2+ in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Collectively, these results suggest that brazilin induces vasorelaxation by the increasing intracellular Ca2+ concentration in endothelial cells of blood vessels and hence activating Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent NO synthesis. The NO is released and then transferred into smooth muscle cells to activate guanylyl cyclase and increase cGMP content, resulting in vasorelaxation.
AB - The vasorelaxant activity of Caesalpinia sappan L., a traditional Chinese medicine, and its major component brazilin were investigated in isolated rat aorta and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In isolated rat aorta, C. sappan L. extract and brazilin relaxed phenylephrine-induced vasocontraction and increased cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) content. Induction of vasorelaxation of brazilin was endothelium-dependent and could be markedly blocked by pretreatment with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME); NG-monomethyl-L-arginine acetate (L-NMMA) and guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, methylene blue; 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) and nitric oxide (NO) scavenger, hemoglobin. The increasing cGMP content induced by brazilin was also blocked by pretreatment with L-NAME, methylene blue, and the removal of extracellular Ca2+. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells, brazilin dose-dependently induced an increase in NO formation and NOS activity, which were greatly attenuated by either the removal of extracellular Ca2+ or the chelating of intracellular Ca2+ chelator, 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA-AM). Moreover, brazilin dose-dependently induced the influx of extracellular Ca2+ in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Collectively, these results suggest that brazilin induces vasorelaxation by the increasing intracellular Ca2+ concentration in endothelial cells of blood vessels and hence activating Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent NO synthesis. The NO is released and then transferred into smooth muscle cells to activate guanylyl cyclase and increase cGMP content, resulting in vasorelaxation.
KW - Aorta
KW - Brazilin
KW - Ca influx
KW - Caesalpinia sappan L.
KW - Endothelial cell
KW - Nitric oxide (NO)
KW - Nitric oxide synthase (NOS)
KW - Vasorelaxation
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0038742905&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0014-2999(03)01639-X
DO - 10.1016/S0014-2999(03)01639-X
M3 - Article
C2 - 12729841
AN - SCOPUS:0038742905
SN - 0014-2999
VL - 468
SP - 37
EP - 45
JO - European Journal of Pharmacology
JF - European Journal of Pharmacology
IS - 1
ER -