Characterization of brain-type ryanodine receptor permanently expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

To clarify a function of brain-type ryanodine receptor (RyR3) and its regulation, we established a stable cell line expressing rabbit RyR3 by transfection of Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO cells) with the cDNA and investigated characteristics of the RyR3. Scatchard analysis of [3H]-ryanodine binding to the membrane from CHO cells expressing RyR3 showed two distinct binding sites. The Kd values of high and low affinity binding sites were 1.92 and 25.9 nM, respectively. [3H]-ryanodine binding to the membrane from CHO cells expressing RyR3 was dependent on pCa. Extracellular Ca2+ (2-10 mM) and high concentration (more than 30 mM) of caffeine activated the RyR3 in CHO cells and increased its intracellular Ca2+ concentration. The enhancement of [3H]-ryanodine binding to the membrane from CHO cells expressing RyR3 was observed by bromoeudistomin D (BED), a caffeine-like powerful Ca2+ releaser, at pCa 5.5. Stably expressed RyR3 in CHO is useful for characterization of its function.

Induction of cardiac angiotensinogen mRNA and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity in isoproterenol-induced heart injury.

Effects of isoproterenol (ISO) on the expression of cardiac angiotensinogen mRNA, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity, and mechanical functions in spontaneously hypertensive rats were investigated. In the acute phase, defined as within 24 h after the subcutaneous injection of ISO 85 mg/kg, cardiac angiotensinogen mRNA was slightly induced, but ACE activity was not. In the subacute phase, defined as within 8 d after ISO treatment on 2 successive d, both angiotensinogen mRNA expression and ACE activity in the heart were markedly induced. ACE activity in serum was not affected by ISO in either phase. In the subacute phase, ISO reduced body weight and blood pressure, increased ventricular weight and calcium content, and impaired cardiac mechanical function. Oral treatment with imidapril (10 mg/kg/d), an ACE inhibitor, 1 h before each ISO treatment and on the following 6 d, improved ventricular hypertrophy, the elevation of the left ventricular end diastolic pressure, the reduction in contractility, and the prolongation of the time constant. Imidapril significantly suppressed both serum and cardiac ACE activity but did not affect cardiac angiotensinogen mRNA expression in the subacute phase. These results indicate that enhancement of cardiac angiotensinogen mRNA and ACE activity is involved in ISO-induced cardiac dysfunction. Imidapril improved ISO-induced cardiac dysfunction, possibly by suppression of the local ACE activity as well as circulating ACE activity.

Prolonging action of imidapril on the lifespan expectancy of cardiomyopathic hamsters.

We studied the effect of imidapril, a novel angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, on lifespan expectancy of cardiomyopathic (CM) hamsters of BIO 14.6 strain, one of the representative models of congestive heart failure (CHF). Imidapril was consecutively administered to hamsters by mixing it in their diet at a concentration of 480 ppm (approximately 30 mg/kg/day) or 1,600 ppm (approximately 120 mg/kg/day) from age 26 weeks. Only several control hamsters died before age 54 weeks, but their survival rate decreased to 23.7% at age 73 weeks. The survival rates of 480-ppm and 1,600-ppm imidapril groups at age 73 weeks were as high as 75.7 and 68.4%, respectively (p < 0.01 vs. control hamsters). Macroscopic and microscopic pathology in imidapril-treated groups was milder than that in control animals in general, but differences were not statistically significant when animals were divided into survivors and fatalities except for the presence of mural thrombus in the heart. We further studied the effects of imidapril on blood pressure (BP), in vivo cardiac function, cardiac beta-adrenoceptor distribution, and plasma catecholamine levels after dietary treatment with 480 ppm imidapril for 8-10 weeks from age 37 weeks. Imidapril-treated animals showed improved cardiac function under urethane anesthesia. These results indicate that imidapril prolongs lifespan expectancy of CM hamsters and suggest that a hemodynamic effect of imidapril is involved in its beneficial effect.

Histopathological investigation on salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats, whose biochemical parameters of renal dysfunction were ameliorated by administration of imidapril.

Our previous studies showed that imidapril prevented the occurrence of cerebral stroke and ameliorated biochemical parameter changes of renal dysfunction at a dose that did not inhibit the progression of hypertension in salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). To confirm these findings, a histopathological investigation was conducted on the kidney of salt-loaded (from 11 to 16 weeks of age) SHRSP, which was the subject of the preceding study. Their brains and hearts were also examined. Histopathologically, renal lesions such as fibrinoid necrosis and proliferative arteritis of small calibration arteries, necrotizing glomerulitis and tubular degeneration, and cerebral hemorrhage and slight cardial hypertrophy were observed in salt-loaded control SHRSP. The occurrence of these lesions were prevented in a dose-dependent manner by the administration of imidapril (1 and 2 mg/kg/day). Especially, the preventive effects on the renal lesions were apparently noted. Enalapril also prevented these renal lesions, but its preventive effects were weaker than those of imidapril at the same dose (2 mg/kg/day). It became evident from the results of the present and previous studies that imidapril reduced renal biochemical and histopathological injuries.

Reduction of the mortality rate by imidapril in a small coronary artery disease model, (NZW x BXSB)F1 male mice.

For this study, we used (NZW x BXSB)F1 male mice as a model of myocardial infarction. The animals were kept on water containing imidapril or enalapril at 60 mg/kg/day from 10 to 27 weeks of age. Imidapril and enalapril significantly reduced the blood pressure. Imidapril reduced the mortality rate more significantly than enalapril did. In the second experiment where imidapril, enalapril and captopril were administered to the mice at 5 mg/kg/day, p.o., both imidapril and captopril significantly reduced the mortality, but enalapril did not. Blood pressure was slightly reduced by these ACE inhibitors. These data suggest that imidapril and captopril are efficacious for the treatment of myocardial infarction and blood pressure reduction hardly contributes to its mechanism of action.

No relation of the suppressive effect on the sympathetic nervous system to the acute hypotension caused by imidapril and enalapril.

To investigate the involvement of the sympathoinhibitory effect of imidapril and enalapril in their antihypertensive effect at a clinically reasonable dose, we studied whether some responses induced by the stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) were affected by intravenous administration of imidaprilat and enalaprilat in curarized pithed spontaneously hypertensive rats. Imidaprilat and enalaprilat (both at 100 micrograms/kg, i.v.), which are active metabolites of imidapril and enalapril, respectively, suppressed the pressor responses to electrical stimulation (ES) of the spinal cord (T1-L7) and exogenous noradrenaline (NA). The pressor responses to NA were significantly suppressed after either alpha 1- or alpha 2-adrenoceptors were blocked. Furthermore, imidaprilat (100 micrograms/kg, i.v.) suppressed these reduced responses. When the reduced basal blood pressure was restored by vasopressin infusion, imidaprilat and enalaprilat (both at 100 micrograms/kg, i.v.) did not suppress the responses to ES and exogenous alpha-adrenoceptor agonists. They affected neither basal plasma concentrations of NA and adrenaline nor ES-induced increase of these catecholamines. These results suggest that the suppressive effects of imidaprilat and enalaprilat on the pressor responses to ES and alpha-adrenoceptors agonists are apparently observed in pithed SHR because of a reduction of vascular tone and that imidapril and enalapril do not lower the blood pressure through suppressing SNS.

Prophylactic effect of imidapril on stroke in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: It has been reported that some angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors can prevent stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats from stroke at much higher doses than clinical doses used for hypertension therapy. This study was performed to investigate the prophylactic effectiveness of imidapril against stroke in comparison with enalapril. METHODS: Salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats were orally given imidapril (0.5, 1, 2, and 5 mg/kg per day), enalapril (2 and 5 mg/kg per day), or hydralazine (5 mg/kg per day). Stroke signs were scored, and blood pressure, protein concentration, and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity in urine were measured. After 2 weeks of medication, angiotensin converting enzyme activities in the aorta were measured 24 hours after dosing. RESULTS: In the control group, severe hypertension developed, and all rats died within 12 weeks because of stroke. Imidapril and enalapril dose-dependently decreased the stroke-related mortality, and both agents at 5 mg/kg per day showed excellent prophylaxis, although they did not inhibit hypertensive development. Imidapril at 0.5 mg/kg per day significantly prevented stroke to almost the same extent as enalapril at 2 mg/kg per day or hydralazine at 5 mg/kg per day. Imidapril dose-dependently suppressed the elevation of the two urinary indexes, which was followed by stroke. Imidapril inhibited enzyme activity in the aorta more strongly than did enalapril at the same dose. CONCLUSIONS: Imidapril prevented the incidence of stroke in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg per day or more by amelioration of kidney dysfunction. Reduction of blood pressure is not necessary, although enzyme inhibition in the vasculature may partly relate to the effect.

Influence of imidapril on abnormal biochemical parameters in salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP).

Many of the disorders in urinary, biochemical, and hematological parameters induced by salt-loading in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) were significantly ameliorated by chronic treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, imidapril (1 and 2 mg/kg) and enalapril (2 mg/kg). Through the improvement of these parameters, the treatment reduced the incidence of stroke but did not suppress the development of hypertension. These results suggest that the prophylaxis of stroke in SHRSP is probably due to systemic improvement as judged from the parameters of renal functions.

Studies on angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. VI. Synthesis and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activities of the dicarboxylic acid derivative of imidapril and its diastereoisomers.

All possible diastereoisomers of the dicarboxylic acid (10a), the biologically active form of imidapril (1), were synthesized, and their inhibitory activity against angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) was examined. The in vitro ACE inhibitory activity of these compounds greatly depended on the configurations of the three asymmetric carbons in each molecule. The (S,S,S) isomer (10a) showed much more potent activity than the others.