Foam cell-forming J774 macrophages have markedly elevated acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyl transferase activity compared with mouse peritoneal macrophages in the presence of low density lipoprotein (LDL) despite similar LDL receptor activity.

Cholesteryl ester (CE) accumulation in arterial wall macrophages (foam cells) is a prominent feature of atherosclerotic lesions. We have previously shown that murine J774 macrophages, unlike mouse peritoneal macrophages, accumulate large amounts of CE from unmodified low density lipoprotein (LDL). We now report a direct comparison of acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyl transferase (ACAT) activity in J774 and mouse peritoneal macrophages. Despite similar chloroquine-inhibitable 125I-LDL degradation in the two macrophages, ACAT activity in LDL-treated J774 macrophages was 10-30-fold higher than that in LDL-treated mouse peritoneal macrophages. In contrast, acetyl-LDL (matched for degradation with LDL) caused marked stimulation of ACAT activity in mouse peritoneal macrophages. From these data we conclude that in the presence of LDL, J774 macrophages have a highly active ACAT cholesterol esterification pathway compared with mouse peritoneal macrophages; and in mouse peritoneal macrophages, there is a marked difference in the ability of acetyl-LDL vs. LDL to stimulate ACAT even when the lipoproteins are matched for degradation.

Potent tetracyclic guanine inhibitors of PDE1 and PDE5 cyclic guanosine monophosphate phosphodiesterases with oral antihypertensive activity.

Tetracyclic guanines have been shown to be potent and selective inhibitors of the cGMP-hydrolyzing enzymes PDE1 and PDE5. In general, these compounds are inactive or only weakly active as inhibitors of PDE3, which is a major isozyme involved in cAMP hydrolysis. Structure-activity relationships are developed at N-1, C-2, N-3, and N-5 on the core nucleus. Compound 31, with an IC50 of 70 pM, is the most potent inhibitor of PDE1, while 50, with an IC50 of 4 nM, is the most potent inhibitor of PDE5. Compounds 20, 22, 30, and 50 are potent dual inhibitors with IC50 values below 30 nM for both PDE1 and PDE5. Compounds 12, 20, and 28 reduced blood pressure by more than 45 mmHg when administered orally at 10 mg/kg to the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR).

Inhibition of cellular action of thrombin by N3-cyclopropyl-7-[[4-(1-methylethyl)phenyl]methyl]-7H-pyrrolo[3, 2-f]quinazoline-1,3-diamine (SCH 79797), a nonpeptide thrombin receptor antagonist.

A growing body of evidence suggests an important contribution of the cellular actions of thrombin to thrombosis and restenosis following angioplasty. Recently we reported on SCH 79797 (N3-cyclopropyl-7-¿[4-(1-methylethyl)phenyl]methyl¿-7H-pyrrolo[3, 2-f]quinazoline-1,3-diamine) and its analogs as new potent, nonpeptide thrombin receptor antagonists. This study further characterizes the biochemical and pharmacological actions of pyrroloquinazoline inhibitors of protease activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) in human platelets and coronary artery smooth muscle cells (hCASMC). SCH 79797 and its N-methyl analog (SCH 203099) inhibited binding of a high-affinity thrombin receptor-activating peptide ([(3)H]haTRAP, Ala-Phe(p-F)-Arg-ChA-HArg-[(3)H]Tyr-NH(2)) to PAR-1 with IC(50) values of 70 and 45 nM, respectively. SCH 79797 inhibited [(3)H]haTRAP binding in a competitive manner. SCH 79797 and SCH 203099 inhibited alpha-thrombin- and haTRAP-induced aggregation of human platelets, but did not inhibit human platelet aggregation induced by the tethered ligand agonist for protease-activated receptor-4 (PAR-4), gamma-thrombin, ADP, or collagen. SCH 203099 inhibited surface expression of P-selectin induced by haTRAP and thrombin, and it did not increase P-selectin expression or prevent thrombin cleavage of the receptor. Thrombin and TFLLRNPNDK-NH(2) (TK), a PAR-1-selective agonist, produced transient increases in cytosolic free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) in hCASMC. This increase in [Ca(2+)](i) was inhibited effectively by SCH 79797. However, the Ca(2+) transients induced by SLIGKV-NH(2,) a PAR-2-selective agonist, were not inhibited by SCH 79797. Thrombin- and TK-stimulated [(3)H]thymidine incorporation also was inhibited completely by SCH 79797. The results of this study demonstrate that SCH 79797 and SCH 203099 are potent, selective antagonists of PAR-1 in human platelets and hCASMC. These data also suggest that the thrombin stimulation of Ca(2+) transients and mitogenesis in hCASMC is mediated primarily through activation of PAR-1.

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isozymes in rat mesangial cells.

We characterized cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases isolated from rat mesangial cells and assessed their roles in regulating cellular cyclic nucleotide levels. Three peaks of phosphodiesterase activity were eluted by a linear sodium acetate gradient from a Q Sepharose column loaded with the mesangial cell extract. The first peak activity was stimulated by Ca(2+)-calmodulin and inhibited by calmodulin-stimulated phosphodiesterase inhibitors but not by a selective cGMP specific phosphodiesterase V inhibitor. The second, minor activity peak was stimulated by cyclic GMP and inhibited by EHNA [erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)-adenine], a selective inhibitor of cyclic GMP-stimulated phosphodiesterase II. The last peak activity was not inhibited by cyclic GMP but selectively inhibited by rolipram [4-(3-cyclopentyloxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-pyrrolidene] or Ro 20-1724 [4-(3-butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidinone], inhibitors of cyclic AMP specific, cyclic GMP insensitive phosphodiesterase IV. Based on their order of chromatographic elution, kinetic properties and sensitivity to allosteric agents and inhibitors, the peak 1, 2 and 3 correspond to phosphodiesterase I, II and IV. The basal cyclic GMP level was raised more effectively by selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase I than phosphodiesterase II. In contrast, the atrial natriuretic factor-induced cyclic GMP elevation was potentiated more effectively by selective inhibitors of phosphodiesterase II than phosphodiesterase I. The forskolin-induced cyclic AMP increase was greatly potentiated by selective phosphodiesterase IV inhibitors but not by other phosphodiesterase inhibitors. These data suggest that phosphodiesterase I and II are responsible for cyclic GMP hydrolysis whereas phosphodiesterase IV is mainly responsible for cyclic AMP hydrolysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Protein synthesis inhibition in mouse peritoneal macrophages results in increased acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyl transferase activity and cholesteryl ester accumulation in the presence of native low density lipoprotein.

Cholesteryl ester (CE) accumulation in arterial wall macrophages (foam cells), mediated by the intracellular enzyme acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyl transferase (ACAT), is a prominent feature of atherosclerotic lesions. However, native low density lipoprotein (LDL) does not cause activation of ACAT or CE accumulation in cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages despite both substantial LDL uptake and degradation and the presence of ACAT in these cells. We now report that when protein synthesis is inhibited in mouse peritoneal macrophages by treatment with cycloheximide, puromycin, or actinomycin D, native LDL-induced whole-cell ACAT activity and CE accumulation is 10-fold higher than that seen in LDL-treated control cells. The enhancement of ACAT activity was seen 4 h after the addition of cycloheximide, and ACAT activity returned to control values 4 h after the withdrawal of cycloheximide. Postnuclear supernatants and microsomes from cycloheximide-treated mouse peritoneal macrophages also had higher ACAT activity than microsomes from control cells, but the relative enhancement (maximum 3.3-fold) was less than that seen when ACAT was assayed in the intact cell. In contrast to the situation with mouse peritoneal macrophages, cycloheximide treatment of J774 macrophages, which under normal conditions display high ACAT activity and CE accumulation in the presence of native LDL, did not result in further enhancement of either ACAT activity or LDL-induced CE accumulation. From these data we postulate that mouse peritoneal macrophages have a short-lived protein that inhibits ACAT-mediated cholesterol esterification which is responsible for their lack of ACAT response and CE accumulation in the presence of native LDL. The explanation for high ACAT activity and LDL-induced CE accumulation in J774 macrophages may be that these cells lack the putative mouse peritoneal macrophage cholesterol esterification inhibitor.

Acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyl transferase in macrophages utilizes a cellular pool of cholesterol oxidase-accessible cholesterol as substrate.

Cholesterol esterification by acyl CoA:cholesterol acyl transferase (ACAT) in macrophages is a key process in atheroma foam cell formation. However, the process of cholesterol substrate delivery to ACAT is not well defined. In this study, J774 macrophages, which form foam cells with native low density lipoprotein (LDL), were labeled with [3H]cholesterol-containing liposomes. Most (80-90%) of the cholesterol label could be converted by cholesterol oxidase to cholestenone, suggesting plasma membrane localization; only 0.6% of the label was in cholesteryl ester (CE). In cells chased for 6 h in medium lacking LDL, the distribution of label was essentially unchanged, whereas in cells chased with LDL, 28% of the label was incorporated into CE concomitant with a decrease in cholestenone label to 50%. [3H]Cholesterol-labeled mouse peritoneal macrophages incubated with acetyl-LDL, and both J774 and mouse peritoneal macrophages incubated with 25-hydroxy-cholesterol, also showed a shift of label from cholestenone to CE. Similar results were found when cellular cholesterol was biosynthetically labeled with [3H]mevalonate. The percentage of cholesterol substrate for ACAT in LDL-treated J774 macrophages which originates from endogenous cellular pools (versus that originating from LDL itself) is approximately 50%. We conclude that upon activation of ACAT in macrophages, there is a novel process whereby a cholesterol oxidase-accessible pool of cellular cholesterol, presumably plasma membrane cholesterol, is translocated to ACAT in the endoplasmic reticulum.

Effects of acyl-CoA: cholesterol O-acyltransferase inhibition on cholesterol absorption and plasma lipoprotein composition in hamsters.

1. The ACAT inhibitors, CL 277082 and SA 58-035 were administered for 7 days to hamsters fed diets containing 0.5% cholesterol. 2. Both agents inhibited cholesterol absorption, decreased hepatic. VLDL and IDL cholesterol esters, plasma HDL and HDL apoE and A-I. 3. In addition, CL 277082 treatment produced significant decreases in plasma cholesterol, VLDL apoB and plasma IDL. 4. The cholesteryl esters in VLDL and LDL but not HDL were more polyunsaturated in CL 277082 treated animals. 5. These results support the hypothesis that ACAT inhibition in the cholesterol fed hamster results in an inhibition of dietary cholesterol absorption, thus limiting the cholesterol supply required for the hepatic production of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins.

Binding of a thrombin receptor tethered ligand analogue to human platelet thrombin receptor.

A thrombin receptor-radioligand binding assay was developed using [3H]A(pF-F)R(ChA)(hR)Y-NH2 ([3H]haTRAP), a high affinity thrombin receptor-activating peptide (TRAP), and human platelet membranes. Scatchard analysis of saturation binding data indicated that [3H]haTRAP bound to platelet membranes with a Kd of 15 nM and a Bmax of 5.2 pmol/mg of protein. The binding was reduced by GPPNHP, a nonmetabolizable GTP analogue. Various TRAPs and a TRAP antagonist, but not other receptor agonists, displaced [3H]haTRAP from the binding sites. SFLLRN-NH2, a thrombin receptor-tethered ligand analogue, and [3H]haTRAP exhibited competitive binding for the same binding sites. The relative affinity of these peptides for the binding site paralleled their EC50 or IC50 values for platelet aggregation. These data indicate that [3H]haTRAP binds specifically and saturably to the functioning G protein-linked thrombin (tethered ligand) receptor in human platelet membranes.

Potent, low molecular weight thrombin receptor antagonists.

Several benzimidazole derivatives have been identified as potent thrombin receptor (PAR-1) antagonists as represented by compound 1h, which showed an IC(50) of 33 nM.

Structure-activity relationships of pyrroloquinazolines as thrombin receptor antagonists.

A series of pyrroloquinazolines has been discovered that represent novel small molecule inhibitors of the intramolecular ligand of the thrombin receptor. Analogs were prepared to study the structure-activity relationships of substitution at the N 1, N3, and N7 positions of the heterocycle. Compounds 4e and 4f have been identified with IC50's of 56 and 52 nM, respectively.