Hydrogen sulfide modulates sinusoidal constriction and contributes to hepatic microcirculatory dysfunction during endotoxemia.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) affects vascular resistance; however, its effect on the hepatic microcirculation has not been investigated. Hepatic sinusoidal perfusion is dysregulated during sepsis, contributing to liver injury. Therefore, the present study determined the effect of H2S on the hepatic microcirculation and the contribution of endogenous H2S to hepatic microcirculatory dysfunction in an endotoxin model of sepsis. Portal infusion of H2S increased portal pressure in vivo (6.8 ± 0.2 mmHg before H2S vs. 8.6 ± 0.8 mmHg peak during H2S infusion, P < 0.05). Using intravital microscopy, we observed decreased sinusoidal diameter (6.2 ± 0.27 µm before H2S vs. 5.7 ± 0.3 µm after H2S, P < 0.05) and increased sinusoidal heterogeneity during H2S infusion (P < 0.05) and net constriction. Since hepatic H2S levels are elevated during sepsis, we used the cystathionine γ lyase inhibitor DL-propargylglycine (PAG) to determine the contribution of H2S to the hypersensitization of the sinusoid to the vasoconstrictor effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1). PAG treatment significantly attenuated the sinusoidal sensitization to ET-1 in endotoxin-treated animals. ET-1 infusion increased portal pressure to 175% of baseline in endotoxemic animals, which was reduced to 143% following PAG treatment (P < 0.05). PAG abrogated the increase in sinusoidal constriction after ET-1 infusion in LPS-treated rats (30.9% reduction in LPS rats vs. 11.6% in PAG/LPS rats, P < 0.05). Moreover, PAG treatment significantly attenuated the increase in NADH fluorescence following ET-1 exposure during endotoxemia (61 grayscale units LPS vs. 21 units in PAG/LPS, P < 0.05), suggesting an improvement in hepatic oxygen availability. This study is the first to demonstrate a vasoconstrictor action of H2S on the hepatic sinusoid and provides a possible mechanism for the protective effect of PAG treatment during sepsis.

Evidence for a novel serum factor distinct from zinc alpha-2 glycoprotein that promotes body fat loss early in the development of cachexia.

We provide evidence that a factor other than the previously identified lipid mobilizing factor, zinc alpha-2 glycoprotein, promotes lipolysis in the MCA-induced sarcoma-bearing cachexia model. Cachexia is characterized by progressive loss of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle without a concurrent increase in food intake to restore lost tissue stores. We compared tumor-bearing ad lib fed (TB) animals to nontumor bearing ad lib fed (NTB) animals or nontumor-bearing pair-fed (PF) animals at various time points throughout development of tumor derived cachexia. Prior to cachexia, the TB animals lost more than 10 +/- 0.7% of their body fat before losing protein mass and decreasing their food intake. Fat loss occurred because adipocyte size, not number, was reduced. Increased turnover of palmitate and significantly higher serum triglyceride levels prior to cachexia were further indicators of an early loss of lipid from the adipocytes. Yet, circulating levels of norepinephrine, epinephrine, TNF-alpha, and zinc alpha-2 glycoprotein were not increased prior to the loss of fat mass. We provide evidence for a serum factor(s), other than zinc alpha-2 glycoprotein, that stimulates release of glycerol from 3T3-L1 adipocytes and promotes the loss of stored adipose lipid prior to the loss of lean body mass in this model.

Caveolin-1 mediates endotoxin inhibition of endothelin-1-induced endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) plays a key role in the regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). In the presence of endotoxin, an increase in caveolin-1 (Cav-1) expression impairs ET-1/eNOS signaling; however, the molecular mechanism is unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism of Cav-1 in the regulation of LPS suppression of ET-1-mediated eNOS activation in LSECs by examining the effect of caveolae disruption using methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (CD) and filipin. Treatment with 5 mM CD for 30 min increased eNOS activity (+255%, P < 0.05). A dose (0.25 microg/ml) of filipin for 30 min produced a similar effect (+111%, P < 0.05). CD induced the perinuclear localization of Cav-1 and eNOS and stimulated NO production in the same region. Readdition of 0.5 mM cholesterol to saturate CD reversed these effects. Both the combined treatment with CD and ET-1 (CD + ET-1) and with filipin and ET-1 stimulated eNOS activity; however, pretreatment with endotoxin (LPS) abrogated these effects. Following LPS pretreatment, CD + ET-1 failed to stimulate eNOS activity (+51%, P > 0.05), which contributed to the reduced levels of eNOS-Ser1177 phosphorylation and eNOS-Thr495 dephosphorylation, the LPS/CD-induced overexpression and translocation of Cav-1 in the perinuclear region, and the increased perinuclear colocalization of eNOS with Cav-1. These results supported the hypothesis that Cav-1 mediates the action of endotoxin in suppressing ET-1-mediated eNOS activation and demonstrated that the manipulation of caveolae produces significant effects on ET-1-mediated eNOS activity in LSECs.

Differential mechanisms of hepatic vascular dysregulation with mild vs. moderate ischemia-reperfusion.

Endotoxemia produces hepatic vascular dysregulation resulting from inhibition of endothelin (ET)-stimulated NO production. Mechanisms include overexpression of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) and altered phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS; eNOS) in sinusoidal endothelial cells. Since ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) also causes vascular dysregulation, we tested whether the mechanisms are the same. Rats were exposed to either mild (30 min) or moderate (60 min) hepatic ischemia in vivo followed by reperfusion (6 h). Livers were harvested and prepared into precision-cut liver slices for in vitro analysis of NOS activity and regulation. Both I/R injuries significantly abrogated both the ET-1 (1 microM) and the ET(B) receptor agonist (IRL-1620, 0.5 microM)-mediated stimulation of NOS activity. 30 min I/R resulted in overexpression of Cav-1 and loss of ET-stimulated phosphorylation of Ser1177 on eNOS, consistent with an inflammatory response. Sixty-minute I/R also resulted in loss of ET-stimulated Ser1177 phosphorylation, but Cav-1 expression was not altered. Moreover, expression of ET(B) receptors was significantly decreased. This suggests that the failure of ET to activate eNOS following 60-min I/R is associated with decreased protein expression consistent with ischemic injury. Thus hepatic vascular dysregulation following I/R is mediated by inflammatory mechanisms with mild I/R whereas ischemic mechanisms dominate following more severe I/R stress.

Inhibitory effects of fusarochromanone on melanoma growth.

Fusarochromanone is a toxic metabolite produced by Fusarium equiseti, a fungus present in decaying cereal plants in northern latitudes; it has been detected in various food grains. Fusarochromanone has been shown to have both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on various mammalian cells, depending on the concentration used. Whether these cytotoxic effects can be used in the clinical treatment of tumors remains to be established. Here, we evaluated the effects of fusarochromanone on the growth of human melanoma cells both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, low concentrations (0.1-1 nmol/l) of fusarochromanone were found to be cytotoxic to many melanoma cell lines. In contrast, growth of normal melanocytes was inhibited only at much higher fusarochromanone concentrations (100-200 nmol/l). In vivo, the growth of melanoma cells implanted subcutaneously in immuno-compromised mice was significantly (P<0.05) reduced by daily administration of fusarochromanone. Immunohistological analyses indicated a significant (P<0.05) increase in the expression of active caspase-3 in tumor masses of mice treated with fusarochromanone, compared with controls. Together, these observations show that fusarochromanone increased apoptosis of tumor cells and reduced tumor growth in vivo. Therefore, the effects of fusarochromanone warrant further investigation as an adjuvant molecule to prevent growth and recurrence of melanomas.

Bosentan inhibits tumor vascularization and bone metastasis in an immunocompetent skin-fold chamber model of breast carcinoma cell metastasis.

Angiogenic factors including endothelin-1 (ET-1) play a key role in the progression of breast metastases to bone. We investigated the impact of ET-1 on the development of bone metastases in an immunocompetent murine skin-fold chamber model. Murine mammary carcinoma 4T1 was injected in a skin-fold chamber implanted on CB6 mice along with bone explants. Furthermore, mice were treated with or without a dual selective antagonist of both ET-1 receptors. The progression of the vascularization within the chamber was monitored over time by intravital microscopy (IVM). The tumor growth and the development of bone metastases were assessed by cytokeratin-19 gene expression and histological studies. Results indicate that this new model associated with IVM allows for the continuous monitoring of the change in vascularization associated with the development of bone metastases. Additionally, treatment with an antagonist of both ET-1 receptors was associated with the presence of significantly less vessels near the tumor mass compared to control mice. These changes were correlated with smaller tumor masses and reduced bone invasion (P < 0.05). Thus, in an immunocompetent murine model of breast carcinoma metastases to bone, our data support the hypothesis that vascularization plays a role in tumor development and progression and that ET-1 specifically modulates the angiogenesis associated with breast metastases to the bone.