Intrinsic properties of lumbar motor neurones in the adult G127insTGGG superoxide dismutase-1 mutant mouse in vivo: evidence for increased persistent inward currents.

AIM: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by a preferential loss of motor neurones. Previous publications using in vitro neonatal preparations suggest an increased excitability of motor neurones in various superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) mutant mice models of ALS which may contribute to excitotoxicity of the motor neurones. METHODS: Using intracellular recording, we tested this hypothesis in vivo in the adult presymptomatic G127insTGGG (G127X) SOD1 mutant mouse model of ALS. RESULTS: At resting membrane potentials the basic intrinsic properties of lumbar motor neurones in the adult presymptomatic G127X mutant are not significantly different from those of wild type. However, at more depolarized membrane potentials, motor neurones in the G127X SOD1 mutants can sustain higher frequency firing, showing less spike frequency adaption (SFA) and with persistent inward currents (PICs) being activated at lower firing frequencies and being more pronounced. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that, in vivo, at resting membrane potential, spinal motor neurones of the adult G127X mice do not show an increased excitability. However, when depolarized they show evidence of an increased PIC and less SFA which may contribute to excitotoxicity of these neurones as the disease progresses.

Meta-analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor variations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: increased susceptibility in male carriers of the -2578AA genotype.

BACKGROUND: Targeted delivery of the angiogenic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), to motor neurons prolongs survival in rodent models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), while mice expressing reduced VEGF concentrations develop motor neuron degeneration reminiscent of ALS, raising the question whether VEGF contributes to the pathogenesis of ALS. An initial association study reported that VEGF haplotypes conferred increased susceptibility to ALS in humans, but later studies challenged this initial finding. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A meta-analysis was undertaken to critically reappraise whether any of the three common VEGF gene variations (-2578C/A, -1154G/A and -634G/C) increase the risk of ALS. Over 7000 subjects from eight European and three American populations were included in the analysis. Pooled odds ratios were calculated using fixed-effects and random-effects models, and four potential sources of heterogeneity (location of disease onset, gender, age at disease onset and disease duration) were assessed. After correction, none of the genotypes or haplotypes was significantly associated with ALS. Subgroup analysis by gender revealed, however, that the -2578AA genotype, which lowers VEGF expression, increased the risk of ALS in males (OR = 1.46 males vs females; 95% CI = 1.19 to 1.80; p = 7.8 10E-5), even after correction for publication bias and multiple testing. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis does not support the original conclusion that VEGF haplotypes increase the risk of ALS in humans, but the significant association of the low-VEGF -2578AA genotype with increased susceptibility to ALS in males reappraises the link between reduced VEGF concentrations and ALS, as originally revealed by the fortuitous mouse genetic studies.

Clinicopathological phenotype of ALS with a novel G72C SOD1 gene mutation mimicking a myopathy.

A 71-year-old woman with a family history of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was investigated for symmetrical, proximal limb and abdominal muscle weakness. Initial examination showed mild proximal muscle weakness in the arms and legs, slightly elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) level, and normal electromyographic (EMG) findings. A myopathy was the presumed diagnosis. Over the next year, weakness became severe and tendon reflexes became unelicitable; no upper motor signs were present. EMG then showed acute and chronic denervation and a muscle biopsy showed target fibers and grouped atrophy. DNA analysis revealed a G72C CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) mutation. Fasciculations were absent throughout the disease. The patient died 53 months after symptom onset and autopsy revealed loss of lower motor neurons (LMN) and SOD1-positive inclusions. This case expands the phenotypic spectrum of ALS associated with SOD1 mutations to include presenting features that mimic a myopathy.

Amelioration of antigen-induced arthritis in rats by transfer of extracellular superoxide dismutase and catalase genes.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), while antioxidant enzymes, such as extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) and catalase, block radical-induced events. The present study tested if the ex vivo transfer of EC-SOD and catalase genes alone or in combination in the knee joint of rats with monoarticular antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) was anti-inflammatory, and examined the potential mechanisms involved. Synoviocytes isolated from female Wistar rats were immortalized with a retroviral vector SUV19.5. These cells were permanently transfected with an EC-SOD expression plasmid (pEC-SODZeo) or a catalase expression plasmid (pCatalaseZeo) to create cells overexpressing EC-SOD or catalase, as measured by RT-PCR and Western blots. The cells were engrafted in knee joints of animals at the time of the induction of AIA. Three gene transfer groups, an EC-SOD group, a catalase group and a combined therapy group (EC-SOD and catalase) were included in these experiments. Animals in the control group were engrafted with synoviocytes transfected with the plasmid pZeoSV2 without an insert. Clinical and histological assessments were performed, as well as tissue measurements of SOD, catalase and gelatinase activities. Ex vivo gene transfer of EC-SOD and catalase into rat knee joints produced about a six- to seven-fold increase in EC-SOD activity and a two- to three-fold increase in catalase activity compared with the control animals. Rats treated with cells overexpressing EC-SOD, catalase or a combination of EC-SOD and catalase showed significant suppression of knee joint swelling, decreased infiltration of inflammatory cells within the synovial membrane and reduced gelatinase activity in knee joints, compared with animals receiving cells transfected with the plasmid alone. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups treated with cells overexpressing EC-SOD, catalase or a combination of both. Gene therapy involving the local intra-articular overexpression of two antioxidant enzymes, EC-SOD and catalase, was anti-inflammatory in AIA. One mechanism appears to be the suppression of gelatinase activities by both EC-SOD and catalase.

Increased ozone-induced airway neutrophilic inflammation in extracellular-superoxide dismutase null mice.

Extracellular-superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) exists primarily in the tissue interstitium and the lung contains particularly large amounts of the enzyme. To determine the roles of EC-SOD and extracellularly formed superoxide radicals in the pulmonary response to the common air pollutant ozone, wild-type mice and mice lacking EC-SOD were exposed to 1.5 ppm ozone for 48 h. The exposure resulted in a marked neutrophilic inflammatory reaction observed both in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and by histopathology of the lungs, which was much stronger in the mice lacking EC-SOD. Unlike the wild-type mice, the null mutants also showed increased levels of interleukin-6 in the BALF. The ozone exposure also resulted in increased airway mucosal permeability and cell damage as indicated by increased protein and lactate dehydrogenase in the BALF. There was, however, no difference between the two groups of mice.The results suggest that extracellular superoxide radicals are important inflammatory mediators in the pulmonary response to ozone, but in the present model, the radical and the infiltrating neutrophils contributed little to the pulmonary injury The data, together with previous findings, support a role for EC-SOD as a modulator of inflammatory reactions.

Corneal endothelial integrity in mice lacking extracellular superoxide dismutase.

PURPOSE: To evaluate corneal endothelial morphology in mice without secreted extracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD) in normal ageing and in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation model and to measure the contents of SOD isoenzymes in the mouse cornea and the superoxide radical concentrations in corneas with and without extracellular SOD. METHODS: The central corneal endothelium of wild-type and extracellular SOD-null mice were studied in micrographs at eight different ages and after a unilateral intravitreal injection of LPS, with the contralateral eye serving as the control. The activities of the SOD isoenzymes in the mouse cornea were determined with a direct assay, the superoxide radical concentration was assessed by lucigenin-induced chemiluminescence, and the extracellular SOD distribution was mapped with immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The activities of the cytosolic Cu- and Zn-containing SOD, the mitochondrial Mn-containing SOD and extracellular SOD were 4300, 15, and 340 U/g wet weight, respectively. Extracellular SOD was found in the epithelium, stroma, and endothelium. The concentration of extracellular superoxide radicals was doubled in extracellular SOD-null corneas, and the endothelial cell density decreased more with age in extracellular SOD-null than in wild-type control corneas. In the LPS-induced inflammation model, the cell density decreased more, and the cells became more irregular in extracellular SOD-null than in wild-type corneas. CONCLUSIONS: In the mouse cornea, absence of extracellular SOD leads to a higher concentration of extracellular superoxide radicals, an enhancement in the spontaneous age-related loss of endothelial cells, and an increased susceptibility to acute inflammatory endothelial damage. Extracellular SOD is likely to have a protective role in the corneal endothelium.

Differences in basal airway antioxidant concentrations are not predictive of individual responsiveness to ozone: a comparison of healthy and mild asthmatic subjects.

The air pollutant ozone induces both airway inflammation and restrictions in lung function. These responses have been proposed to arise as a consequence of the oxidizing nature of ozone, depleting endogenous antioxidant defenses with ensuing tissue injury. In this study we examined the impact of an environmentally relevant ozone challenge on the antioxidant defenses present at the surface of the lung in two groups known to have profound differences in their antioxidant defense network: healthy control (HC) and mild asthmatic (MA) subjects. We hypothesized that baseline differences in antioxidant concentrations within the respiratory tract lining fluid (RTLF), as well as induced responses, would predict the magnitude of individual responsiveness. We observed a significant loss of ascorbate (ASC) from proximal (-45.1%, p <.01) and distal RTLFs (-11.7%, p <.05) in healthy subjects 6 h after the end of the ozone challenge. This was associated (Rs, -0.71, p <.01) with increased glutathione disulphide (GSSG) in these compartments (p =.01 and p <.05). Corresponding responses were not seen in asthmatics, where basal ASC concentrations were significantly lower (p <.01) and associated with elevated concentrations of GSSG (p <.05). In neither group was any evidence of lipid oxidation seen following ozone. Despite differences in antioxidant levels and response, the magnitude of ozone-induced neutrophilia (+20.6%, p <.01 [HC] vs. +15.2%, p =.01 [MA]) and decrements in FEV(1) (-8.0%, p <.01 [HC] vs. -3.2%, p <.05 [MA]) did not differ between the two groups. These data demonstrate significant differences between the interaction of ozone with RTLF antioxidants in MA and HC subjects. These responses and variations in basal antioxidant defense were not, however, useful predictive markers of group or individual responsiveness to ozone.

The geographical and ethnic distribution of the D90A CuZn-SOD mutation in the Russian Federation.

INTRODUCTION: Mutations in the gene encoding the free radical scavenging enzyme CuZn-superoxide dismutase have been associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Ninety-eight mutations have been found worldwide in patients with ALS, all but one showing a dominant pattern of inheritance. The exception is the D90A mutation which in Finland, northern Norway and northern Sweden exists with an allele frequency of 1-2.5% and is in these regions associated with ALS inherited as a recessive trait. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study we searched for the D90A CuZn-SOD mutation in different ethnic populations of the Russian Federation and found the D90A mutation not only in locations close to the Scandinavian peninsula but also in remote populations in Asia. CONCLUSION: The finding makes the D90A mutation the most prevalent CuZn-SOD mutation globally and has implications for interpreting the recent reports of D90A-heterozygous ALS patients in North America and Europe.

In vitro photochemical cataract in mice lacking copper-zinc superoxide dismutase.

We here evaluate cataract formation in mice lacking the cytosolic copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) in an in vitro model using irradiation with visible light and riboflavin as a photosensitizing agent. Isolated, cultured lenses from wild-type and CuZn-SOD-null mice were irradiated for 1.5 h by a daylight fluorescent light after preincubation with 10 microM riboflavin for 24 h. Cataract formation was evaluated daily with digital image analysis and ocular staging, and after 5 d 86Rb uptake and water contents of the lenses were determined. Basal superoxide concentrations in freshly isolated lenses from wild-type and CuZn-SOD-null mice were determined with lucigenin-derived chemiluminescense, and enzymatic activities of all three SOD isoenzymes in the murine lens were determined with a direct spectrophotometric method. The cytosolic CuZn-SOD accounts for 90% of the total SOD activity of the murine lens. CuZn-SOD-null lenses showed a doubled basal superoxide concentration, and were more prone to develop photochemical cataract in the present model with more opacification, more hydration, and less 86Rb uptake than lenses from wild-type mice. We conclude that CuZn-SOD is an important superoxide scavenger in the lens, and that it may have a protective role against cataract formation.

Markers of high fish intake are associated with decreased risk of a first myocardial infarction.

High intake of fish has been associated with reduced risk of CHD. The high content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in fish has been suggested to be a protective factor. In addition, fish is the entirely dominating source of methylmercury for the general population, and the concentration of Hg in erythrocytes (Ery-Hg) is often used as an index of fish consumption. Our aim was to study the relationships between a first-ever myocardial infarction, Ery-Hg, activity of gluthathione peroxidase in erythrocytes (Ery-GSH-Px) and plasma concentration of the n-3 PUFA eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (P-PUFA). In a population-based prospective nested case-control study within Northern Sweden seventy-eight cases of a first-ever myocardial infarction were compared with 156 controls with respect to Ery-Hg, P-PUFA and Ery-GSH-Px. Both Ery-Hg and P-PUFA, but not Ery-GSH-Px, were significantly higher in subjects reporting high fish intake (at least one meal per week) than in those with lower intake. This finding suggests that Ery-Hg and P-PUFA reflect previous long-term fish intake. Low risk of myocardial infarction was associated with high Ery-Hg or high P-PUFA. In a multivariate model the risk of myocardial infarction was further reduced in subjects with both high Ery-Hg and high P-PUFA (odds ratio 0.16, 95 % CI 0.04, 0.65). In conclusion, there is a strong inverse association between the risk of a first myocardial infarction and the biomarkers of fish intake, Ery-Hg and P-PUFA, and this association is independent of traditional risk factors.

Vasoactive factors and growth factors alter vascular smooth muscle cell EC-SOD expression.

Oxygen free radicals have been suggested to play important roles in atherogenesis and other pathological processes in the blood vessel wall. The vascular wall contains large amounts of extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD), which is produced and secreted to the extracellular space by smooth muscle cells. In this study, we investigated the influence of factors regulating tension and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and of some interstitial matrix components on EC-SOD expression. The expression and secretion of EC-SOD were upregulated by histamine, vasopressin, oxytocin, endothelin-1, angiotensin II, serotonin, heparin, and heparan sulfate and were downregulated by platelet-derived growth factors-AA and -BB, acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors, and epidermal growth factor. The responses were slow and developed over several days. The findings suggest that various physiological and pathological conditions might markedly influence EC-SOD expression, significantly altering the susceptibility of the vascular wall to effects of the superoxide radical.

Extracellular superoxide dismutase deficiency and atherosclerosis in mice.

Lipoprotein peroxidation in the arterial wall has been implicated in atherogenesis. The superoxide radical is formed in arteries and can induce such oxidation. Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) occurs in high concentration in the vascular wall interstitium, and in this study, we examined the importance of the enzyme in atherogenesis. On an apolipoprotein E-null background, the limited aortic lesions induced by a 1-month atherogenic diet were larger in EC-SOD wild-type mice than in EC-SOD-null mice, whereas there were no differences between the EC-SOD genotypes in the larger lesions seen after 3 months on the diet or after 8 months on normal chow. Despite smaller or equal lesions in the EC-SOD-null mice, their cholesterol levels were somewhat higher. Also, on a wild-type background, there were no effects produced by the absence or presence of EC-SOD on atherogenic diet-induced aortic root lesions. The urinary excretion of the lipid peroxidation biomarker 8-isoprostaglandin F(2alpha) was related to the rates of atherogenesis in the mice but was not influenced by the EC-SOD genotype. Likewise, the EC-SOD status had no effect on the staining for oxidized low density lipoprotein epitopes in aortic root sections. Our findings suggest that EC-SOD has little influence on atherogenesis in mice.

Superoxide dismutase isoenzymes in the normal and diseased human cornea.

PURPOSE: The human cornea, a tissue much exposed to oxidative stress, is rich in extracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD). In this study, the contents and distributions of the SOD isoenzymes in the normal human cornea were compared with those in corneas affected by keratoconus and bullous keratopathy. METHODS: The central and peripheral parts of normal human corneas were analyzed separately. Central corneal buttons were obtained from patients with keratoconus and bullous keratopathy who were undergoing primary keratoplasty or retransplantation. SOD enzymatic activities were determined by a direct spectrophotometric method, and extracellular SOD and the cytosolic Cu- and Zn-containing SOD (CuZn-SOD) proteins were determined with ELISA and studied with immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The total SOD content, and particularly the extracellular SOD content, was lower in the central than in the peripheral normal cornea. CuZn-SOD and extracellular SOD were demonstrated in all three corneal layers. CuZn-SOD was found in cells, whereas extracellular SOD appeared to be localized on cell surfaces, in basal membranes, and in the stroma. In keratoconus, corneal levels of extracellular SOD were half those in the control corneas, whereas CuZn-SOD and the mitochondrial Mn-containing SOD levels were normal. In bullous keratopathy, apart from edematous dilution, SOD isoenzyme levels were essentially normal. In a remarkable finding, the same pattern in SOD isoenzyme levels as in the original disease was also found at retransplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Extracellular SOD and CuZn-SOD show markedly different distribution patterns within the human cornea. Extracellular SOD activity in the central cornea is halved in keratoconus, compared with that in normal control corneas. The finding of a similar reduction at retransplantation in keratoconus suggests reduced corneal extracellular SOD synthesis in cells of the host as a cause of the low enzyme levels.

Superoxide dismutase in CSF from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients with and without CuZn-superoxide dismutase mutations.

Mutations in CuZn-superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) have been linked to familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and motor neurone death is caused by the gain of a toxic property of the mutant protein. Here we determined amounts, activity and molecular forms of CuZn-SOD in CSF from ALS patients carrying the D90A and other CuZn-SOD mutations and patients without such mutations. There were no differences in amount of protein and enzymic activities of CuZn-SOD between 37 neurological controls, 54 sporadic and 12 familial ALS cases, and 10 cases homozygous for the D90A mutation. Three cases heterozygous for the A89V, S105L and G114A CuZn-SOD mutations showed low amounts of CuZn-SOD. There was no evidence for accumulation of inactive protein in any of the groups. Immunoblots showed no evidence for the presence of any precipitates or other molecular forms of CuZn-SOD with higher molecular weight in the groups. About 25% of the CuZn-SOD subunits in CSF from controls shows an N-terminal truncation. This truncated portion does not differ between controls and ALS groups not carrying CuZn-SOD mutations, but is 70% larger in samples from D90A homozygous ALS patients. The findings suggest an essentially normal amount and activity of D90A mutant CuZn-SOD in CNS tissues of ALS cases. The increased occurrence of N-terminally truncated mutant subunits may indicate a difference in degradation routes compared with the wild-type enzyme, resistance against subsequent proteolytic steps and/or a compromised downstream proteolytic machinery. Molecular fragments accumulated to a greater extent from the D90A mutant enzyme might contribute to the motor neurone degeneration. We also determined the other SOD isoenzymes: in the controls, CuZn-SOD contributed 75%, extracellular SOD 25% and Mn-SOD <5% of the total SOD activity. There was no difference in the amount of extracellular SOD between any of the groups.

Chronic cobalt exposure affects antioxidants and ATP production in rat myocardium.

Chronic cobalt exposure is characterized by severe cardiac insufficiency. Since the mechanisms of cobalt toxicity are not yet clear, we analysed the effects of chronic cobalt exposure on antioxidant enzyme activities and myocardial mitochondrial ATP production rate in a rat model. One group of rats was fed a conventional diet and another a cobalt supplemented diet for 24 weeks. The manganese-superoxide dismutase activity was markedly reduced in the cobalt rats (18+/-4.7 U/mg protein) compared to the control rats (100+/-22 U/mg protein; p <0.001). Activity in the respiratory chain enzymes succinate-cytochrome c reductase, NADH-cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome c oxidase was also reduced in the cobalt rats (p<0.01). Glutamate dehydrogenase activity, located in the mitochondrial matrix, was unchanged. The mitochondrial ATP production rate in relation to myocardial mass was lower in the cobalt rats for all substrates tested except palmitoyl-l-carnitine + malate. In conclusion, 24 weeks of chronic cobalt exposure induces a marked decrease in manganese-superoxide dismutase activity, a moderate decrease in mitochondrial ATP production rate and a general reduction in the capacity of the respiratory chain. The impairment in mitochondrial ATP production might be secondary to the decreased manganese-superoxide dismutase activity, causing inactivation of mitochondrial factors susceptible to superoxide radicals.

Phenotype determination of a common Pro-Leu polymorphism in human glutathione peroxidase 1.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in human illness such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease. The genetic mechanisms involved are only poorly understood. Here we describe the determination of the allelic frequency and phenotype of a common polymorphism in Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) in Finnish/Swedish populations. A proline/leucine variant occurs at position 197 close to the C-terminus of the protein. The more common allele encoding the Pro variant is present at 59% in a Finnish/Swedish population (n = 66) and at 73% in a Swedish population (n = 315). The genotypes encoding Pro/Pro, Pro/Leu, and Leu/Leu are distributed according to the Hardy-Weinberg relationship. The Swedish population consisted of 101 stroke cases and 214 controls. No significant association between allele frequency and risk to suffer from stroke was evident. Erythrocyte GPX activity was determined in the Finnish/Swedish population and no significant differences were obtained between the genotypes. It can be concluded that the Pro/Leu genetic variation does not appear to compromise the defense against oxidative stress in red blood cells nor to be associated with stroke.

Rabbit extracellular superoxide dismutase: expression and effect on LDL oxidation.

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is a secreted antioxidative enzyme with an abundant mRNA expression in kidney and arterial wall. In order to study expression and antioxidative function of EC-SOD, we cloned the rabbit ec-sod cDNA and produced the recombinant protein in cell culture. In vitro studies did not show a direct relationship between the amounts of synthesized mRNA and secreted protein activity, suggesting post-transcriptional regulation. The antiatherogenic role of EC-SOD was studied by determining the effect of EC-SOD on the oxidation (ox) of low density lipoprotein (LDL), and subsequent degradation of oxLDL in RAW 264 macrophages in vitro. It was found that recombinant EC-SOD reduced both the degradation of LDL in RAW 264 macrophages by 28-36% and its electrophoretic mobility caused by endothelial cell-mediated oxidation. It is therefore suggested that EC-SOD can act as a protective enzyme against the development of atherosclerosis.

Multiple cytokines regulate the expression of extracellular superoxide dismutase in human vascular smooth muscle cells.

Oxygen free radicals as well as immunological reactions have been suggested to play important roles in atherogenesis and other pathological processes of the blood vessel wall. We have previously shown that the vascular wall contains exceptionally large amounts of extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) and that the enzyme is produced and secreted to the extracellular space by the smooth muscle cells. In this work, we studied the influence of inflammatory cytokines on vascular smooth muscle cell expression of EC-SOD, the mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) and the cytosolic copper zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD). The expression of EC-SOD was up-regulated by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin 4 (IL-4). and was down-regulated by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). The ratio between the maximal stimulation and depression observed was around 20-fold. The responses were slow and developed over periods of several days. The Mn-SOD activity was strongly up-regulated by TNF-alpha and IL-1alpha and moderately by IFN-gamma. The CuZn-SOD activity of the smooth muscle cells was not significantly influenced by any of the cytokines. The findings suggest that large changes in the SOD isoenzymes might occur in vascular diseases, significantly altering the susceptibility of the vascular wall to adverse effects of the superoxide radical.

Resistance of endothelium-dependent relaxation to elevation of O(-)(2) levels in rabbit carotid artery.

Endogenous superoxide anion (O(-)(2)) interferes with the bioactivity of nitric oxide (NO) in endothelium-dependent arterial relaxation (EDR). Using the lucigenin chemiluminescence assay, we measured O(-)(2) in the thoracic and abdominal aortas and the carotid artery of rabbits to determine whether ambient O(-)(2) varies among the three arteries and differentially diminishes the effect of NO. Basal levels of O(-)(2) were significantly higher in carotid arteries than in the thoracic aorta [23 +/- 6.1 vs. 3.9 +/- 1.4 chemiluminescence units (CU); P < 0.05], whereas EDR in response to ACh (10(-8)-10(-5) M) was not significantly different on ANOVA. After treatment with the superoxide dismutase (SOD) inhibitor diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC; 10 mM), O(-)(2) levels were significantly elevated, becoming greater in the carotid artery and abdominal aorta than in the thoracic aorta (185 +/- 31.2 and 202 +/- 40.3 vs. 89 +/- 18 CU; P < 0.05). DDC significantly reversed EDR in the thoracic aorta but not in the carotid artery; at 10(-6) M ACh, the decrease seen with DDC was 48 +/- 6.2 vs. 6.8 +/- 8.0% of maximal relaxation in the thoracic aorta and carotid artery, respectively. In the thoracic aorta, exogenous SOD reversed the inhibition of EDR caused by DDC. Moreover, DDC/O(-)(2)-resistant EDR in the carotid artery was ablated by the addition of nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (300 microM; P < 0.05), an NO synthase inhibitor, consistent with peroxynitrite or an O(-)(2)-resistant NO donor being involved in carotid relaxation. Indeed, exogenous peroxynitrite caused similar relaxation of the carotid artery and thoracic aorta, which was unaffected by DDC. Our studies show a greater production of nitrite and O(-)(2) per unit area by the carotid artery, suggesting a greater amount of their product peroxynitrite. These findings support the hypothesis that peroxynitrite is the relaxing agent that resists high O(-)(2) in the carotid artery.