Search results for "Tetrahydrobiopterin"
showing 10 items of 18 documents
Uncoupling of eNOS in Cardiovascular Disease
2017
Abstract Under physiological conditions, nitric oxide (NO) produced by the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) represents a key vasoprotective factor. Under conditions of cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis, eNOS may become uncoupled. Uncoupled eNOS generates superoxide at the expense of NO and contributes significantly to endothelial dysfunction and atherogenesis. Major mechanisms of eNOS uncoupling include depletion of tetrahydrobiopterin, an essential cofactor for the eNOS enzyme, and deficiency of l -arginine, the eNOS substrate, and/or eNOS S-glutathionylation. Reversal of eNOS uncoupling may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for the prevention …
Improved identification of heterozygotes for phenylketonuria using blood neopterin and biopterin
1993
A novel approach that combines information provided by the metabolism of pteridines and that of phenylalanine has been applied to the detection of heterozygotes for phenylketonuria. Phenylalanine, tyrosine, biopterin and neopterin have been measured in serum from normal controls and heterozygotes for classical phenylketonuria, before and after a phenylalanine oral load. Significant differences in neopterin and biopterin mean values in fasting serum and in the mean increase of biopterin induced by the phenylalanine load were found between groups. Inclusion of pteridine data in the discriminant analysis significantly improved the resolution of the classical phenylalanine loading test for the …
Identification of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin in Drosophila melanogaster.
1988
Summary Using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection we have demonstrated the occurrence of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin in Drosophila melanogaster . The former is the first time that has been detected in vivo . The identification has been based on the retention times, hydrodinamic voltagrams and the differential concentration in three strains of Drosophila melanogaster . Compared to the wild type, the Punch 2 mutant has diminished levels of both pteridines, whereas Henna-recessive 3 lacks completely tetrahydropterin and has increased levels of tetrahydrobiopterin, as expected according to their biochemical lesions.
Redox Regulation of Dihydrofolate Reductase: Friend or Troublemaker?
2015
Oxidative stress is a hallmark of cardiovascular diseases1 and a major contributor to vascular dysfunction.2 On the basis on recent concepts, vascular oxidative stress is caused mainly by infiltrating inflammatory cells such as monocytes/macrophages or leucocytes,3,4 producing so-called kindling radicals that lead to the activation of secondary, vascular enzymatic sources of reactive oxygen species (mainly superoxide).2,5 A prominent example is the uncoupled nitric oxide (NO) synthase, which means that an NO-producing antiatherosclerotic enzyme is getting switched to a superoxide-producing proatherosclerotic enzyme.2 Molecular mechanisms causing endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) uncoupling or …
Mechanisms underlying recoupling of eNOS by HMG-CoA reductase inhibition in a rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus
2007
Abstract Objective HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors have been shown to upregulate GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH-I), the key enzyme for tetrahydrobiopterin de novo synthesis and to normalize tetrahydrobiopterin levels in hyperglycemic endothelial cells. We sought to determine whether in vivo treatment with the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor atorvastatin is able to upregulate the GTPCH-I, to recouple eNOS and to normalize endothelial dysfunction in an experimental model of diabetes mellitus. Methods and results In male Wistar rats, diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ, 60mg/kg). In STZ rats, atorvastatin feeding (20mg/kg/d, 7 weeks), normalized vascular dysfunction as analyzed by isometric tens…
Resveratrol Reverses Endothelial Nitric-Oxide Synthase Uncoupling in Apolipoprotein E Knockout Mice
2010
A crucial cause of the decreased bioactivity of nitric oxide (NO) in cardiovascular diseases is the uncoupling of the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) caused by the oxidative stress-mediated deficiency of the NOS cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)). The reversal of eNOS uncoupling might represent a novel therapeutic approach. The treatment of apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-KO) mice with resveratrol resulted in the up-regulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoforms (SOD1-SOD3), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1), and catalase and the down-regulation of NADPH oxidases NOX2 and NOX4 in the hearts of ApoE-KO mice. This was associated with reductions in superoxide, 3-nitrotyrosine, and malondiald…
Nitric oxide synthase inhibition and oxidative stress in cardiovascular diseases: Possible therapeutic targets?
2013
International audience; Nitric oxide (• NO) is synthetized enzymatically from L-arginine (L-Arg) by three NO synthase isoforms, iNOS, eNOS and nNOS. The synthesis of NO is selectively inhibited by guanidino-substituted analogs of L-Arg or methylarginines such as asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), which results from protein degradation in cells. Many disease states, including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, are associated with increased plasma levels of ADMA. The N-terminal catalytic domain of these NOS isoforms binds the heme prosthetic group as well as the redox cofactor, tetrahydrobiopterin (BH 4) associated with a regulatory protein, calmodulin (CaM). The enzymatic activity of NOS…
Uncoupling of endothelial NO synthase in atherosclerosis and vascular disease.
2013
Nitric oxide (NO) produced by the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) is an antihypertensive, antithrombotic and anti-atherosclerotic molecule. Hypercholesterolemia leads to a reduction in vascular NO bioavailability. This is attributed to a dysfunction of the eNOS enzyme and a reduced eNOS activity. NADPH oxidase-mediated oxidative stress leads to oxidation of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), the essential cofactor of eNOS. In BH4 deficiency, oxygen reduction uncouples from NO synthesis, thereby converting eNOS to a superoxide-producing enzyme. As a consequence of eNOS uncoupling, NO production is reduced and the pre-existing oxidative stress is enhanced, which contribute significantly to atherogenes…
Regulation of pteridine biosynthesis and aromatic amino acid hydroxylation in Drosophila melanogaster
1989
The relationship between high dietary levels of aromatic amino acid and regulation of pteridines in Drosophila eyes was examined by measuring changes in pool levels of six pterins in the wild type and mutants and amino acid pool levels in flies that carry mutations for pteridine biosynthesis. The effect upon relative viability and developmental times was also analyzed; relative viability was affected by L-phenylalanine, L-tryptophan, and L-tyrosine in decreasing order and the D-amino acids had little or no effect. The changes in concentration of biopterin, dihydrobiopterin, pterin, sepiapterin, drosopterins, and isoxanthopterin showed a characteristic pattern of increased and/or decreased a…
Pharmacological prevention of eNOS uncoupling.
2013
Under physiological conditions, nitric oxide (NO) is produced in the vasculature mainly by the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). This endothelium-derived NO is a protective molecule with antihypertensive, antithrombotic and anti-atherosclerotic properties. Cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, cigarette smoking and diabetes mellitus induce oxidative stress mostly by stimulation of the NADPH oxidase. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species leads to oxidation of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), the essential cofactor of eNOS. In BH4 deficiency, oxygen reduction uncouples from NO synthesis, thereby converting eNOS to a superoxide- producing enzyme. Consequently, NO …