Contrasting roles of NADPH oxidase isoforms in pressure-overload versus angiotensin II-induced cardiac hypertrophy

Increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is implicated in the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Phagocyte-type NADPH oxidases are major cardiovascular sources of ROS, and recent data indicate a pivotal role of a gp91phox-containing NADPH oxidase in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced LVH. We investigated the role of this oxidase in pressure-overload LVH. gp91phox-/- mice and matched controls underwent chronic Ang II infusion or aortic constriction. Ang II-induced increases in NADPH oxidase activity, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) expression, and cardiac mass were inhibited in gp91phox-/- mice, whereas aortic constriction-induced increases in cardiac mass and ANF expression were not inhibited. However, aortic constriction increased cardiac NADPH oxidase activity in both gp91phox-/- and wild-type mice. Myocardial expression of an alternative gp91phox isoform, Nox4, was upregulated after aortic constriction in gp91phox-/- mice. The antioxidant, N-acetyl-cysteine, inhibited pressure-overload-induced LVH in both gp91phox-/- and wild-type mice. These data suggest a differential response of the cardiac Nox isoforms, gp91phox and Nox4, to Ang II versus pressure overload.     

Endothelial Nox2 overexpression potentiates vascular oxidative stress and hemodynamic response to angiotensin II: studies in endothelial-targeted Nox2 transgenic mice

Vascular disease states are associated with endothelial dysfunction and increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) derived from vascular NADPH oxidases in both vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells. Recent evidence suggests an important role for VSMC NADPH oxidases in vascular ROS production. However, it is unclear whether increased NADPH oxidase activity in endothelial cells alone is sufficient to alter overall vascular ROS production and hemodynamics. We sought to address these questions using transgenic mice with endothelial-targeted overexpression of the catalytic subunit of NADPH oxidase, Nox2. Aortas of Nox2 transgenic (Nox2-Tg) mice had increased total Nox2 mRNA and protein levels compared with wild-type littermates. Both p22phox mRNA and protein levels were also significantly elevated in Nox2-Tg aortas. Aortic superoxide production was significantly increased in Nox2-Tg mice compared with wild-type, but this difference was abolished by endothelial removal. Superoxide dismutase inhibition increased superoxide release and levels of Mn superoxide dismutase protein were significantly elevated in aortas from Nox2-Tg mice compared with wild type. Increased ROS production from endothelial Nox2 overexpression led to increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation in transgenic aortas. Basal blood pressure was similar, however the pressor responses to both acute and chronic angiotensin II administration were significantly increased in Nox2-Tg mice compared with wild type. These results demonstrate that endothelial-targeted Nox2 overexpression is sufficient to increase vascular NADPH oxidase activity, activate downstream signaling pathways, and potentiate the hemodynamic response to angiotensin II, despite compensatory increases in vascular antioxidant enzymes. Endothelial cell Nox2-containing NADPH oxidase plays an important functional role in vascular redox signaling.     

Angiotensin II impairs neurovascular coupling in neocortex through NADPH oxidase-derived radicals

Angiotensin II (Ang II) exerts detrimental effects on cerebral circulation, the mechanisms of which have not been elucidated. In particular, Ang II impairs the increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF) produced by neural activity, a critical mechanism that matches substrate delivery with energy demands in brain. We investigated whether Ang II exerts its deleterious actions by activating Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptors on cerebral blood vessels and producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) through NADPH oxidase. Somatosensory cortex CBF was monitored in anesthetized mice by laser-Doppler flowmetry. Ang II (0.25 microg/kg per minute IV) attenuated the CBF increase produced by mechanical stimulation of the vibrissae. The effect was blocked by the AT1 antagonist losartan and by ROS scavenger superoxide dismutase or tiron and was not observed in mice lacking the gp91phox subunit of NADPH oxidase or in wild-type mice treated with the NADPH oxidase peptide inhibitor gp91ds-tat. Ang II increased ROS production in cerebral microvessels, an effect blocked by the ROS scavenger Mn(III)tetrakis (4-benzoic acid) porphyrin and by the NADPH oxidase assembly inhibitor apocynin. Ang II did not increase ROS production in gp91-null mice. Double-label immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated that AT1 and gp91phox immunoreactivities were present in endothelium and adventitia of neocortical arterioles. Collectively, these findings suggest that Ang II impairs functional hyperemia by activating AT1 receptors and inducing ROS production via a gp91phox containing NADPH oxidase. The data provide the mechanistic basis for the cerebrovascular dysregulation induced by Ang II and suggest novel therapeutic strategies to counteract the effects of hypertension on the brain.     

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha induces NADPH oxidase activity in macrophages, leading to the generation of LDL with PPAR-alpha activation properties

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are nuclear receptors controlling lipid and glucose metabolism as well as inflammation. PPARs are expressed in macrophages, cells that also generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we investigated whether PPARs regulate ROS production in macrophages. Different PPAR-alpha, but not PPAR-gamma agonists, increased the production of ROS (H2O2 and ) in human and murine macrophages. PPAR-alpha activation did not induce cellular toxicity, but significantly decreased intracellular glutathione levels. The increase in ROS production was not attributable to inherent prooxidant effects of the PPAR-alpha agonists tested, but was mediated by PPAR-alpha, because the effects were lost in bone marrow-derived macrophages from PPAR-alpha-/- mice. The PPAR-alpha-induced increase in ROS was attributable to the induction of NADPH oxidase, because (1) preincubation with the NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodinium prevented the increase in ROS production; (2) PPAR-alpha agonists increased production measured by superoxide dismutase-inhibitable cytochrome c reduction; (3) PPAR-alpha agonists induced mRNA levels of the NADPH oxidase subunits p47(phox), p67phox, and gp91phox and membrane p47phox protein levels; and (4) induction of ROS production was abolished in p47phox-/- and gp91phox-/- macrophages. Finally, induction of NADPH oxidase by PPAR-alpha agonists resulted in the formation of oxidized LDL metabolites that exert PPAR-alpha-independent proinflammatory and PPAR-alpha-dependent decrease of lipopolysaccharide-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in macrophages. These data identify a novel mechanism of autogeneration of endogenous PPAR-alpha ligands via stimulation of NADPH oxidase activity.     

Angiotensin II-dependent chronic hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy are unaffected by gp91phox-containing NADPH oxidase

The gp91phox-containing NADPH oxidase is the major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cardiovascular system and inactivation of gp91phox has been reported to blunt hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy seen in angiotensin (Ang) II-infused animals. In the current study, we sought to determine the role of gp91phox-derived ROS on cardiovascular outcomes of chronic exposure to Ang II. The gp91phox-deficient mice were crossed with transgenic mice expressing active human renin in the liver (TTRhRen). TTRhRen mice exhibit chronic Ang II-dependent hypertension and frank cardiac hypertrophy by age 10 to 12 weeks. Four genotypes of mice were generated: control, TTRhRen trangenics (TTRhRen), gp91phox-deficient (gp91-), and TTRhRen transgenic gp91phox-deficient (TTRhRen/gp91-). Eight to 10 mice/group were studied. ROS levels were significantly reduced (P<0.05) in the heart and aorta of TTRhRen/gp91- and gp91-mice compared with control counterparts, and this was associated with reduced cardiac, aortic, and renal NADPH oxidase activity (P<0.05). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), cardiac mass, and cardiac fibrosis were increased in TTRhRen versus controls. In contrast to its action on ROS generation, gp91phox inactivation had no effect on development of hypertension or cardiac hypertrophy in TTRhRen mice, although interstitial fibrosis was reduced. Cardiac and renal expression of gp91phox homologues, Nox1 and Nox4, was not different between groups. Thus, although eliminating gp91phox-associated ROS production may be important in cardiovascular consequences in acute insult models, it does not prevent the development of hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy in a model in which the endogenous renin-angiotensin system is chronically upregulated.     

Inhibition of protein kinase C β(2) prevents tumor necrosis factor-α-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress in endothelial cells: the role of NADPH oxidase subunits

We investigate the cell signal transduction pathway protein kinase C (PKC) and the role of NADPH subunits in the process of TNF-α-induced endothelial apoptosis. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were treated with one of these: 1 mM PKC β(2) inhibitor CGP53353, 10 mM PKC δ inhibitor rottlerin, combination CGP53353 with rottlerin, 3 ×10(-4)M NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin, 5 × 10(-6)M NADPH oxidase peptide inhibitor gp91ds-tat. The apoptosis process was assessed by Hoechst 33342 stain, flow cytometry and Western blot analysis, while intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was detected by 2,7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). The NADPH oxidase subunit gene and protein expression were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. TNF-α significantly induced HUVEC apoptosis and ROS production, accompanying with dramatic upregulation of NADPH oxidase subunits: NOX2/gp91(phox), NOX4, p47(phox) and p67(phox), whereas these enhancements were abolished by the treatment with PKC inhibitors. High TNF-α level exposure induces HUVEC apoptosis, as well as a ROS generation increase via the PKC β(2)-dependent activation of NADPH oxidase. Although the PKC δ pathway may enhance TNF-α-induced HUVEC apoptosis, it does not involve the ROS pathway. Upregulation of expression of NADPH subunits is important in this process, which leads to a new target in antioxidative therapy for vascular disease prevention.     

Phagocytosis-Coupled Activation of the Superoxide-Producing Phagocyte Oxidase, a Member of the NADPH Oxidase (Nox) Family

The phagocyte nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase plays a crucial role in host defense by neutrophils and macrophages. When cells ingest invading microbes, this enzyme becomes activated to reduce molecular oxygen to superoxide, a precursor of microbicidal oxidants, in the phagosome. The catalytic core of the oxidase is membrane-bound cytochrome b558, which comprises gp91phox and p22phox. gp91phox belongs to the NADPH oxidase (Nox) family, which contains the entire electron-transporting apparatus from NADPH to molecular oxygen. In resting neutrophils, cytochrome b558 is mainly present in the membrane of the specific granule, an intracellular component, and is targeted to the phagosomal membrane during phagocytosis. Activation of gp91phox involves the integrated function of cytoplasmic proteins such as p47phox, p67phox, p40phox, and the small guanosine triphosphatase Rac; these proteins translocate to the phagosomal membrane to interact with cytochrome b558, leading to superoxide production. Here we describe a current molecular model for phagocytosis-coupled activation of the NADPH oxidase.     

Increased expression of gp91phox homologues of NAD(P)H oxidase in the aortic media during chronic hypertension: involvement of the renin-angiotensin system.

Although vascular cells express multiple members of the Nox family of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAD(P)H) oxidase, including gp91phox, Nox1, and Nox4, the reasons for the different expressions and specific roles of these members in vascular injury in chronic hypertension have remained unclear. Thus, we quantified the mRNA expressions of these NAD(P)H oxidase components by real-time polymerase chain reaction and evaluated superoxide production and morphological changes in the aortas of 32-week-old stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) and age-matched Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). The aortic media of SHRSP had an approximately 2.5-fold greater level of Nox4 mRNA and an approximately 10-fold greater level of Nox1 mRNA than WKY. The mRNA expressions of gp91phox and p22phox in SHRSP and WKY were comparable. SHRSP were treated from 24 weeks of age for 8 weeks with either high or low doses of candesartan (4 mg/kg/day or 0.2 mg/kg/day), or a combination of hydralazine (30 mg/kg/day) and hydrochlorothiazide (4.5 mg/kg/day). The high-dose candesartan or the hydralazine plus hydrochlorothiazide decreased the blood pressure of SHRSP to that of WKY, whereas the low-dose candesartan exerted no significant antihypertensive action. Media thickening and fibrosis, as well as the increased production of superoxide in SHRSP, were nearly normalized with high-dose candesartan and partially corrected with low-dose candesartan or hydralazine plus hydrochlorothiazide. These changes by antihypertensive treatment paralleled the decrease in mRNA expression of Nox4 and Nox1. These results suggest that blood pressure and angiotensin II type 1 receptor activation are involved in the up-regulation of Nox1 and Nox4 expression, which could contribute to vascular injury during chronic hypertension.     

A gp91phox containing NADPH oxidase selectively expressed in endothelial cells is a major source of oxygen radical generation in the arterial wall

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in regulating vascular tone and intracellular signaling; the enzymes producing ROS in the vascular wall are, however, poorly characterized. We investigated whether a functionally active NADPH oxidase similar to the leukocyte enzyme, ie, containing the subunits p22phox and gp91phox, is expressed in endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a stimulus for leukocyte NADPH oxidase, increased ROS generation in cultured ECs and endothelium-intact rat aortic segments, but not in SMCs or endothelium-denuded arteries. NADPH enhanced chemiluminescence in all preparations. p22phox mRNA and protein was detected in ECs and SMCs, whereas the expression of gp91phox was confined to ECs. Endothelial gp91phox was identical to the leukocyte form as determined by sequence analysis. In contrast, mitogenic oxidase-1 (mox1) was expressed in SMCs, but not in ECs. To determine the functional relevance of gp91phox expression, experiments were performed in aortic segments from wild-type, gp91phox(-/-), and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS)(-/-) mice. PMA-induced ROS generation was comparable in aortae from wild-type and eNOS(-/-) mice, but was attenuated in segments from gp91phox(-/-) mice. Endothelium-dependent relaxation was greater in aortae from gp91phox(-/-) than from wild-type mice. The ROS scavenger tiron increased endothelium-dependent relaxation in segments from wild-type, but not from gp91phox(-/-) mice. These data demonstrate that ECs, in contrast to SMCs, express a gp91phox-containing leukocyte-type NADPH oxidase. This enzyme is a major source for arterial ROS generation and affects the bioavailability of endothelium-derived NO.     

Redox signaling in angiogenesis: role of NADPH oxidase

Angiogenesis, a process of new blood vessel formation, is a key process involved in normal development and wound repair as well as in the various pathophysiologies such as ischemic heart and limb diseases and atherosclerosis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide and H(2)O(2) function as signaling molecules in many aspects of growth factor-mediated responses including angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key angiogenic growth factor and stimulates proliferation, migration, and tube formation of endothelial cells (ECs) primarily through the VEGF receptor type2 (VEGR2, KDR/Flk1). VEGF binding initiates autophosphorylation of VEGFR2, which results in activation of downstream signaling enzymes including ERK1/2, Akt, and eNOS in ECs, thereby stimulating angiogenesis. The major source of ROS in EC is a NADPH oxidase which consists of Nox1, Nox2 (gp91phox), Nox4, p22phox, p47phox, p67phox and the small G protein Rac1. The endothelial NADPH oxidase is activated by angiogenic factors including VEGF and angiopoietin-1. ROS derived from this enzyme stimulate diverse redox signaling pathways leading to angiogenesis-related gene induction as well as EC migration and proliferation, which may contribute to postnatal angiogenesis in vivo. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the recent progress on the emerging area of the role of ROS derived from NADPH oxidase and redox signaling in angiogenesis. Understanding these mechanisms may provide insight into the NADPH oxidase and redox signaling components as potential therapeutic targets for treatment of angiogenesis-dependent cardiovascular diseases and for promoting angiogenesis in ischemic limb and heart diseases.     

Pulsatile versus oscillatory shear stress regulates NADPH oxidase subunit expression: implication for native LDL oxidation

Shear stress regulates endothelial nitric oxide and superoxide (O2-*) production, implicating the role of NADPH oxidase activity. It is unknown whether shear stress regulates the sources of reactive species production, consequent low-density lipoprotein (LDL) modification, and initiation of inflammatory events. Bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) in the presence of 50 microg/mL of native LDL were exposed to (1) pulsatile flow with a mean shear stress (tau(ave)) of 25 dyne/cm2 and (2) oscillating flow at tau(ave) of 0. After 4 hours, aliquots of culture medium were collected for high-performance liquid chromatography analyses of electronegative LDL species, described as LDL- and LDL2-. In response to oscillatory shear stress, gp91phox mRNA expression was upregulated by 2.9+/-0.3-fold, and its homologue, Nox4, by 3.9+/-0.9-fold (P<0.05, n=4), with a corresponding increase in O2-* production rate. The proportion of LDL- and LDL2- relative to static conditions increased by 67+/-17% and 30+/-7%, respectively, with the concomitant upregulation of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression and increase in monocyte/BAEC binding (P<0.05, n=5). In contrast, pulsatile flow downregulated both gp91phox and Nox4 mRNA expression (by 1.8+/-0.2-fold and 3.0+/-0.12-fold, respectively), with an accompanying reduction in O2-* production, reduction in the extent of LDL modification (51+/-12% for LDL- and 30+/-7% for LDL2-), and monocyte/BAEC binding. The flow-dependent LDL oxidation is determined in part by the NADPH oxidase activity. The formation of modified LDL via O2-* production may also affect the regulation of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression and monocyte/BAEC binding.     

Molecular mechanism underlying activation of superoxide-producing NADPH oxidases: roles for their regulatory proteins

The phagocyte NADPH oxidase is dormant in resting cells but becomes activated during phagocytosis to produce superoxide, a precursor of microbicidal oxidants, thereby playing a crucial role in host defence. The catalytic core of this enzyme comprises the two membranous subunits gp91phox/Nox2 and p22phox. The oxidase activation requires the small GTPase Rac and the SH3 domain-containing proteins p47phox and p67phox; they normally exist in the cytoplasm and translocate upon cell stimulation to the membrane. The translocation depends on a stimulus-induced conformational change of p47phox, which leads to the SH3 domain-mediated interaction with p22phox, a binding required for the gp91phox/Nox2-dependent superoxide production. Activation of Nox1, an oxidase that is likely involved in host defence at the colon, requires novel proteins homologous to p47phox and p67phox, designated Noxo1 and Noxa1, respectively. Noxo1 and Noxa1, both expressed abundantly in the colon, are capable of constitutively activating Nox1. The constitutive activation may be due to the property of Noxo1: in contrast with p47phox, Noxo1 seems to normally associate with p22phox, which is required for the Nox1 activation. We will also describe the mechanism underlying regulation of the third oxidase Nox3, which exits in fetal kidney and inner ears.     

Novel gp91(phox) homologues in vascular smooth muscle cells : nox1 mediates angiotensin II-induced superoxide formation and redox-sensitive signaling pathways

Emerging evidence indicates that reactive oxygen species are important regulators of vascular function. Although NAD(P)H oxidases have been implicated as major sources of superoxide in the vessel wall, the molecular identity of these proteins remains unclear. We recently cloned nox1 (formerly mox-1), a member of a new family of gp91(phox) homologues, and showed that it is expressed in proliferating vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In this study, we examined the expression of three nox family members, nox1, nox4, and gp91(phox), in VSMCs, their regulation by angiotensin II (Ang II), and their role in redox-sensitive signaling. We found that both nox1 and nox4 are expressed to a much higher degree than gp91(phox) in VSMCS: Although serum, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and Ang II downregulated nox4, they markedly upregulated nox1, suggesting that this enzyme may account for the delayed phase of superoxide production in these cells. Furthermore, an adenovirus expressing antisense nox1 mRNA completely inhibited the early phase of superoxide production induced by Ang II or PDGF and significantly decreased activation of the redox-sensitive signaling molecules p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and Akt by Ang II. In contrast, redox-independent pathways induced by PDGF or Ang II were unaffected. These data support a role for nox1 in redox signaling in VSMCs and provide insight into the molecular identity of the VSMC NAD(P)H oxidase and its potentially critical role in vascular disease.     

L-arginine reverses p47phox and gp91phox expression induced by high salt in Dahl rats

Derangements in the production and degradation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as nitric oxide (NO) have been implicated in cardiovascular diseases. We explored how supplementation with l-arginine, an NO synthase substrate, restores such derangements of ROS/NO systems in Dahl salt-sensitive, hypertensive (DS) rats. We detected an increase of NADPH oxidase activity, a key enzyme that produces superoxide, in the membrane fraction of the renal cortex derived from DS rats loaded with high salt for 4 weeks; high salt loading also remarkably increased urinary H2O2, 8-isoprostane, and thromboxane B2 excretion and decreased plasma NO end products. These changes from high salt loading were counteracted by oral l-arginine supplementation. We further examined expression patterns of NADPH oxidase subunits in renal cortex derived from these animals. High salt loading increased gp91phox and p47phox but not p22phox or Rac1 or mRNA abundance, which were counteracted with L-arginine supplementation. Western blot analyses after subcellular fractionation revealed that l-arginine supplementation distinctly decreases membrane localization of p47phox protein, as it decreases total expression of Rac1 protein in DS rats with high salt loading. These results disclose that high salt loading causes a deficiency in available L-arginine amounts for NO synthases and induces NADPH oxidase activation in the renal cortex of DS rats, which l-arginine supplementation markedly restores. Since superoxide rapidly eliminates NO, which inhibits sodium reabsorption in the cortical collecting duct, superoxide production caused by upregulated NADPH oxidase activity in the renal cortex of high salt-loaded DS rats may accelerate sodium reabsorption and hypertension.     

FcgammaRIIa mediates C-reactive protein-induced inflammatory responses of human vascular smooth muscle cells by activating NADPH oxidase 4

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the mechanism by which C-reactive protein (CRP) affects pro-inflammatory activities of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). METHODS AND RESULTS: RT-PCR, flow cytometry, and immunoblotting assays consistently showed the expression of FcgammaRIIa by cultured VSMCs isolated from human coronary arteries. Immunofluorescence staining of human coronary artery plaque showed the co-localization of FcgammaRIIa with alpha-actin(+) VSMCs in atheromatous regions. Confocal microscopic image analysis of H(2)DCFDA-labeled cells showed that CRP induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by FcgammaRIIa(+) HEK293T cells. Moreover, CRP time- and dose-dependently generated ROS in VSMCs through FcgammaRIIa activation. VSMCs mainly express NADPH oxidase 4 isoform (Nox4), the suppression of which using a specific siRNA completely abolished CRP-induced ROS generation by VSMCs. The downregulation of p22(phox), a component of the active Nox4 complex, by transfecting with specific decoy oligomers and functional blocking of FcgammaRIIa not only inhibited the CRP-induced ROS generation but also reduced the degree of AP-1 and NF-kappaB activation, the production of MCP-1, IL-6, and ET-1, and the apoptotic changes of VSMCs in response to CRP. CONCLUSIONS: CRP-induced ROS generation by VSMCs, which requires functional activation of FcgammaRIIa and NADPH oxidase 4, orchestrates pro-inflammatory activities of VSMCs and may eventually promote atherogenesis and plaque rupture.