Guanylin and uroguanylin are novel peptides that activate membrane guanylate cyclases found in the kidney and intestine. We compared the effects of these peptides in the isolated perfused rat kidney. Both peptides are natriuretic and kaliuretic in this preparation. Uroguanylin (0.19–1.9 μM) increased glomerular filtration rate from 0.77 ± 0.07 to 1.34 ± 0.3 ml ⋅ g−1 ⋅ min−1at the highest concentration. A maximal increase in Na+ excretion was achieved at 0.66 μM uroguanylin, with a reduction in fractional Na+ reabsorption from 78.7 ± 1.7 to 58.8 ± 4.4%. The highest dose of uroguanylin increased kaliuresis by 50%. Osmolar clearance doubled at the highest concentration of uroguanylin tested ( P< 0.05). Guanylin also elicited a natriuresis and kaliuresis but appeared to be less potent than uroguanylin. The highest concentration of guanylin (1.3 μM) decreased fractional Na+ reabsorption from 73.9 ± 2.4 to 64.5 ± 4.0%, but lower doses were ineffective. Guanylin stimulated urine K+ excretion at the lowest concentration tested (0.33 μM) without any effect on Na+ excretion. These peptides may influence salt and water homeostasis by biological effects in the kidney that are mediated by the intracellular second messenger, cGMP.

GN, UGN, and STa act on the mouse kidney, in part, through a cGMP-dependent, GC-C-independent mechanism, causing significant natriuresis by renal tubular processes. UGN may have further long-term effects on the kidney by altering the expression of such transport-associated proteins as Na+/K+ ATPase and ClC-K2.

We isolated from beef liver a putative insulin mediator termed INS-2, 1. Its structure was determined to be a novel inositol glycan pseudo-disaccharide Mn(2+) chelate containing D-chiro-inositol 2a (as pinitol) and galactosamine. Purification methods were scaled up from those previously reported to isolate an inositol glycan with similar composition from rat liver.(1) Structure of the beef liver glycan was determined by degradative chemistry and 2D NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by chemical synthesis. Its structure is 4-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-3-O-methyl-D-chiro-inositol 1 (INS-2, Figure 1). Its role as an insulin mimetic was demonstrated by its action in vivo to decrease elevated blood glucose injected to low-dose streptozotocin diabetic rats in a stereospecific and dose-dependent manner. The pseudo-disaccharide also stimulated [(14)C]glucose incorporation into [(14)C]glycogen in a dose-dependent manner in H4IIE hepatoma cells in the presence of insulin, thus enhancing insulin action. Only when chelated to Mn(2+) did it activate pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a beta-1,4-linked inositol glycan consisting of D-chiro-inositol and galactosamine isolated from animal tissues with insulin mimetic actions.

Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is an early feature of cardiovascular risk and diabetes. Hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia are causative factors. Excessive endothelial mitochondrial superoxide (ROS) production with hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia is a key mechanism. Inositol components of an insulin inositol glycan mediator, D-chiro-inositol (DCI) and 3-O-methyl DCI (pinitol), decrease hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. We tested whether these, myoinositol and dibutyryl DCI (db-DCI), would prevent or reverse ED in diabetic rats and rabbits. Oral inositols reduced hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia with different potencies and prevented ED in rat aortic rings and mesenteric beds. Inositols added in vitro to five diabetic tissues reversed ED. Relaxation by Ach, NO, and electrical field stimulation was potentiated by inositols in vitro in rabbit penile corpus cavernosa. Inositols in vitro restored impaired contraction by the eNOS inhibitor L-NAME and increased NO effectiveness. DCI and db-DCI decreased elevated ROS in endothelial cells in high glucose and db-DCI reduced PKC activation, hexosamine pathway activity, and advanced glycation end products to basal levels. Xanthine͞xanthine oxidase generated superoxide was reduced by superoxide dismutase or inositols, with db-DCI efficacious in a mechanism requiring chelated Fe 3؉ . Histochemical examination of rat aortic rings for protein SNO demonstrated a decrease in diabetic rings with restoration by inositols. In summary, inositols prevented and reversed ED in rat and rabbit vessels, reduced elevated ROS in endothelial cells, potentiated nitrergic or vasculo-myogenic relaxations, and preserved NO signaling. These effects are related to their metabolic actions, direct superoxide scavenging, and enhancing and protecting NO signaling. Of the inositols tested, db-DCI was most effective.I nositol phosphoglycans (IPGs) are potentially important putative intracellular mediators of insulin action (1, 2). Separate classes have been identified (3), one containing D-chiro-inositol (DCI) and galactosamine (4) and a second containing myo-inositol (myo-INS) and glucosamine (1-5). Generated rapidly from lipid and͞or protein precursors in response to insulin, they have insulin-like effects in vitro and in vivo (1, 2, 4, 6, 7). Myo-INS phospho-glycans have been prepared by enzymatic cleavage of protein precursors and chemically synthesized (7-9). They have dose-dependent insulinlike effects on isolated adipocytes, cardiomyocytes, and diaphragms including increased glucose transport (7-9). One DCI containing IPG has been isolated from liver, and its structure has been determined and chemically synthesized (10). It is active in vivo; lowering elevated blood glucose when administered intravenously to diabetic rats (10-12). In vitro, it enhances insulin to stimulate [ 14 C]glucose incorporation into glycogen in H4IIE hepatoma cells (10). It activates pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) phosphatase (10), phosphoprotein phosphatase PP2C directly (13), and PP1 indirectly (4,14). Both PDH and glyco...