We investigated whether decreased responsiveness of the heart to physiological increases in fatty acid availability results in lipid accumulation and lipotoxic heart disease. Lean and obese Zucker rats were either fed ad libitum or fasted overnight. Fasting increased plasma nonesterified fatty acid levels in both lean and obese rats, although levels were greatest in obese rats regardless of nutritional status. Despite increased fatty acid availability, the mRNA transcript levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-␣-regulated genes were similar in fed lean and fed obese rat hearts. Fasting increased expression of all PPAR-␣-regulated genes in lean Zucker rat hearts, whereas, in obese Zucker rat hearts, muscle carnitine palmitoyltransferase and medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase were unaltered with fasting. Rates of oleate oxidation were similar for hearts from fed rats. However, fasting increased rates of oleate oxidation only in hearts from lean rats. Dramatic lipid deposition occurred within cardiomyocytes of obese, but not lean, Zucker rats upon fasting. Cardiac output was significantly depressed in hearts isolated from obese rats compared with lean rats, regardless of nutritional status. Fasting increased cardiac output in hearts of lean rats only. Thus, the heart's inability to increase fatty acid oxidation in proportion to increased fatty acid availability is associated with lipid accumulation and contractile dysfunction of the obese Zucker rat.

Priapism, abnormally prolonged penile erection in the absence of sexual excitation, is associated with ischemia-mediated erectile tissue damage and subsequent erectile dysfunction. It is common among males with sickle cell disease (SCD), and SCD transgenic mice are an accepted model of the disorder. Current strategies to manage priapism suffer from a poor fundamental understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the disorder. Here we report that mice lacking adenosine deaminase (ADA), an enzyme necessary for the breakdown of adenosine, displayed unexpected priapic activity. ADA enzyme therapy successfully corrected the priapic activity both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that it was dependent on elevated adenosine levels. Further genetic and pharmacologic evidence demonstrated that A 2B adenosine receptor-mediated (A 2B R-mediated) cAMP and cGMP induction was required for elevated adenosine-induced prolonged penile erection. Finally, priapic activity in SCD transgenic mice was also caused by elevated adenosine levels and A 2B R activation. Thus, we have shown that excessive adenosine accumulation in the penis contributes to priapism through increased A 2B R signaling in both Ada -/-and SCD transgenic mice. These findings provide insight regarding the molecular basis of priapism and suggest that strategies to either reduce adenosine or block A 2B R activation may prove beneficial in the treatment of this disorder.

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Abstract-Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific hypertensive syndrome that causes substantial maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Recent evidence indicates that maternal endothelial dysfunction in preeclampsia results from increased soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), a circulating antiangiogenic protein. Factors responsible for excessive production of sFlt-1 in preeclampsia have not been identified. We tested the hypothesis that angiotensin II type 1 (AT 1 ) receptor activating autoantibodies, which occur in women with preeclampsia, contribute to increased production of sFlt-1. IgG from women with preeclampsia stimulates the synthesis and secretion of sFlt-1 via AT 1 receptor activation in pregnant mice, human placental villous explants, and human trophoblast cells. Using FK506 or short-interfering RNA targeted to the calcineurin catalytic subunit mRNA, we determined that calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T-cells signaling functions downstream of the AT 1 receptor to induce sFlt-1 synthesis and secretion by AT 1 -receptor activating autoantibodies. AT 1 -receptor activating autoantibody-induced sFlt-1 secretion resulted in inhibition of endothelial cell migration and capillary tube formation in vitro. Overall, our studies demonstrate that an autoantibody from women with preeclampsia induces sFlt-1 production via angiotensin receptor activation and downstream calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T-cells signaling. These autoantibodies represent potentially important targets for diagnosis and therapeutic intervention. Key Words: preeclampsia Ⅲ renin-angiotensin system Ⅲ angiotensin receptor Ⅲ autoantibody Ⅲ angiogenesis Ⅲ cell signaling P reeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific syndrome of hypertension and proteinuria, resulting in substantial maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. 1 Although the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of the disorder are not well understood, preeclampsia is largely believed to be associated with uteroplacental ischemia and maternal endothelial cell dysfunction. [2][3][4][5] It is a widely held view that "toxic factors" secreted by the placenta into the maternal circulation are responsible for systemic endothelial dysfunction, hypertension, and multiorgan damage. 6 -11 Recent research has shown that soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) is 1 of the key "toxic factors" released by the placenta into the maternal circulation and that it contributes to the hypertension, proteinuria, and endothelial cell dysfunction associated with this disorder. 12-15 sFlt-1 is a soluble form of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor that lacks the cytoplasmic tail and transmembrane domain but retains the extracellular ligand-binding domain (sFlt-1 is also named sVEGFR1).Therefore, sFlt-1 prevents circulating vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor interactions with their proangiogenic receptors and functions as an antiangiogenic factor. The level of sFlt-1 in the plasma of women with preeclampsia is elevated in comparison with that in women...

Abstract-Maternal endothelial dysfunction in preeclampsia is associated with increased soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), a circulating antagonist of vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor. Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a potent vasoconstrictor that increases concomitant with sFlt-1 during pregnancy. Therefore, we speculated that Ang II may promote the expression of sFlt-1 in pregnancy. Here we report that infusion of Ang II significantly increases circulating levels of sFlt-1 in pregnant mice, thereby demonstrating that Ang II is a regulator of sFlt-1 secretion in vivo. Furthermore, Ang II stimulated sFlt-1 production in a dose-and time-dependent manner from human villous explants and cultured trophoblasts but not from endothelial cells, suggesting that trophoblasts are the primary source of sFlt-1 during pregnancy. As expected, Ang II-induced sFlt-1 secretion resulted in the inhibition of endothelial cell migration and in vitro tube formation. In vitro and in vivo studies with losartan, small interfering RNA specific for calcineurin and FK506 demonstrated that Ang II-mediated sFlt-1 release was via Ang II type 1 receptor activation and calcineurin signaling, respectively. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized regulatory role for Ang II on sFlt-1 expression in murine and human pregnancy and suggest that elevated sFlt-1 levels in preeclampsia may be caused by a dysregulation of the local renin/angiotensin system. (Circ Res. 2007;100:88-95.)