Neuropeptide Y Reduces Nasal Epithelial T2R Bitter Taste Receptor–Stimulated Nitric Oxide Production

Ciliary beat frequency (CBF) regulates the oviductal transport of oocytes and embryos, which are important components of the reproductive process. Local release of ATP transiently increases CBF by increasing [Ca2+]i. Ovarian hormones also regulate ciliary activity and oviductal transport. Progesterone (P4) induces nitric oxide (NO) production and high P4 concentrations induce ciliary dysfunction. However, the mechanism by which P4 affects CBF has not been elucidated. To evaluate the role of P4 in NO production and its effect on ATP-induced increases in CBF, we measured CBF, NO concentrations and [Ca2+]i in cultures of oviductal ciliated cells treated with P4 or NO signalling-related molecules. ATP induced a [Ca2+]i peak, followed by an increase in NO concentrations that were temporally correlated with the decreased phase of the transiently increased CBF. Furthermore, P4 increased the expression of nitric oxide synthases (iNOS and nNOS) and reduced the ATP-induced increase in CBF via a mechanism that involves the NO signalling pathway. These results have improved our knowledge about intracellular messengers controlling CBF and showed that NO attenuates oviduct cell functions. Furthermore, we showed that P4 regulates neurotransmitter (ATP) actions on CBF via the NO pathway, which could explain pathologies where oviductal transport is altered and fertility decreased.

Background Upper airway epithelial cells produce bactericidal nitric oxide (NO) in response to both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Our previous work demonstrated that T2R38, a bitter taste receptor (T2R) expressed in airway epithelium, produces NO in response to quorum-sensing molecules secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We also demonstrated that Staphylococci products elicit an NO response when using a T2R-independent pathway. When screening additional human pathogens for epithelial T2R activation, we found that the gram-positive aerobe Bacillus cereus secretes a T2R agonist that yields NO production. Objective The objective of this study was to characterize the activating B. cereus product(s) and to describe the epithelial cell signaling pathway involved. Methods Sinonasal air-liquid interface cultures were treated with B. cereus conditioned medium (CM), and NO production was measured by using 4-amino-5-methylamino-2′,7′ -difluorofluorescein fluorescence imaging. Ciliary beat frequency (CBF) was assessed in response to B. cereus CM. Pharmacologic studies that use inhibitors of the T2R-signaling pathway were used to determine if the production of NO was mediated by a T2R. Purification studies were performed to analyze the physical properties of the activating product(s) contained in the CM. Results A product(s) secreted by B. cereus induced NO production and increased CBF. The response varied markedly between individual patients and involved two important components of bitter taste signaling, phospholipase C isoform β-2 and the transient receptor potential melastatin isoform 5 ion channel. Conclusions This study demonstrated that a B. cereus product(s) elicited an NO-mediated innate defense response in upper airway epithelium that seemed to be partially mediated by a T2R signaling pathway. The active product that elicited the NO response was likely a small nonpeptide compound, but further purification is required for identification. Patient variation in the NO response to B. cereus products could potentially be due to genetic differences in T2Rs.

Embryos of Helisoma trivolvis exhibit cilia-driven rotation within the egg capsule during development. In this study we examined whether nitric oxide (NO) is a physiological regulator of ciliary beating in cultured ciliary cells. The NO donor S-nitroso- N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP; 1–1,000 μM) produced a dose-dependent increase in ciliary beat frequency (CBF). In contrast, the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor 7-nitroindazole (10 and 100 μM) inhibited the basal CBF and blocked the stimulatory effects of serotonin (100 μM). NO production in response to serotonin was investigated with 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate imaging. Although SNAP (100 μM) produced a rise in NO levels in all cells, only 22% of cells responded to serotonin with a moderate increase. The cGMP analog 8-bromo-cGMP (8-Br-cGMP; 0.2 and 2 mM) increased CBF, and the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor LY-83583 (10 μM) blocked the cilioexcitatory effects of SNAP and serotonin. These data suggest that NO has a constitutive cilioexcitatory effect in Helisoma embryos and that the stimulatory effects of serotonin and NO work through a cGMP pathway. It appears that in Helisoma cilia, NO activity is necessary, but not sufficient, to fully mediate the cilioexcitatory action of serotonin.

AbstractBitter taste receptors (T2Rs) are GPCRs involved in detection of bitter compounds by type 2 taste cells of the tongue, but are also expressed in other tissues throughout the body, including the airways, gastrointestinal tract, and brain. These T2Rs can be activated by several bacterial products and regulate innate immune responses in several cell types. Expression of T2Rs has been demonstrated in immune cells like neutrophils; however, the molecular details of their signaling are unknown. We examined mechanisms of T2R signaling in primary human monocyte-derived unprimed (M0) macrophages (MΦs) using live cell imaging techniques. Known bitter compounds and bacterial T2R agonists activated low-level calcium signals through a pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive, phospholipase C-dependent, and inositol trisphosphate receptor-dependent calcium release pathway. These calcium signals activated low-level nitric oxide (NO) production via endothelial and neuronal NO synthase (NOS) isoforms. NO production increased cellular cGMP and enhanced acute phagocytosis ∼3-fold over 30-60 min via protein kinase G. In parallel with calcium elevation, T2R activation lowered cAMP, also through a PTX-sensitive pathway. The cAMP decrease also contributed to enhanced phagocytosis. Moreover, a co-culture model with airway epithelial cells demonstrated that NO produced by epithelial cells can also acutely enhance MΦ phagocytosis. Together, these data define MΦ T2R signal transduction and support an immune recognition role for T2Rs in MΦ cell physiology.

Vibrio cholerae induces massive intestinal fluid secretion that continues for the life of the stimulated epithelial cells. Enhanced regional blood flow and peristalsis are required to adapt to this obligatory intestinal secretory challenge. Nitric oxide (NO) is a multifunctional molecule that modulates blood flow and peristalsis and possesses both cytotoxic and antibacterial activity. We demonstrate that, compared with those in asymptomatic control subjects, levels of stable NO metabolites ([Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]) are significantly increased in sera from acutely ill Peruvian patients with natural cholera infection as well as from symptomatic volunteers from the United States infected experimentally with V. cholerae. In a rabbit ileal loop model in vivo, cholera toxin (CT) elicited fluid secretion and dose-dependent increases in levels of[Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]in the fluid ( P < 0.01). In contrast, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) elicited no such effects when applied to the intact mucosa. NO synthase (NOS) catalytic activity also increased in toxin-exposed tissues ( P< 0.05), predominantly in epithelial cells. The CT-induced NOS activity was Ca2+dependent and was not suppressed by dexamethasone. In conclusion, symptomatic V. cholerae infection induces NO production in humans. In the related animal model, CT, but not LPS, stimulated significant production of NO in association with increases in local Ca2+-dependent NOS activity in the tissues.

Substance P is a neuropeptide released by afferent neurons in the respiratory tract during inflammatory reactions. It produces effects on blood vessels, bronchial smooth muscle, nasal glands, and respiratory cilia. We studied the in vitro effect of substance P on the ciliary beat frequency of human adenoid explants and its mechanism of action. Substance P was added to cultured adenoid at concentrations of 10−10, 10−8, 10−6, and 10−4 mol/L. Ciliary beat frequency was determined with phase-contrast microscopy and microphotometry. Substance P increased ciliary beat frequency a maximum of 11.9% ± 3.8% ( p < 0.01). Diclofenac (10−6 mol/L) significantly blocked the ciliostimulatory effects of SP ( p < 0.022), indicating that prostaglandin synthesis is an intermediate step in the action of substance P on ciliary beat frequency. The L-arginine analogs, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, inhibit nitric oxide synthesis from L-arginine. L-Arginine analogs (10−4 to 10−2 mol/L) inhibited the effect of substance P ( p < 0.02 at the higher concentration). This inhibition was reversed by adding L-arginine, demonstrating that nitric oxide production is a required step in substance P-induced ciliostimulation. Substance P stimulates ciliary activity in human nasal mucosa as a result of secondary production and release of endogenous prostaglandins and nitric oxide. It is likely that inflammatory disease processes that stimulate release of substance P and subsequent prostaglandin and nitric oxide production modify mucociliary transport. Pharmacologic modification of substance P and its second messengers may eventually permit regulation of this important defense mechanism and control of neurogenic inflammation.

Cadmium is one of a heavy metal which widely used in human life, especially in the electroplating industry and a mixture of textile materials. Cadmium that enters the body binds to the metallothioneins protein. It can increase the formation of free radical compounds, there by inhibiting enzyme activity such as nitric oxide synthase3. This gene regulates the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase which produce a nitric oxide. Nitric oxide role in regulated blood pressure as vasodilator with Angiotensin II as vasoconstriction. The susceptibility to Cd exposure will elevate if the polymorphisms of gene is found in population. The aim of this research was to know effect of cadmium to gene NOS3 polymorphisms on NO, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and antioxidant enzyme in Cd-exposed individual. The genotype individual were detected by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (PCR-RLFP) with MBo1 restriction enzyme. Parameter recorded were blood Cd , NO level, SOD, systolic and diastolic. Data were analyzed by independent t-test. These result showed that 20% of 40 individual of cases subject were detected as polymorphisms individual of NOS3gene, with GA genotype. Their fragment DNA located on 206 bp, 119 bp and 87 bp, but non polymorphisms of NO gene is only located on 206 bp. The result show cadmium could influence polymorphisms NOS3gene and decrease NO production followed by increasing of blood pressure both systolic and diastolic. Cadmium also decrease antioxidant enzyme SOD and GPx level.

In an animal model, nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to increase mucociliary activity in vivo and ciliary beat frequency in vitro. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of NO on blood flow and mucociliary activity in the human nose. The concentration of NO in nasal air was measured with a chemiluminescence technique after nebulizing the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) at a dose of 3.0 mg into the nose in six volunteers, and was found to increase by 50.1% ± 10.0% (mean ± SEM; p <.001) after the SNP challenge. Blood flow measured by laser Doppler flowmetry increased by 67.3% ± 15.5% (p <.05) after challenge with SNP at 1.0 mg, and by 75.4% ± 18.5% at 3.0 mg (p <.01; n = 6). The higher dose, which produced no subjective side effects, was then used in the mucociliary experiments. The maximum increase in nasal mucociliary activity was 57.2% ± 6.7% at 3.0 mg of SNP (n = 5). The findings support the view that NO regulates mucociliary activity and blood flow in the human nasal mucosa.