Search

To test whether transient receptor potential channel vanilloid subfamily member-1 (TRPV1) mediates acid-induced inflammation in the esophagus, a tubular segment of esophageal mucosa was tied at both ends, forming a sac. The sac was filled with 0.01 N HCl (or Krebs buffer for control) and kept in oxygenated Krebs buffer at 37°C. The medium around the sac (supernatant) was collected after 3 h. Supernatant of the HCl-filled sac abolished contraction of esophageal circular muscle strips in response to electric field stimulation. Contraction was similarly abolished by supernatant of mucosal sac filled with the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin (10-6 M). These effects were reversed by the selective TRPV1 antagonist 5′-iodoresiniferatoxin (IRTX) and by the platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonist CV9388. Substance P and CGRP levels in mucosa and in supernatant increased in response to HCl, and these increases were abolished by IRTX and by tetrodotoxin (TTX) but not affected by CV9388, indicating that substance P and CGRP are neurally released and PAF independent. In contrast, the increase in PAF was blocked by IRTX but not by TTX. Presence of TRPV1 receptor was confirmed by RT-PCR and by Western blot analysis in whole mucosa and in esophageal epithelial cells enzymatically isolated and sorted by flow cytometry or immunoprecipitated with cytokeratin antibodies. In epithelial cells PAF increased in response to HCl, and the increase was abolished by IRTX. We conclude that HCl-induced activation of TRPV1 receptors in esophageal mucosa causes release of substance P and CGRP from neurons and release of PAF from epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously reported that induction of acute experimental esophagitis by repeated perfusion of HCl may affect release of intracellular Ca2+ stores. We therefore measured cytosolic Ca2+ in response to a maximally effective dose of ACh in fura 2-AM-loaded lower esophageal sphincter (LES) circular muscle cells and examined the contribution of H2O2 to the reduction in Ca2+ signal. In normal cells, the ACh-induced Ca2+ increase was the same in normal-Ca2+ and Ca2+-free medium and was abolished by the phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate-specific phospholipase C inhibitor U-73122, confirming that the initial ACh-induced contraction depends on Ca2+ release from intracellular stores through production of inositol trisphosphate. In LES cells, the ACh-induced Ca2+ increase in normal-Ca2+ medium was significantly lower in esophagitis than in normal cells and was further reduced (∼70%) when the cells were incubated in Ca2+-free medium. This reduction was partially reversed by the H2O2 scavenger catalase. H2O2 measurements in LES circular muscle showed significantly higher levels in esophagitis than in normal cells. When normal LES cells were incubated with H2O2, the ACh-induced Ca2+ increase was significantly reduced in normalCa2+ and Ca2+-free medium and was similar to that observed in animals with esophagitis. The initial ACh-induced contraction was also reduced in normal cells incubated with H2O2. H2O2, when applied to cells at sufficiently high concentration, produced a visible and prolonged Ca2+ signal in normal cells. H2O2-induced cell contraction was also sensitive to depletion of stores by thapsigargin (TG); conversely, H2O2 reduced TG-induced contraction, suggesting that TG and H2O2 may operate through similar mechanisms. Ca2+ATPase activity measurement indicates that H2O2 and TG reduced Ca2+-ATPase activity, confirming similarity of mechanism of action. We conclude that H2O2 may be at least partly responsible for impairment of Ca2+ release in acute experimental esophagitis by inhibiting Ca2+ uptake and refilling Ca2+ stores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myoganic lower esophageal sphincter (LES) tone is maintained by arachidonic acid metabolites, such as PGF2α and thromboxane A2/B2. Experimental esoph- agitis in cat reduces LES in vivo pressure and in vitro tone. Because IL-1β may mediate esophagitis-associated reduction in ACh release in esophagus, we examined whether IL-1β may also play a role in esophagitis-induced reduction of LES tone. A cat model of experimental esophagitis was obtained by repeated esophageal perfusion with HCl (Biancani P. Barwick K, Selling J, and McCallum R. Gastreonterology 87:8–16, 1984 and Sohn UD, Harnett KM, Cao W, Rich H, Kim N, Behar J, and Biancani P. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 283: 1293–1304, 1997.). LES circular muscle strips were examined in muscle chambers as previously described (Biancani P. Billett G. Hillemeier C, Nissenshon M, Rhim BY, Sweczack S, and Behar J. Gastroenterology 103: 1199–1206, 1992). Levels of inflammatory mediators were measured. IL-1β levels were higher in esophagitis than in normal LES. IL-1β reduced normal LES tone, and the reduction was reversed by catalase, suggesting a role of H2O2. This was confirmed by IL-lβ-induced production of H2O2 in normal LES and elevated H2O2 levels in esophagitis. H2O2 by itself is sufficient to explain the changes that occur in the muscle, reducing its ability to contract. H2O2 increased PGE2 in normal LES, and PGE2 levels were elevated in esophagitis LES, whereas PGF2α levels were unchanged. H2O2 also increased levels of 8-isoprostanes, stable prostaglandin-like compounds formed by free radical-induced peroxidation of arachidonic acid, and 8-isoprostane levels were elevated in esophagitis. The PGF2α analog 8-iso-PGF2α caused little contraction of LES strips but reduced PGF2α binding and contraction of normal LES. In esophagitis, PGF2α binding and contraction were reduced in LES, suggesting that isoprostanes may contribute to reduction in tone in esophagitis. The data suggest that, in esophagitis, IL-1β causes production of H2O2 H2O2 increases PGE2, which relaxes the LES, and 8-iso-F2α which blocks PGF2α-mediated contraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholinergic mechanisms are largely responsible for esophageal contraction in response to swallowing or to in vitro electrical field stimulation (EFS). After induction of experimental esophagitis by repeated acid perfusion, the responses to swallowing and to EFS were significantly reduced but contraction in response to ACh was not affected, suggesting that cholinergic mechanisms are damaged by acid perfusion but that myogenic mechanisms are not. Measurements of ACh release in response to EFS confirmed that release of ACh was reduced in esophagitis compared with normal controls. To examine factors contributing to this neuropathy, normal esophageal strips were incubated for 1-2 h with the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β (100 U/ml), IL-6 (1 ng/ml), or TNF-α (1 ng/ml). IL-1β and IL-6 levels, measured by Western blot analysis, increased in esophagitis compared with normal circular muscle. IL-1β and IL-6 reduced contraction in response to EFS (2-10 Hz, 0.2 ms) but did not affect ACh-induced contraction, suggesting that these cytokines inhibit ACh release without affecting myogenic contractile mechanisms. EFS-induced ACh release was significantly reduced in normal esophageal strips by incubation in IL-1β or IL-6, suggesting that they may contribute to the contractility changes. TNF-α at 1 ng/ml, however, did not affect the response to ACh or to electrical stimulation but inhibited both at higher concentrations. TNF-α levels were low in normal muscle and did not increase with esophagitis. The data suggest that the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 contribute to reduced esophageal contraction by inhibiting release of ACh from myenteric neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contraction of smooth muscle depends on the balance of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) activities. Because MLCK activation depends on the activation of calmodulin, which requires a high Ca2+ concentration, phosphatase inhibition has been invoked to explain contraction at low cytosolic Ca2+ levels. The link between activation of the Ca2+-independent protein kinase Cε (PKCε) and MLC phosphorylation observed in the esophagus (ESO) (Sohn UD, Cao W, Tang DC, Stull JT, Haeberle JR, Wang CLA, Harnett KM, Behar J, and Biancani P. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 281: G467-G478, 2001), however, has not been elucidated. We used phosphatase and kinase inhibitors and antibodies to signaling enzymes in combination with intact and saponin-permeabilized isolated smooth muscle cells from ESO and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to examine PKCεdependent, Ca2+-independent signaling in ESO. The phosphatase inhibitors okadaic acid and microcystin-LR, as well as an antibody to the catalytic subunit of type 1 protein serine/threonine phosphatase, elicited similar contractions in ESO and LES. MLCK inhibitors (ML-7, ML-9, and SM-I) and antibodies to MLCK inhibited contraction induced by phosphatase inhibition in LES but not in ESO. The PKC inhibitor chelerythrine and antibodies to PKCE, but not antibodies to PKCβII, inhibited contraction of ESO but not of LES. In ESO, okadaic acid triggered translocation of PKCε from cytosolic to particulate fraction and increased activity of integrin-linked kinase (ILK). Antibodies to the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases ERK1/ERK2 and to ILK, and the MAP kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD-98059, inhibited okadaic acid-induced ILK activity and contraction of ESO. We conclude that phosphatase inhibition potentiates the effects of MLCK in LES but not in ESO. Contraction of ESO is mediated by activation of PKCε, MEK, ERK1/2, and ILK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of fractionated oxidized low density lipoproteins (oxidized LDL) on the growth of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and their relationship to the formation of lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC) as well as the activation of protein kinase C (PKC) were studied. VSMC were isolated from porcine aorta by explant culture. LDL was isolated from porcine blood by sequential ultracentrifugation and oxidized LDL was obtained by incubating LDL with 5 μM CuSO[sub 4] at 37°C for various lengths of time. Our results showed that LDL oxidized for 12 h and eluted from fast protein liquid chromatography at 43 min inhibited the growth of VSMC, and that LDL oxidized for longer than 48 h and eluted at 48 min stimulated the growth of VSMC. The formation of lyso-PC in the oxidized LDL correlated well with its stimulatory effect, suggesting that lyso-PC is responsible for the mitogenic effect of oxidized LDL. This stimulatory effect of oxidized LDL was inhibited by staurosporine, a PKC inhibitor. Treatment with oxidized LDL increased the activity of membrane PKC, but it decreased that of cytosolic PKC, suggesting the translocation of PKC from cytosol to the membrane in the presence of oxidized LDL. These results suggested that the oxidized LDL-stimulated VSMC growth was mediated by the formation of lyso-PC and the activation of PKC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]