Gender specific influence of fish oil or atorvastatin on functional properties of renal Na,K-ATPase in healthy Wistar and hypertriglyceridemic rats.

For better understanding of pathophysiological processes leading to increased retention of sodium as a consequence of hyperlipidemia, the properties of renal Na,K-ATPase, a key enzyme involved in maintaining sodium homeostasis in the organism, were studied. Enzyme kinetics of renal Na,K-ATPase were used for characterization of ATP- and Na(+)-binding sites after administration of fish oil (FO) (30 mg·day(-1)) or atorvastatin (0.5 mg·100 g(-1)·day(-1)) to healthy Wistar rats and rats with hereditary hypertriglyceridemia of both genders. Untreated healthy Wistar and also hypertriglyceridemic female rats revealed higher Na,K-ATPase activity as compared to respective untreated male groups. Hypertriglyceridemia itself was accompanied with higher Na,K-ATPase activity in both genders. Fish oil improved the enzyme affinity to ATP and Na(+), as indicated by lowered values of K(m) and K(Na) in Wistar female rats. In Wistar male rats FO deteriorated the enzyme in the vicinity of the Na(+)-binding site as revealed from the increased K(Na) value. In hypertriglyceridemic rats FO induced a significant effect only in females in the vicinity of the sodium binding sites resulting in improved affinity as documented by the lower value of K(Na). Atorvastatin aggravated the properties of Na,K-ATPase in both genders of Wistar rats. In hypertriglyceridemic rats protection of Na,K-ATPase was observed, but this effect was bound to females only. Both treatments protected renal Na,K-ATPase in a gender specific mode, resulting probably in improved extrusion of excessive intracellular sodium out of the cell affecting thus the retention of sodium in hHTG females only.

Effect of quercetin on kinetic properties of renal Na,K-ATPase in normotensive and hypertensive rats.

The effect of quercetin, a plant-derived bioflavonoid with documented positive effect on the cardiovascular system, was examined after 4-week supplementation in the dose of 20 mg kg(-1) x day(-1) to young male normotensive control (C) and to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) over the period of their 5(th)-8(th) week of age. The study was focused on the influence of quercetin on properties of the renal Na,K-ATPase, a key system in maintaining the homeostasis of sodium in the organism. Spontaneous hypertension by itself enhanced the activity of Na,K-ATPase probably as a consequence of a higher number of active enzyme molecules, as suggested by the 15% increase of V(max), along with improved affinity to ATP, as indicated by the 30% decrease in the value of Michaelis-Menten constant K(m) in untreated SHR vs. untreated normotensive rats. Quercetin induced a decrease of Na,K-ATPase activity in the presence of all ATP and Na(+) concentrations investigated. Evaluation of kinetic parameters resulted in a constant V(max) value. The ATP-binding properties of the enzyme were not influenced by quercetin, as suggested by statistically insignificant changes in the value of K(m) both in controls and in SHR. On the other hand, the affinity to sodium decreased, as suggested by an increase in the K(Na) value by 22% and 31% in normotensive and hypertensive groups, respectively. This impairment in the affinity of the Na(+)-binding site of Na,K-ATPase molecules was probably responsible for the deteriorated enzyme function in the kidneys of quercetin treated animals.

Regulatory role of nitric oxide on the cardiac Na, K-ATPase in hypertension.

The present study was focused on regulatory role of nitric oxide on functional properties of the cardiac Na, K-ATPase in three various animal models of hypertension: spontaneously hypertensive male rats (SHR) with increased activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) by 60 % (Sh1), SHR with decreased activity of NOS by 40 % (Sh2) and rats with hypertension induced by L-NAME (40 mg/kg/day) with depressed activity of NOS by 72 % (LN). Studying the utilization of energy substrate we observed higher Na, K-ATPase activity in the whole concentration range of ATP in Sh1 and decreased activity in Sh2 and LN. Evaluation of kinetic parameters revealed an increase of Vmax value by 37 % in Sh1 and decrease by 30 % in Sh2 and 17 % in LN. The KM value remained unchanged in Sh2 and LN, but was lower by 38 % in Sh1 indicating increased affinity of the ATP binding site, as compared to controls. During the activation with Na+ we observed increased Vmax by 64 % and increased KNa by 106 % in Sh1. In Sh2 we found decreased Vmax by 40 % and increased KNa by 38 %. In LN, the enzyme showed unchanged Vmax with increased KNa by 50 %. The above data indicate a positive role of increased activity of NOS in improved utilization of ATP as well as enhanced binding of Na+ by the cardiac Na, K-ATPase.

Effect of the pyridoindole antioxidant stobadine on ATP-utilisation by renal Na,K-ATPase in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

The effect of the pyridoindole antioxidant stobadine on diabetes-induced changes of Na,K-ATPase, especially those concerning the utilisation of its substrate ATP, was investigated. Sixteen weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes (single i.v. dose of streptozotocin; 55 mg/kg) was followed by decrease in the enzyme activity. This effect was emphasised in the presence of higher concentrations of substrate and in the presence of 8 mmol x l(-1) ATP it represented 20%. It might be a consequence of altered functional properties of Na,K-ATPase as suggested by 20% decrease in the V(max) value along with decrease in the K(m) value by 20%. Administration of 0.05% (w/w) stobadine in the diet to diabetic rats improved the function of renal Na,K-ATPase with respect to utilisation of ATP as suggested by significant increase in the enzyme activity in the whole concentration range of ATP investigated as a consequence of V(max) elevation to the level comparable to absolute controls. In conclusion, stobadine may play a positive role in restoring the functional properties of renal Na,K-ATPase, especially concerning the utilisation of energy derived from hydrolysis of ATP, improving thus the maintenance of ionic homeostasis during diabetes.

Effect of the pyridoindole antioxidant stobadine on the cardiac Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

In the present study we examined the effect of dietary supplementation with the pyridoindole antioxidant stobadine on functional properties of the cardiac Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in diabetic rats. Diabetes lasting sixteen weeks which was induced by a single i.v. dose of streptozotocin (55 mg x kg(-1)) was followed by decrease in the enzyme activity. Evaluation of kinetic parameters revealed a statistically significant decrease in the maximum velocity (Vmax) (32% for ATP-activation, 33% for Na(+)-activation), indicating a diabetes-induced diminution of the number of active enzyme molecules in cardiac sarcolemma. The ATP-binding properties of the enzyme were not affected by diabetes as suggested by statistically insignificant changes in the value of Michaelis-Menten constant, K(M (ATP)). On the other hand, the affinity to sodium decreased as suggested by 54% increase in the K(M (Na+)) value. This impairment in the affinity of the Na(+)-binding site together with decreased number of active Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecules are probably responsible for the deteriorated enzyme function in hearts of diabetic animals. Administration of stobadine to diabetic rats dramatically improved the function of cardiac Na(+),K(+)-ATPase with regard to Na(+)-handling, as documented by statistically significant elevation of Vmax by 66 and 47% decrease in K(M (Na+)). Our data suggest that stobadine may prevent the diabetes-induced deterioration of cardiac Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, thus enabling to preserve its normal function in regulation of intracellular homeostasis of Na(+) and K(+) ions.

In vitro inhibition of lens aldose reductase by (2-benzyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole-8-yl)-acetic acid in enzyme preparations isolated from diabetic rats.

(2-benzyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole-8-yl)-acetic acid (compound 1), a novel aldose reductase inhibitor, was assayed for efficacy and selectivity to inhibit rat lens aldose reductase under in vitro conditions by using enzyme preparations obtained from diabetic animals. The inhibitory efficiency was characterized by IC(50) in micromolar region. Enzyme kinetics analysis revealed uncompetitive type of inhibition, both in relation to the D,L-glyceraldehyde substrate and to the NADPH cofactor. In testing for selectivity, comparisons to rat kidney aldehyde reductase, an enzyme with the highest homology to aldose reductase, was used. The inhibition selectivity of the compound tested was characterized by selectivity factor around 20 and was even slightly improved under conditions of prolonged experimental diabetes. These findings were identical with those in the control rats. To conclude, the inhibitory mode, efficacy and selectivity of compound 1, a novel aldose reductase inhibitor, was preserved even under the conditions of prolonged STZ-induced experimental diabetes of rats.

Changes of sodium and ATP affinities of the renal Na,K-ATPase during and after nitric oxide-deficient hypertension.

The aim of this study was to assess the molecular basis of renal Na,K-ATPase disturbances in response to NO-deficient hypertension induced in rats by NO-synthase inhibition with 40 mg/kg/day N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) for four weeks. After 4-week administration of L-NAME, the systolic blood pressure (SBP) increased by 30 %. Three weeks after terminating the treatment, SBP recovered to control value. When activating the Na,K-ATPase with its substrate ATP, a 36 % increase in K(m) and 29 % decrease in V(max) values were observed in NO-deficient rats. During activation with Na+, the V(max) was decreased by 20 % and the K(Na) was increased by 111 %, indicating a profound decrease in the affinity of the Na+-binding site in NO-deficient rats. After spontaneous recovery from hypertension, the V(max) remained at the level as in hypertension for both types of enzyme activation. However, in the presence of lower concentrations of substrate which are of physiological relevance an improvement of the enzyme activity was observed as documented by return of K(m) for ATP to control value. The K(Na) value for Na+ was decreased by 27 % as compared to hypertension, but still exceeded the corresponding value in the control group by 55 % thus resulting in a partial restoration of Na+ affinity of Na,K-ATPase which was depressed as a consequence of NO-dependent hypertension.