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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 294/3/L489    most recent 00109.2007v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (1) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tadié, J.-M. Articles by Delclaux, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tadié, J.-M. Articles by Delclaux, C.

Role of nitric oxide synthase/arginase balance in bronchial reactivity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

¹Service de Réanimation Médicale, ²Service de Pneumologie, ³Service d'Anatomo-Pathologie, ⁴Service de Chirurgie Thoracique, and ⁵Service de Physiologie-Radio-Isotopes, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Faculté de Médecine Descartes-Paris 5 and ⁶Unité Propre de Recherche de l'Enseignement Supérieur (UPRES) EA 4068, Unité de Formation et de Recherche Biomédicale des Saints-Pères-Université Paris 5-René Descartes, Paris; and ⁷UPRES EA 220, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Versailles, Pharmacologie, Hôpital Foch, Suresnes, France

Submitted 21 March 2007 ; accepted in final form 1 August 2007

Competition between nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) and arginases for their common substrate L-arginine could be involved in the regulation of cholinergic airway reactivity and subsequent airway remodeling. The aims of this study were to evaluate the relationships between the expression of this enzymatic balance and the effects of NOS and arginase inhibition on bronchoconstrictive response to acetylcholine of patients without and with early chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Twenty-two human bronchi [15 COPD (9 GOLD-0, 6 GOLD-1, -2-A), 7 nonsmokers] were investigated for immunohistochemistry and modulation of acetylcholine-induced airway constriction. Significantly increased expression of NOS2 in immunoblots of bronchial tissue and staining in smooth muscle cells was evidenced in patients with COPD compared with control subjects, whereas no modification of arginase expression was evidenced. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) and NOS2 expression were negatively correlated ( = –0.54, P = 0.027). Pharmacological experiments demonstrated that resting tension was elevated in COPD compared with control subjects (2,243 ± 154 vs. 1,574 ± 218 mg, P = 0.03) and was positively correlated with the expression of NOS2 ( = 0.61, P = 0.044), whereas constrictor response to acetylcholine was similar [active tension, sensitivity (–logEC₁₀), and reactivity (slope)]. The sole effect of the specific arginase inhibitor N-hydroxy-nor-L-arginine (1 µM) was to decrease sensitivity in COPD patients, whereas 1 mM N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester unexpectedly decreased resting tension because of a non-cGMP-dependent effect. In conclusion, an upregulation of NOS2 expression in COPD patients is involved in airway tone regulation and functional airflow limitation, whereas increased arginase activity is involved in airway sensitivity.

human bronchi; resting tension; acetylcholine; non-cGMP-dependent effect

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