L-S-nitrosothiols: endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factors in porcine coronary arteries?

Objective Bradykinin-induced, endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)-mediated responses depend on Ca2+-dependent K+-channels (K-Ca) of small (SKCa) and intermediate (IKCa) conductance, inwardly rectifying K+ (K-IR) channels and/or Na+-K+-ATPase. Here we investigated in porcine coronary arteries (PCAs) whether S-nitrosothiols can act as EDHF. Methods Preconstricted PCAs were exposed to bradykinin, the NO donor S-nitroso-N-penicillamine (SNAP), or the S-nitrosothiols L-S-nitrosocysteine (L-SNC), D-SNC and L-S-nitrosoglutathione (L-SNG), with or without KCl, the NO scavenger hydroxocobalamin, the S-nitrosothiol-depleting agent p-hydroxymercurobenzoic acid (PHMBA) and/or inhibitors of NO synthase (L-NAME), guanylyl cyclase (ODQ), SKCa channels (apamin), K-Ca channels of large conductance (BKCa) (iberiotoxin), IKCa + BKCa channels (charybdotoxin), K-IR channels (BaCl2) or Na+-K+-ATPase (ouabain). Results All agonists concentration-dependently relaxed PCAs. L-NAME, charybdotoxin + apamin, KCl, and ouabain shifted the bradykinin concentration-response curve (CRC) approximate to 10-fold to the right. BaCl2 did not exert additional effects on top of ouabain. Full blockade of bradykinin was obtained when combining L-NAME with charybdotoxin + apamin, KCl or ouabain + BaCl2. PHMBA reduced the maximum effect of bradykinin. lberiotoxin + apamin, alone or on top of L-NAME, did not affect bradykinin, SNAP or L-SNC. ODQ and hydroxocobalamin shifted the SNAP, L-SNC, D-SNC, and L-SNG CRCs approximate to 10-fold to the right, and, in combination, fully blocked SNAP-induced effects. Charybdotoxin + apamin shifted the L-SNC and L-SNG CRCs, but not the D-SNC or SNAP CRCs, approximate to5-fold to the right. KCl and ouabain (but not BaCl2) shifted the SNAP, L-SNC and L-SNG CRCs 5-10 fold to the right. Conclusions L-S-nitrosothiols activate SKCa + IKCa channels in a stereoselective manner, whereas NO activates Na+-K+-ATPase. Since S-nitrosothiols decompose to NO, stored L-S-nitrosothiols may mediate bradykinin-induced, EDHF-dependent relaxation.