Inhibiting long chain fatty Acyl CoA synthetase increases basal and agonist-stimulated NO synthesis in endothelium

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2004

Abstract

Objectives: Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation/ deactivation is associated with cyclic depalmitoylation/repalmitoylation of specific Cys residues. The mechanism of depalmitoylation has been identified recently, but repalmitoylation remains undefined. We hypothesized that long chain fatty acyl CoA synthetase (LCFACoAS) modulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase repalmitoylation by limiting palmitoyl CoA availability. Methods: Human coronary endothelial cells were treated with triacsin-C, an inhibitor of long chain fatty acyl CoA synthetase, for 24 h. Media nitrite accumulation, eNOS activity, and eNOS palmitoylation were measured. Methacholine-induced NO synthesis or vascular relaxation were measured in endothelium-intact rat aortae in the presence and absence of triacsin-C. Results: Triacsin-C significantly reduced incorporation of [3H] palmitate into immunoreactive endothelial nitric oxide synthase and over a concentration range of 0.1 to 10 µM, increased media nitrite accumulations 2- to 2.5-fold over baseline. Total in vitro catalytic activity of nitric oxide synthase in triacsin-C treated cells did not differ significantly from control. Triacsin-C significantly increased methacholine-induced NO synthesis in the isolated rat aorta, and significantly enhanced methacholine-induced relaxation of rat aortic rings. Conclusions: These data are consistent with the interpretation that inhibition of palmitoylation increases endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity without changing endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression, suggesting that inhibiting palmitoylation increases the catalytically active fraction of endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

Publication Title

Cardiovascular research

Volume

63

Issue

2

First Page

338

Last Page

346

Comments

This article was published in Cardiovascular research, Volume 63, Issue 2, Pages 338-346.

The published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cardiores.2004.04.025.

Copyright © 2004 Europena Society of Cardiology.

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