Am. Franchi et al., ROLE OF NITRIC-OXIDE IN EICOSANOID SYNTHESIS AND UTERINE MOTILITY IN ESTROGEN-TREATED RAT UTERI, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United Statesof America, 91(2), 1994, pp. 539-543
Cholinergic stimulation of vascular endothelin activates NO synthase (
NOS), leading to generation of NO from arginine. This NO diffuses to t
he overlying vascular smooth muscle and causes vasodilatation. NOS has
also been found in the central and peripheral nervous systems and it
is clear now that NO plays an important role as a neurotransmitter. He
re we investigate the role of NO in controlling contraction of uterine
smooth muscle. Our previous work showed that NO activates the cycloox
ygenase enzyme in the hypothalamus, leading to production of prostagla
ndin E(2) (PGE(2)). We began by determining whether NO was involved in
production of arachidonic acid metabolites in the uterus, Uteri were
removed from female rats that had been treated with estrogen (17 beta
estradiol). Control animals were similarly injected with diluent. Tiss
ues were incubated in vitro in the presence of [C-14]arachidonic acid
for 60 min. Synthesis of PGs and thromboxane B-2 (TXB(2)) was markedly
stimulated by sodium nitroprusside (NP), the releaser of NO. The effe
ct was greatest on TXB(2); there were no significant differences in in
creases of different PGs. The response to NP was completely prevented
by Hb, a scavenger of NO. The inhibitor of NOS, N-G-monomethyl L-argin
ine (NMMA), significantly decreased synthesis of PGE(2) but not the ot
her prostanoids (6-keto-PGF(1 alpha) and PGF(2 alpha)). Addition of Hb
to scavenge the spontaneously released NO inhibited synthesis of 6-ke
to-PGF(1 alpha), PGE(2 alpha) and PGF(2 alpha), but not TXB(2). There
was a much lesser effect on products of lipoxygenase, such that only 5
-hydroxy-5,8,11,14 eicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) synthesis was increa
sed by NP, an effect that was blocked by Hb; there was no effect of NM
MA or Hb on basal production of 5-HETE. Thus, NO stimulates release of
the various prostanoids and 5-HETE; blockade of NOS blocked only PGE(
2) release, whereas Hb to scavenge the NO released also blocked synthe
sis of 6-keto-PFG(1 alpha), PGE(2 alpha), and PGF(2 alpha), indicating
that basal NO release is involved in synthesis of all these PGs, espe
cially PGE(2). Presumably, NMMA did not block NOS completely, whereas
Hb completely removed released NO. This may explain the different resp
onses of the various prostanoids to NMMA and Hb. To determine the role
of these prostanoids and NO in control of spontaneous in vitro uterin
e contractility in the estrogen treated uterus, the effect of blocking
NOS with NMMA and of scavenging NO produced by Hb on the time course
of spontaneous uterine contractility was studied. Surprisingly, blocka
de of NOS or removal of NO by Hb prevented the spontaneous decline in
uterine motility that occurs over 40 min of incubation. We interpret t
his to mean that NO was released in the preparation and activated guan
ylate cyclase in the smooth muscle, resulting in production of cGMP, w
hich reduces motility and induces relaxation, When the motility had de
clined to minimal levels, the effect of increased NO provided by NP wa
s evaluated; apparently by stimulating the release of prostanoids, a r
apid increase in motility that persisted for 10 min was produced. This
effect was completely blocked by Hb. The action of NP was also blocke
d by indomethacin, indicating that it was acting via release of PGs. A
pparently, when motility is low, activation of PG synthesis by NO to a
ctivate the cyclooxygenase enzyme causes a rapid induction of contract
ions, whereas, when motility is declining, NO acts primarily via guany
late cyclase to activate cGMP release; the action of the prostanoids r
eleased at this time is in some manner blocked.