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15-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acid and GPR39 Together Orchestrate Coronary Autoregulation: A Comprehensive Metabolomic
D Elizabeth Le1,2, Masaki Kajimoto1, Yan Zhao1
1Knight Cardiovascular Institute.
Insights
The G protein-coupled receptor 39 (GPR39) and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) are key to maintaining constant coronary blood flow (CBF) during reduced coronary driving pressure (CDP). Blocking GPR39 abolishes this vital autoregulation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Molecular Mechanisms of Autoregulation
- G Protein-Coupled Receptors
Background:
- Coronary autoregulation maintains constant coronary blood flow (CBF) despite changes in coronary driving pressure (CDP).
- The precise molecular mechanisms underlying coronary autoregulation remain largely unknown.
- This study investigates the role of G protein-coupled receptor 39 (GPR39) and its agonist 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) in this process.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanism of coronary autoregulation.
- To test the hypothesis that GPR39 and 15-HETE orchestrate coronary autoregulation.
Main Methods:
- Coronary stenoses were created in dogs to measure CBF and CDP.
- Blood samples were analyzed for various metabolites, including 15-HETE.
- A specific GPR39 antagonist (VC108) was administered to assess its impact on hemodynamics and coronary autoregulation.
Main Results:
- GPR39 was identified in coronary arterioles and heart tissue.
- 15-HETE levels correlated with CDP within the autoregulatory range.
- Administration of VC108 abolished coronary autoregulation, making CBF directly dependent on CDP and decreasing coronary microvascular resistance.
Conclusions:
- GPR39 and 15-HETE play a crucial role in mediating coronary autoregulation when coronary driving pressure is reduced.
- These findings reveal a novel mechanism for coronary autoregulation.
- This discovery may inform future pharmacological treatments for coronary syndromes.
Background:
Coronary autoregulation is the ability of the normal heart to maintain constant coronary blood flow (CBF) over a wide range of coronary driving pressures (CDP). Despite being vital for survival, the mechanism of coronary autoregulation is unknown. We hypothesized that GPR39, present in vascular smooth muscle cells, together with its endogenous agonist 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) orchestrate coronary autoregulation.
Methods:
We created coronary stenoses of varying degrees in open-chest, anesthetized dogs where we measured CBF and CDP. In a subset of animals, coronary venous blood was sampled for eicosanoid, adenosine, endothelin-1, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and prostaglandins levels. Stenoses were recreated during intravenous administration of VC108, a specific GPR39 antagonist and systemic, pulmonary, and coronary hemodynamics measured.
Results:
GPR39 was identified in coronary arterioles by immunohistochemistry and in heart tissue by western blot. In-vivo, 15-HETE correlated linearly with CDP over the autoregulatory range (r2=0.47, p=0.0024). Apart from 6-keto PGF1α no other metabolite had any relation with CDP. Prior to administration of VC108, CBF did not change within the autoregulatory range. VC108 had no effect of systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics but increased CBF (p=0.02 versus vehicle) by decreasing coronary microvascular resistance (p=0.01 versus vehicle), indicating that GPR39 participates in control of normal coronary vascular tone. With VC108, coronary autoregulation was abolished and CBF became CDP dependent (r2=0.96, p=0.004).
Conclusion:
GPR39 and its endogenous agonist 15-HETE together orchestrate coronary autoregulation when CDP is reduced. These novel findings provide a mechanism for coronary autoregulation and could direct pharmacological treatment of various coronary syndromes in humans.
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