Heterogeneous basal expression of nitric oxide synthase and superoxide dismutase isoforms in mammalian heart : implications for mechanisms governing indirect and direct nitric oxide-related effects.

The basal expression patterns of NO synthase (NOS; endothelial [eNOS], neuronal [nNOS], and cytokine-inducible [iNOS]) and superoxide dismutase (SOD; extracellular membrane bound [ECSOD], MnSOD, and CuZnSOD) isoforms in ferret heart (tissue sections and isolated myocytes) were determined by immunofluorescent localization. We demonstrate the following for the first time in the mammalian heart: (1) heterogeneous expression patterns of the 3 NOS and 3 SOD isoforms among different tissue and myocyte types; (2) colocalization of eNOS and ECSOD at both the tissue and myocyte levels; (3) a significant gradient of eNOS and ECSOD expression across the left ventricular (LV) wall, with both enzymes being highly expressed and colocalized in LV epicardial myocytes but markedly reduced in LV endocardial myocytes; and (4) specific subcellular localization patterns of eNOS and the 3 SOD isoforms. In particular, eNOS and ECSOD are demonstrated (electron and confocal microscopy) to be specifically localized to the sarcolemma of ventricular myocytes. Similar heterogeneous eNOS and ECSOD expression patterns were also obtained in human LV tissue sections, underscoring the general importance of these novel findings. Our data suggest a strong functional correlation between the activities of sarcolemmally localized myocyte eNOS and ECSOD in governing NO*/O(2-) interactions and suggest that NO-related modulatory effects on cardiac myocyte protein and/or ion channel function may be significantly more complex than is presently believed.