Anti-adrenergic effects of nitric oxide donor SIN-1 in rat cardiac myocytes.

We studied how the nitric oxide (NO*) donor 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1) alters the response to beta-adrenergic stimulation in cardiac rat myocytes. We found that SIN-1 decreases the positive inotropic effect of isoproterenol (Iso) and decreases the extent of both cell shortening and Ca2+ transient. These effects of SIN-1 were associated with an increased intracellular concentration of cGMP, a decreased intracellular concentration of cAMP, and a reduction in the levels of phosphorylation of phospholamban (PLB) and troponin I (TnI). The guanylyl cyclase inhibitor 1H-8-bromo-1,2,4-oxadiazolo (3,4-d)benz(b)(1,4)oxazin-1-one (ODQ) was not able to prevent the SIN-1-induced reduction of phosphorylation levels of PLB and TnI. However, the effects of SIN-1 were abolished in the presence of superoxide dismutase (SOD) or SOD and catalase. These data suggest that, in the presence of Iso, NO-related congeners, rather than NO*, are responsible for SIN-1 effects. Our results provide new insights into the mechanism by which SIN-1 alters the positive inotropic effects of beta-adrenergic stimulation.