Phosphodiesterase 5 restricts NOS3/Soluble guanylate cyclase signaling to L-type Ca2+ current in cardiac myocytes.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) regulates the functional response to beta-adrenergic (beta-AR) stimulation via modulation of the L-type Ca(2+) current (I(Ca)). However, the NOS3 signaling pathway modulating I(Ca) is unknown. This study investigated the contribution of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) and phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), a cGMP-specific PDE, in the NOS3-mediated regulation of I(Ca). Myocytes were isolated from NOS3 knockout (NOS3(-/-)) and wildtype (WT) mice. We measured I(Ca) (whole-cell voltage-clamp), and simultaneously measured Ca(2+) transients (Fluo-4 AM) and cell shortening (edge detection). Zaprinast (selective inhibitor of PDE5), decreased beta-AR stimulated (isoproterenol, ISO)-I(Ca), and Ca(2+) transient and cell shortening amplitudes in WT myocytes. However, YC-1 (NO-independent activator of sGC) only reduced ISO-stimulated I(Ca), but not cardiac contraction. We further investigated the NOS3/sGC/PDE5 pathway in NOS3(-/-) myocytes. PDE5 is mislocalized in these myocytes and we observed dissimilar effects of PDE5 inhibition and sGC activation compared to WT. That is, zaprinast had no effect on ISO-stimulated I(Ca), or Ca(2+) transient and cell shortening amplitudes. Conversely, YC-1 significantly decreased both ISO-stimulated I(Ca), and cardiac contraction. Further confirming that PDE5 localizes NOS3/cGMP signaling to I(Ca); YC-1, in the presence of zaprinast, now significantly decreased ISO-stimulated Ca(2+) transient and cell shortening amplitudes in WT myocytes. The effects of YC-1 on I(Ca) and cardiac contraction were blocked by KT5823 (a selective inhibitor of the cGMP-dependent protein kinase, PKG). Our data suggests a novel physiological role for PDE5 in restricting the effects of NOS3/sGC/PKG signaling pathway to modulating beta-AR stimulated I(Ca), while limiting effects on cardiac contraction.