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NO modulates human airway smooth muscle function by altering glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase effects on sGC function in asthma
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

NO modulates human airway smooth muscle function by altering glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase effects on sGC function in asthma

Arnab Ghosh, Mamta P. Sumi, Cynthia Koziol-White, Blair Tupta, Ling Wang, Chaitali Ghosh, William F. Jester, Reynold A. Panettieri and Dennis J. Stuehr
Redox biology, Vol.95, 104262
09/2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2026.104262
PMID: 42308693
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2026.104262View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Since NO can modulate mesenchymal cell function, we posit that NO can modulate gene expression associated with excitation-contraction coupling. Our study shows that treating asthma-derived HASMCs with a low dose of NO plus sGC stimulator BAY-41, in most cases sensitized smooth muscle sGC towards activation via an elevated sGC heterodimer and in some cases also improved sGCβ1, catalase, Cyb5r3 or Trx1 expression (n=24 non-asthma and n=25 asthma). Interestingly we found that majority of asthma HASMCs showed a marked downregulation of G6PD expression inducing a low GSH/GSSG ratio in asthma, and these findings were replicated in murine lungs of allergic asthma (OVA and CFA/HDM). Studies with HEK/COS-7 cells showed G6PD synergizing with hsp90 in enabling sGC heme-maturation. G6PD overexpression in HASMCs enhanced the sGC heterodimerization while silencing of endogenous G6PD abrogated it. Complementation of these cellular results with whole animal models of G6PD deficiency or overexpression provided verification to our findings. Mouse lung tissue from the humanized variant of G6PD deficiency, V68M (G6PD A- deficiency) showed significant downregulation in the sGC heterodimer, with a concomitant reduction in its NO heme-dependent activity, thereby showing that G6PD deficiency lowers sGC heme. Conversely, G6PD overexpressing mouse lung tissue displayed an elevated sGC heterodimer, and also showed a robust G6PD-sGCβ1 interaction, suggesting G6PD to be involved in the heme-maturation of sGCβ1. While G6PD maintains the cell redox by generating NADPH, its new role in regulating sGC maturation links sGC dysfunction in asthma to G6PD deficiency and may potentially uncover new targets for asthma treatment. [Display omitted] •Low dose of NO can revive the smooth muscle sGC towards NO activation by elevating the sGC heterodimer•G6PD is involved in the maturation of sGC and elevates the sGC heterodimer•Low levels of G6PD are found in asthma HASMCs with low GSH/GSSG ratio•Low NO can improve expression of sGCβ1, catalase, Cyb5r3 or Trx1
Bronchodilation Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase Heme-free Nitric oxide sGC heterodimer

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