Alteration of cyclic GMP metabolism by CD-349, a novel calcium antagonist, and by sodium nitroprusside in bovine intrapulmonary artery and vein.

The effects of 2-nitratopropyl 3-nitratopropyl 2,6-dimethyl-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate (CD-349) and sodium nitroprusside (NP) on cyclic GMP (cGMP) metabolism in bovine intrapulmonary artery (BPA) and vein (BPV) were examined. CD-349 inhibited cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity in BPA and BPV. In the latter, about 40% of the cGMP PDE activity was Ca2+ dependent. The inhibition of cGMP PDE activity by CD-349 also depended on Ca2+. The inhibitory effect of CD-349 was more potent than that of nicardipine or nifedipine. The conversion of cGMP from GTP in the homogenates of BPA and BPV was stimulated by NP in a concentration-dependent manner. The NP-induced cGMP formation was stimulated further by CD-349. This effect of CD-349 depended on Ca2+ in the BPV but not in the BPA. The NP-induced elevation of cGMP levels in the tissue preparations of BPA and BPV was also potentiated by CD-349. These results suggest that CD-349 inhibited Ca2+-dependent cGMP PDE activity and that the levels of cGMP were elevated in vascular smooth muscle, particularly when guanylate cyclase was activated.