Nils Opitz

Publications of Nils Opitz

• Nitric Oxide-Independent Vasodilator Rescues Heme-Oxidized Soluble Guanylate Cyclase From Proteasomal Degradation.

  Authors: Sabine Meurer, Sylke Pioch, Tatjana Pabst, Nils Opitz, Peter M Schmidt, Tobias Beckhaus, Kristina Wagner, Simone Matt, Kristina Gegenbauer, Sandra Geschka, Michael Karas, Johannes-Peter Stasch, Harald H H W Schmidt, Werner Müller-Esterl

  Circulation research. 06/2009;

  Nitric oxide (NO) is an essential vasodilator. In vascular diseases, oxidative stress attenuates NO signaling by both chemical scavenging of free NO and oxidation and downregulation of its majorNitric oxide (NO) is an essential vasodilator. In vascular diseases, oxidative stress attenuates NO signaling by both chemical scavenging of free NO and oxidation and downregulation of its major intracellular receptor, the alphabeta heterodimeric heme-containing soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). Oxidation can also induce loss of the heme of sGC, as well as the responsiveness of sGC to NO. sGC activators such as BAY 58-2667 bind to oxidized/heme-free sGC and reactivate the enzyme to exert disease-specific vasodilation. Here, we show that oxidation-induced downregulation of sGC protein extends to isolated blood vessels. Mechanistically, degradation was triggered through sGC ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. The heme-binding site ligand BAY 58-2667 prevented sGC ubiquitination and stabilized both alpha and beta subunits. Collectively, our data establish oxidation-ubiquitination of sGC as a modulator of NO/cGMP signaling and point to a new mechanism of action for sGC activating vasodilators by stabilizing their receptor, oxidized/heme-free sGC.

• Nitric oxide-independent vasodilator rescues heme-oxidized soluble guanylate cyclase from proteosomal degradation

  Authors: Sabine Meurer, Sylke Pioch, Tatjana Pabst, Nils Opitz, Peter Schmidt, Tobias Beckhaus, Kristina Wagner, Simone Matt, Kristina Gegenbauer, Sandra Geschka, Michael Karas, Johannes-Peter Stasch, Harald Schmidt, Werner Müller-Esterl

  BMC Pharmacology. 01/2009;

• Heat shock protein 90 regulates stabilization rather than activation of soluble guanylate cyclase.

  Authors: Pavel I Nedvetsky, Sabine Meurer, Nils Opitz, Tatiana Y Nedvetskaya, Helmut Müller, Harald H H W Schmidt

  FEBS letters. 02/2008; 582(2):327-31.

  Endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) activates the heterodimeric heme protein soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) to form cGMP. In different disease states, sGC levels and activity are diminishedEndothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) activates the heterodimeric heme protein soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) to form cGMP. In different disease states, sGC levels and activity are diminished possibly involving the sGC binding chaperone, heat shock protein 90 (hsp90). Here we show that prolonged hsp90 inhibition in different cell types reduces protein levels of both sGC subunits by about half, an effect that was prevented by the proteasome inhibitor MG132. Conversely, acute hsp90 inhibition affected neither basal nor NO-stimulated sGC activity. Thus, hsp90 is a molecular stabilizer for sGC tonically preventing proteasomal degradation rather than having a role in short-term activity regulation.

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• The 'A's and 'O's of NADPH oxidase regulation: a commentary on "Subcellular localization and function of alternatively spliced Noxo1 isoforms".

  Authors: Nils Opitz, Grant R Drummond, Stavros Selemidis, Sabine Meurer, Harald H H W Schmidt

  Free radical biology & medicine. 02/2007; 42(2):175-9.

• Oxidative stress induces CHIP-mediated ubiquitination and roteasomal degradation of soluble guanylyl cyclase

  Authors: Sabine Meurer, Tatjana Pabst, Sylke Pioch, Nils Opitz, Peter Schmidt, Kristina Wagner, Simone Matt, Harald Schmidt, Werner Müller-Esterl

  BMC Pharmacology. 01/2007;

• Translocation of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase involves a ternary complex with caveolin-1 and NOSTRIN.

  Authors: Kirstin Schilling, Nils Opitz, Anja Wiesenthal, Stefanie Oess, Ritva Tikkanen, Werner Müller-Esterl, Ann Icking

  Molecular biology of the cell. 10/2006; 17(9):3870-80.

  Recently, we characterized a novel endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS)-interacting protein, NOSTRIN (for eNOS-trafficking inducer), which decreases eNOS activity upon overexpression and inducesRecently, we characterized a novel endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS)-interacting protein, NOSTRIN (for eNOS-trafficking inducer), which decreases eNOS activity upon overexpression and induces translocation of eNOS away from the plasma membrane. Here, we show that NOSTRIN directly binds to caveolin-1, a well-established inhibitor of eNOS. Because this interaction occurs between the N terminus of caveolin (positions 1-61) and the central domain of NOSTRIN (positions 323-434), it allows for independent binding of each of the two proteins to eNOS. Consistently, we were able to demonstrate the existence of a ternary complex of NOSTRIN, eNOS, and caveolin-1 in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-eNOS cells. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), the ternary complex assembles at the plasma membrane upon confluence or thrombin stimulation. In CHO-eNOS cells, NOSTRIN-mediated translocation of eNOS involves caveolin in a process most likely representing caveolar trafficking. Accordingly, trafficking of NOSTRIN/eNOS/caveolin is affected by altering the state of actin filaments or cholesterol levels in the plasma membrane. During caveolar trafficking, NOSTRIN functions as an adaptor to recruit mediators such as dynamin-2 essential for membrane fission. We propose that a ternary complex between NOSTRIN, caveolin-1, and eNOS mediates translocation of eNOS, with important implications for the activity and availability of eNOS in the cell.

• FCH/Cdc15 domain determines distinct subcellular localization of NOSTRIN.

  Authors: Ann Icking, Kirstin Schilling, Anja Wiesenthal, Nils Opitz, Werner Müller-Esterl

  FEBS letters. 02/2006; 580(1):223-8.

  NOSTRIN, an NO synthase binding protein, belongs to the PCH family of proteins, exposing a typical domain structure. While its SH3 domain and the C-terminal coiled-coil region cc2 have been studiedNOSTRIN, an NO synthase binding protein, belongs to the PCH family of proteins, exposing a typical domain structure. While its SH3 domain and the C-terminal coiled-coil region cc2 have been studied earlier, the function of the N-terminal half comprising a Cdc15 domain with an FCH (Fes/CIP homology) region followed by a coiled-coil stretch cc1 is unknown. Here, we show that the FCH region is necessary and sufficient for membrane association of NOSTRIN, whereas the Cdc15 domain further specifies subcellular distribution of the protein. Thus, the FCH region and the Cdc15 domain fulfill complementary functions in subcellular targeting of NOSTRIN.

• NOSTRIN functions as a homotrimeric adaptor protein facilitating internalization of eNOS.

  Authors: Ann Icking, Simone Matt, Nils Opitz, Anja Wiesenthal, Werner Müller-Esterl, Kirstin Schilling

  Journal of cell science. 12/2005; 118(Pt 21):5059-69.

  Intracellular trafficking of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) between different compartments is incompletely understood. Recently, we described a novel eNOS-interacting protein, NOSTRIN,Intracellular trafficking of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) between different compartments is incompletely understood. Recently, we described a novel eNOS-interacting protein, NOSTRIN, which upon overexpression drives eNOS away from the plasma membrane towards intracellular compartments. Sequence similarity of NOSTRIN and pacsins/syndapins suggested a role for NOSTRIN in endocytosis. Accordingly, we show here that NOSTRIN interacts with the large GTPase dynamin and the actin nucleation promoting factor N-WASP by means of its SH3 domain, which also represents the docking site for eNOS. Via a coiled-coil region in the C-terminal portion of the protein, NOSTRIN oligomerizes, mainly forming trimers, which would allow simultaneous interaction with multiple binding partners of the SH3 domain. Consistent with this notion, expression of dynamin-2-GFP in CHO cells stably expressing eNOS (CHO-eNOS) results in recruitment of eNOS to dynamin-positive structures, only when NOSTRIN is present as well. Similarly, when N-WASP-GFP and NOSTRIN are co-expressed in CHO-eNOS cells, both proteins strongly co-localize with eNOS and are recruited to structures running along actin filaments. If, however, the actin cytoskeleton is depolymerized by cytochalasin D, NOSTRIN and eNOS are associated with extended structures in the cell periphery, possibly being unable to leave the plasma membrane. Together, these results indicate that NOSTRIN may facilitate endocytosis of eNOS by coordinating the function of dynamin and N-WASP.

• NOSTRIN: a protein modulating nitric oxide release and subcellular distribution of endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

  Authors: Kirstin Zimmermann, Nils Opitz, Jurgen Dedio, Christoph Renne, Werner Muller-Esterl, Stefanie Oess

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 01/2003; 99(26):17167-72.

  Activity and localization of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is regulated in a remarkably complex fashion, yet the complex molecular machinery mastering stimulus-induced eNOS translocationActivity and localization of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is regulated in a remarkably complex fashion, yet the complex molecular machinery mastering stimulus-induced eNOS translocation and trafficking is poorly understood. In a search by the yeast two-hybrid system using the eNOS oxygenase domain as bait, we have identified a previously uncharacterized eNOS-interacting protein, dubbed NOSTRIN (for eNOS traffic inducer). NOSTRIN contains a single polypeptide chain of 506-aa residues of 58 kDa with an N-terminal cdc15 domain and a C-terminal SH3 domain. NOSTRIN mRNA is abundant in highly vascularized tissues such as placenta, kidney, lung, and heart, and NOSTRIN protein is expressed in vascular endothelial cells. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated the eNOS-NOSTRIN interaction in vitro and in vivo, and NOSTRIN's SH3 domain was essential and sufficient for eNOS binding. NOSTRIN colocalized extensively with eNOS at the plasma membrane of confluent human umbilical venous endothelial cells and in punctate cytosolic structures of CHO-eNOS cells. NOSTRIN overexpression induced a profound redistribution of eNOS from the plasma membrane to vesicle-like structures matching the NOSTRIN pattern and at the same time led to a significant inhibition of NO release. We conclude that NOSTRIN contributes to the intricate protein network controlling activity, trafficking, and targeting of eNOS.