0000000000012355
AUTHOR
Petra Schwarz
Coexpression of inducible NO synthase and soluble guanylyl cyclase in colonic enterocytes: a pathophysiologic signaling pathway for the initiation of diarrhea by gram‐negative bacteria?
Infectious diarrhea is often caused by the exotoxins of gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli. However, these organisms also contain lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin. LPS induces nitric oxide synthase II (NOS II, inducible NOS) in various types of cells. We now demonstrate by RNase protection analysis, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry that the expression of NOS II mRNA and protein is markedly induced in colonic enterocytes of mice that ingest LPS with their drinking water. Using the same techniques, significant levels of soluble guanylyl cyclase (GC-S), the effector enzyme of NO, were found constitutively expressed in the mucosa. This creates a pathophysiologic autocrine p…
Potential Functional Significance of Brain-Type and Muscle-Type Nitric Oxide Synthase I Expressed in Adventitia and Media of Rat Aorta
Abstract —Skeletal muscle and myocardium express μNOS I, an elongated splice variant of neuronal-type nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS I), and NOS III, endothelial-type NO synthase, respectively. This study was designed to elucidate whether vascular smooth muscle also contains a constitutively expressed NO synthase isoform. In the rat, μNOS I contains an insert of 102 nucleotides after nucleotide 2865 of the cDNA, yielding a protein of 164 kd. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction with primers flanking this insert and with insert-specific primers indicated that endothelium-denuded rat aorta expresses both brain-type NOS I and μNOS I. RNase protection analyses with an antisense RNA…
Expression and Expressional Control of Nitric Oxide Synthases in Various Cell Types
Publisher Summary Nitric oxide (NO) can produce posttranslational modifications of proteins (via ADP ribosylation) and is capable of destroying parasites and tumor cells by inhibiting iron-containing enzymes or directly interacting with the DNA of these cells. In view of this multitude of functions of NO, it is important to understand how cells accomplish and regulate their NO production. Three isozymes of NOS have been identified, and their protein, cDNA, and genomic DNA structures have been elucidated. In humans NOS I, II, and III are encoded by three different genes, located on chromosomes 12, 17, and 7 respectively. The cDNAs for these enzymes have been isolated. All NOS isozymes oxidiz…
A blend of polyphenolic compounds explains the stimulatory effect of red wine on human endothelial NO synthase
A high intake of polyphenolic compounds is likely to have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. Especially red wine is a rich source of polyphenols, and we have previously shown that French red wine upregulates eNOS, a protective enzyme in the cardiovascular system. The current study tested (poly)phenolic constituents of red wine for their ability to enhance eNOS expression (and the activity of a 3.5-kb human eNOS promoter) in human EA.hy 926 endothelial cells. Of the compounds tested, we found 3,4',5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene (trans-resveratrol) to be the most efficacious stimulator of eNOS expression (and eNOS transcription), but this compound alone could not explain the total …
Cyclooxygenase 2-selective and nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs induce oxidative stress by up-regulating vascular NADPH oxidases.
Cyclooxygenase 2-selective inhibitors (coxibs) and nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with an increase in cardiovascular events. The current study was designed to test the effect of coxibs and nonselective NSAIDs on vascular superoxide and nitric oxide (NO) production. mRNA expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and of the vascular NADPH oxidases was studied in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and in human endothelial cells. The expression of Nox1, Nox2, Nox4, and p22phox was increased markedly by the nonselective NSAIDs diclofenac or naproxen and moderately by rofecoxib or celecoxib in the aorta and heart of SHR. The up-regulation of NADPH …
Regulation of the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase
The role of nitric oxide (NO) generated by the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is very complex. Induction of iNOS expression and hence NO production has been described to have beneficial antiviral, antiparasital, microbicidal, immunomodulatory, and antitumoral effects. However, induced at the wrong place or at the wrong time, iNOS has detrimental consequences and seems to be involved in the pathophysiology of different human diseases. The pathways regulating iNOS expression seem to vary in different cells or different species. In general, activation of the transcription factors nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-1alpha an…
Investigation of a Killer Strain of Zygosaccharomyces Bailii
Summary: The yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii strain 412 was found to liberate a killer toxin (KT412) lethal to sensitive strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida glabrata. Culture supernatants of the killer strain were concentrated by ultrafiltration and the extracellular protein was purified by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. Gel filtration and SDS-PAGE of the electrophoretically homogeneous killer protein indicated an apparent molecular mass of 10 kDa. The killer toxin KT412 is probably not glycosylated since it did not show any detectable carbohydrate structures. KT412 was bound to sensitive but not to resistant yeast cells. The mannan, and not the glucan, fraction …
Neuronal-Type NO Synthase: Transcript Diversity and Expressional Regulation
Of the three established isoforms of NO synthase, the gene for the neuronal-type enzyme (NOS I) is by far the largest and most complicated one. The genomic locus of the human NOS I gene is located on chromosome 12 and distributed over a region greater than 200 kb. The nucleotide sequence corresponding to the major neuronal mRNA transcript is encoded by 29 exons. The full-length open reading frame codes for a protein of 1434 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 160.8 kDa. However, both in rodents and in humans, multiple, tissue-specific or developmentally regulated NOS I mRNA transcripts have been reported. They arise from the initiation by different transcriptional units contain…
Desensitization of inhibitory prejunctional alpha 2-adrenoceptors and putative imidazoline receptors on rabbit heart sympathetic nerves.
To find out whether sympathetic nerves of the rabbit heart possess pharmacologically relevant prejunctional imidazoline receptors different from α-autoreceptors, the inhibition by oxymetazoline, aganodine and BDF 6143 (4-chloro-2-[2-imidazoline-2-ylamino]-isoindoline hydrochloride) of endogenous noradrenaline overflow evoked by stimulation of extrinsic postganglionic sympathetic nerves (0.66 Hz, 80 pulses) was investigated. In addition we wanted to find out whether either type of these prejunctional receptors undergoes desensitization upon pre-exposure to respective agonists. The α2-adrenoceptor agonist oxymetazoline inhibited the evoked noradrenaline overflow (2.9 nmol/l, IC50; about 90010…
Nitric oxide synthase isozymes. Characterization, purification, molecular cloning, and functions.
Three isozymes of nitric oxide (NO) synthase (EC 1.14.13.39) have been identified and the cDNAs for these enzymes isolated. In humans, isozymes I (in neuronal and epithelial cells), II (in cytokine-induced cells), and III (in endothelial cells) are encoded for by three different genes located on chromosomes 12, 17, and 7, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequences of the human isozymes show less than 59% identity. Across species, amino acid sequences for each isoform are well conserved (> 90% for isoforms I and III, > 80% for isoform II). All isoforms use L-arginine and molecular oxygen as substrates and require the cofactors NADPH, 6(R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin, flavin adenine…
Down-regulation of the expression of endothelial NO synthase is likely to contribute to glucocorticoid-mediated hypertension.
Hypertension is a side effect of systemically administered glucocorticoids, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. Ingestion of dexamethasone by rats telemetrically instrumented increased blood pressure progressively over 7 days. Plasma concentrations of Na + and K + and urinary Na + and K + excretion remained constant, excluding a mineralocorticoid-mediated mechanism. Plasma NO 2 − /NO 3 − (the oxidation products of NO) decreased to 40%, and the expression of endothelial NO synthase (NOS III) was found down-regulated in the aorta and several other tissues of glucocorticoid-treated rats. The vasodilator response of resistance arterioles was tested by intravital m…
Functional coupling of nitric oxide synthase and soluble guanylyl cyclase in controlling catecholamine secretion from bovine chromaffin cells
This study was designed to evaluate whether the enzymes of the nitric oxide/cyclic-GMP pathway, nitric oxide synthase and soluble guanylyl cyclase, are functionally coupled in controlling catecholamine secretion in primary cultures of bovine chromaffin cells. In immunocytochemical studies, 80-85% of the tyrosine hydroxylase-positive chromaffin cells also possessed phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase, f1p4cating their capability to synthesize epinephrine. Immunoreactivity for neuronal-type nitric oxide synthase was found in over 90% of all chromaffin cells. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction also demonstrated neuronal-type nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA. Immunoreactivity…
Regulation of the Expression of Nitric Oxide Synthase Isoforms
Publisher Summary There is a large array of regulatory mechanisms for the expression of different nitric oxide synthases (NOS) isoforms. The high-output NOS II is not only turned on transcriptionally, but the stability of the transcripts and their translation can be regulated dynamically. In addition, the expressional levels of the servoregulatory, low-output enzymes, NOS I and NOS III, can also be adjusted to meet local demand. The original paradigm that nitrogen oxide (NO) is synthesized either by constitutive NO synthases or by inducible NOS II is no longer valid. This adds to the diversity of mechanisms controlling NO production in different cells and tissues. Whereas transcriptional re…
Regulation of the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase.
Nitric oxide (NO), generated by the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), has been described to have beneficial microbicidal, antiviral, antiparasital, immunomodulatory, and antitumoral effects. However, aberrant iNOS induction at the wrong place or at the wrong time has detrimental consequences and seems to be involved in the pathophysiology of several human diseases. iNOS is primarily regulated at the expression level by transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. iNOS expression can be induced in many cell types with suitable agents such as bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS), cytokines, and other compounds. Pathways resulting in the induction of iNOS expression may…
Endogenous and exogenous nitric oxide inhibits norepinephrine release from rat heart sympathetic nerves.
Abstract This study was designed to elucidate whether nitric oxide (NO) controls norepinephrine (NE) release from sympathetic nerves of the rat heart. Hearts were perfused in the Langendorff mode with Tyrode’s solution. The right sympathetic nerve was stimulated with trains of 1 or 3 Hz and NE release was measured. The NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor N G -nitro- l -arginine (L-NNA) enhanced the evoked NE release in a concentration-dependent manner. This facilitation was independent of the increase in perfusion pressure and was stereospecifically reversed by l -arginine but not d -arginine. Another NOS inhibitor, N G -methyl- l -arginine, produced a similar increase in NE release. The NO-donor …
Dexamethasone suppresses eNOS and CAT-1 and induces oxidative stress in mouse resistance arterioles
Long-term treatment with glucocorticoids is associated with mild to moderate hypertension. We reported previously that downregulation of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression and activity is likely to contribute to this increase in blood pressure. In the present study, we tested the effects of dexamethasone on the vasodilation of microvascular arterioles using implanted dorsal skin-fold chambers in anesthetized C57BL/6J mice. Experiments were performed on control mice or on mice treated with dexamethasone (0.1–3 mg/kg of body wt). Endothelium-dependent vasodilation in response to ACh (0.1–10 μM) was reduced by dexamethasone in a dose-dependent fashion. Comparable inhibition was seen in …
Expressional down-regulation of neuronal-type nitric oxide synthase I by glucocorticoids in N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells.
Neuronal-type nitric oxide synthase (NOS I) is involved in ischemia-induced brain damage, and glucocorticoids have been reported to protect from brain damage. This prompted us to investigate if the activity or expression of NOS I was influenced by glucocorticoids. We used the murine neuroblastoma cell line N1E-115 as our experimental model. Short-term incubation (30 min) of the N1E-115 cells with dexamethasone (10 nM to 1 microM) or hydrocortisone (100 nM to 10 microM) did not change the enzymatic activity of NOS I. However, the glucocorticoids inhibited NOS I mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent fashion (down to 53.3 +/- 2. 5% of control). In time-course experiments with 100 nM dex…