Search results for " c.c."

Prevention of Atherosclerosis by Interference with the Vascular Nitric Oxide System

2009

Nitric oxide (NO) produced by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) represents an anti-atherosclerotic principle. NO bioavailability is decreased in atherosclerosis due to increased NO inactivation by reactive oxygen species and reduced NO synthesis. Various types of vascular pathophysiology are associated with oxidative stress, with NADPH oxidases as the major source of reactive oxygen species. These inactivate NO. Also, oxidative stress is likely to be the main cause for oxidation of the essential NOS cofactor, tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)). A lack of BH(4) leads to eNOS uncoupling (i.e., uncoupling of oxygen reduction from NO synthesis in eNOS). Based on these pathomechanisms, the therapeutic pot…

Effects of Sulpiride Treatment on the Hypothalamic Supraoptic and Paraventricular Nuclei

2009

The new criteria for classification of rheumatoid arthritis: what we need to know for clinical practice.

2011

The new criteria for classification of Rheumatoid Arthritis have been recently released. They incorporate the anti-Citrullinated Protein antibody testing and the other classic criteria in a score system (the diagnosis of definite rheumatoid arthritis is made by a total score ≥6). These criteria try to meet the pressing needs to gain sensitivity in early disease. Symptoms, elevated acute-phase response, serologic abnormality, joint involvement were all considered for scoring after confirming the presence of synovitis in at least 1 joint in the absence of an alternative diagnosis that better explains the synovitis. However, no sensitivity and specificity has been showed. Moreover, Area Under …

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent cell cycle arrest in isolated mouse oval cells

2013

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor, which mediates toxic responses to environmental pollutants, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and related compounds. Besides its well known role in induction of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, for instance CYP1A1, the AhR is also involved in tumor promotion in rodents although the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. Additionally, the AhR is known to regulate cellular proliferation, which might result in either inhibition or stimulation of proliferation depending on the cell-type studied. Potential targets in hepatocarcinogenesis are liver oval (stem/progenitor) cells. In the pres…

Modulation by docosahexaenoic acid of the epinephrine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity of the bovine retina.

1988

This work shows that unsaturated fatty acids enhance the epinephrine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in bovine retina. The modulating effect on the epinephrine-stimulated formation of cyclic AMP seems to be linked to the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acid. Treatment of the intact retina with docosahexaenoic acid in the concentration range 0.5 X 10(-6)-1 X 10(-3) M does not affect the enzyme activity measured in the absence of the hormone but markedly increases the cyclase activity when the tissue is incubated in the presence of 0.1 mM epinephrine. Docosahexaenoic acid enhances the maximal response to epinephrine without affecting the apparent ED50 value for this effector. Docosa…

Differential regulation of interleukin-6 expression in human fibroblasts by tumor necrosis factor-alpha and lymphotoxin.

1990

The treatment of human diploid fibroblasts with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and with lymphotoxin (LT) is associated with induction of interleukin-6 (IL-6) transcripts with TNF-alpha being 10-fold more potent than LT. Here we report on the TNF-alpha/LT-induced signaling mechanisms responsible for the regulation of IL-6 gene expression in these cells. Run-on assays demonstrated that both TNF-alpha and LT increase IL-6 mRNA levels by transcriptional activation of this gene. Stability studies of IL-6 transcripts in fibroblasts showed that TNF-alpha delayed IL-6 mRNA decay but not LT. The induction of IL-6 transcripts by TNF-alpha and LT was not inhibited by the isoquinoline sulfonamide de…

Role of the cyclic AMP-dependent pathway in free radical-induced cholesterol accumulation in vascular smooth muscle cells.

2000

We have previously reported that free radical-treated vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) lead to cholesterol accumulation in vitro. In the current study, we investigated the effects of oxidative stress on cyclic AMP concentration and cAMP-dependent enzymes involved in cholesterol homeostasis in A7r5 cells. Under our conditions of a mild oxidative stress, namely with no change in cell viability, we found that free radicals, initiated using azobis-amidinopropane dihydrochloride (AAPH), resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in cellular cAMP which was opposed by vitamin E preincubation. Although the addition of adenylate cyclase activators (carbacyclin and forskolin) increased cAMP levels it di…

Vasoactive intestinal peptide stimulation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate formation: further evidence for a role of nitric oxide synthase and cytos…

1993

In the rat pineal gland vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and beta-adrenergic agonists stimulate cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) formation and their action is amplified by alpha 1-adrenergic agonists. Since beta-adrenergic stimulation of cGMP is suggested to involve activation of nitric oxide (NO) synthase and NO-mediated activation of cytosolic guanylate cyclase (GC), we investigated the effects of the NO synthase inhibitor N-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) and of the cytosolic GC inhibitor methylene blue (MB) on VIP receptor-stimulated cGMP formation. Both L-NMMA and MB depressed VIP-induced cGMP formation as well as alpha 1-adrenergic potentiation of VIP-stimulated cGMP formation …

Signaling through BMPR-IA regulates quiescence and long-term activity of neural stem cells in the adult hippocampus.

2010

SummaryNeural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult hippocampus divide infrequently, and the molecules that modulate their quiescence are largely unknown. Here, we show that bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling is active in hippocampal NSCs, downstream of BMPR-IA. BMPs reversibly diminish proliferation of cultured NSCs while maintaining their undifferentiated state. In vivo, acute blockade of BMP signaling in the hippocampus by intracerebral infusion of Noggin first recruits quiescent NSCs into the cycle and increases neurogenesis; subsequently, it leads to decreased stem cell division and depletion of precursors and newborn neurons. Consistently, selective ablation of Bmpr1a in hippocampal …

The function of neuromuscular system in maximal stretch-shortening cycle exercises: Comparison between power- and endurance-trained athletes.

1994

Abstract Differences in neuromuscular function between power athletes ( n = 10) and endurance athletes ( n = 10) were investigated in six different experimental conditions. In drop jumps and in stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) exercises on the sledge (sledge jumps), the subjects performed about 10 maximal jumps from the optimum dropping height (O) as well as from the dropping height of optimum −40 cm (O − 40) and optimum +40 cm (O + 40). The five to six best jumps were taken for further analysis. In every condition the power group had better physical performance compared to their endurance counterparts. During the pre-activity, the rate of electromyographic (EMG) development of the power athl…