Nitric oxide

Arginase 2 (Arg2) is a critical target in atherosclerosis because it controls endothelial nitric oxide, proliferation, fibrosis, and inflammation. Regulators of Arg2 transcription in the endothelium have not been characterized. The goal of the current study is to determine the role of specific histone deacetylases (HDACs) in the regulation of endothelial Arg2 transcription and endothelial function. The HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A increased levels of Arg2 mRNA, protein, and activity in both human aortic endothelial cells and mouse aortic rings. These changes occurred in both time- and dose-dependent patterns and resulted in Arg2-dependent endothelial dysfunction. Trichostatin A and the atherogenic stimulus oxidized low-density lipoprotein enhanced the activity of common promoter regions of Arg2. HDAC inhibition with trichostatin A also decreased endothelial nitric oxide, and these effects were blunted by arginase inhibition. Nonselective class I HDAC inhibitors enhanced Arg2 expres...

Involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in the episodic secretion of prolactin was studied in conscious freely moving adult rats. Prolactin secretion was pulsatile in all animals of either group during the bleeding period (from 10:30 h to 13:30 h). Administration of N ω -nitro-L-arginine ...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the negative effects of the Pringle maneuver on pancreatic tissue with respect to the time of performing the maneuver. Moreover, the efficacy of octreotide therapy on pancreatic changes at the time of the Pringle maneuver was assessed. Fifty male Wistar Albino rats were randomized into 5 groups. The groups were formed as follows: Group A: sham operation, Group B: Pringle maneuver for 30 min plus octreotide (PM30-OCT), Group C: Pringle maneuver for 60 min plus octreotide (PM60-OCT) and Group D: Pringle maneuver for 30 min plus 0.9 % saline solution (PM30-SS), Pringle maneuver for 60 min plus 0.9 % saline solution (PM60-SS, Group E). Blood samples for the evaluation of both amylase and lipase levels were taken via the portal vein. Levels of glutathione, glutathione reductase, catalase, myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide, xanthine oxidase, malondialdehyde, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) were assessed in the ...

Osteoarthritis is a progressive joint disease and a major cause of disability for which no curative therapies are yet available. To identify compounds with potential anti-osteoarthritic properties, in this study, we screened one sesquiterpene, E-caryophyllene, and two monoterpene, myrcene and limonene, hydrocarbon compounds for anti-inflammatory, anti-catabolic and pro-anabolic activities in human chondrocytes. At non-cytotoxic concentrations, myrcene and limonene inhibited IL-1β-induced nitric oxide production (IC50=37.3μg/ml and 85.3µg/ml, respectively), but E-caryophyllene was inactive. Myrcene, and limonene to a lesser extent, also decreased IL-1β-induced NF-κB, JNK and p38 activation and the expression of inflammatory (iNOS) and catabolic (MMP-1 and MMP-13) genes, while increasing the expression of anti-catabolic genes (TIMP-1 and -3 by myrcene and TIMP-1 by limonene). Limonene increased ERK1/2 activation by 30%, while myrcene decreased it by 26%, relative to IL-1β-treated cell...

Nitric oxide is a metastable radical, reacts with oxygen to produce toxic nitrogen oxides (N2O3, ONOO−) which damage DNA. Occupational exposure to nitric oxide leads to increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations in humans. In the present study the DNA damage among the jewellery workers occupationally exposed to nitric oxide was analyzed using buccal cell comet assay. The result of this study shows increased levels of DNA damage among jewellery workers. The habit of cigarette smoking among the jewellery workers has a synergistic effect on inducing DNA damage.

Information on sCD200 (OX-2), 25-Hydroxyvitamin-D(25(OH)D), homocysteine (hcy), eosinophil cationic peptid (ECP), d-dimer (DD), CXCL8, fractional exhale nitric oxide concentrations (FeNO) status all together among patients with allergy in mediterranean region in comparison of climatic conditions have not been well established yet. Blood samples were taken on May and June during the highest air pollination. Hence, this study was undertaken to compare these serum biomolecules’ levels in allergic patients and matched controls, to evaluate disease characteristics. The study participants (n=129) included 25 healthy individuals (controls) and 104 allergic patients. Consecutive patients with allergic disease (Group II,III,IV,V) above the age of 18 years, managed. In the control group there was a significant positive correlation between ECP and BMI. Positive correlations between ECP, IgE and OX-2 were detected in group IV. For group V patients, positive correlations between age and IgE and ...

Five new meroterpenoids, purpurogenolides A-E (1-5), and four known metabolites (6-9) were isolated from the solid substrate fermentation cultures of the fungus Penicillium purpurogenum MHz 111. The structures of the new meroterpenoids were elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic and spectrometric data (1D and 2D NMR, IR, and HRESIMS). The absolute configurations of 1 and 5 were determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis, and those of 2-4 were elucidated on the basis of experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. Compounds 2-4 and 6 showed inhibition of nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated BV-2 microglial cells with IC50 values of 0.8-30.0 μM.

Use of probiotics, alone or as adjunct to other established therapies, has been reported to have potential benefits. Recently, we have reported protective potential of probiotic against Salmonella-induced liver injury. However, co-supplementation with prebiotics did not result in meaningful synergism at systemic level. Owing to the action of probiotics at the mucosal level and of arginine at systemic level, the present study was designed to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum alone or in conjunction with arginine to combat endotoxin-mediated liver injury in rats. Bacterial endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected intraperitoneally and animals were sacrificed 8h post-challenge. Efficacy of L. plantarum alone or in conjunction with l-arginine was determined on the basis of enzyme markers, histology, levels of nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in addition to identification of amino acids by paper chromatography. Prior supplementation of LPS-cha...

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a well-established cell-mediated autoimmune inflammatory disease of the CNS, which has been used as a model of the human demyelinating disease. EAE is characterized by infiltration of the CNS by lymphocytes and mononuclear cells, microglial and astrocytic hypertrophy, and demyelination which cumulatively contribute to clinical expression of the disease. EAE was induced in female Sprague-Dawley rats, 3 months old (300 g ± 20 g), by immunization with myelin basic protein (MBP) in combination with Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). The animals were divided into 7 groups: control, EAE, CFA, EAE + aminoguanidine (AG), AG, EAE + N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and NAC. The animals were sacrificed 15 days after EAE induction, and the level of nitric oxide (NO(·)) production was determined by measuring nitrite and nitrate concentrations in 10% homogenate of cerebellum and spinal cord. Obtained results showed that the level of NO(·) was significantly increased in all examined tissues of the EAE rats compared to the control and CFA groups. Also, AG and NAC treatment decreased the level of NO(·) in all tissues compared to the EAE group. The level of NO(·) is increased significantly in the spinal cord compared to the cerebellum. The clinical course of the EAE was significantly decreased in the EAE groups treated with AG and NAC during the development of the disease compared to EAE group and its correlates with the NO(·) level in cerebellum and spinal cord. The findings of our work suggest that NO(·) and its derivatives play an important role in multiple sclerosis (MS). It may be the best target for new therapies in human demyelinating disease and recommend the new therapeutic approaches based on a decreased level of NO(·) during the course of MS.

The aim of the current study was to determine the impact and interaction of important influencing factors on the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). FeNO was measured in a population-based sample of 1250 middle-aged subjects from the KORA F4 cohort (Augsburg, Germany). Analysis of covariance models was performed including the factors age, height, FVC, FEV(1), sex, current smoking status, recent respiratory tract infection, and respiratory allergy. Geometric mean (SD as factor; 95% confidence interval as factor) FeNO was 13.9 (1.9; 1.033) ppb. FeNO significantly depended on age, height, smoking, infection and allergy. Smoking reduced FeNO by 21%, while infection and allergy led to increases by 9 and 11%, respectively. Increases in age by 10 years and in height by 10 cm were associated with increases of FeNO by 15 and 10%, respectively. Non-smokers demonstrated independent multiplicative superposition of factors affecting FeNO while the effect of allergy was virtually eliminated ...