肾上腺髓质素（13—52）降压机制的探讨

本工作在整体和离体大鼠模型上观察肾上腺髓质素（１３－５２）［ＡｄＭ（１３－５２）］的降压机制,发现ＡｄＭ（１３－５２）的降压作用可被一氧化氮合酶（ＮＯＳ）竞争性拮抗剂Ｌ－Ｎ－硝基－精氨酸？（ＬＮＮＡ）部分抑制;ＡｄＭ１３－５２）的舒血管作用依赖于血管内皮并可被ＬＮＮＡ抑制,且具有剂量效应,ＬＮＮＡ这种效应可被Ｌ－精氨酸（ＬＡｒｇ）逆转;用亚甲蓝（ＭＢ）阻断血管内的环－磷酸鸟苷酸（ｘＧＭＰ）,则导致     

NO—样松弛因子对止血带休克大鼠血管舒缩活动的影响

本工作在大鼠止血带休克（ＴｏＳ）模型上观察ＮＯ前体Ｌ－精氨酸Ｌ－Ａｒｇ,ＮＯ合成阻断剂Ｌ－ＮＮＡ及可溶性鸟苷酸环化酶抑制剂亚甲兰（ＭＢ）对离体胸主动脉舒缩活动的影响。发现止血带休克大鼠离体灌流的主动脉对去甲肾上腺素的反应性降低。血管组织ｃＧＭＰ含量增加。Ｌ－Ａｒｇ可增强这一变化,而Ｌ－ＮＮＡ或ＭＢ可减轻上述变化,而且这些药物作用不受血管内皮是否存在的影响。实验结果提示,非内皮细胞源的ＮＯ－样松弛因子（ＮＯ－ＬＲＦ）是引起止血带休克动物血管低反应性的因素之一     

缺氧兔心肌血流量的变化及一氧化氮和腺苷的调节作用

观察了急性缺氧和慢性间断性缺氧兔心肌血流量、心肌组织中腺苷和ｃＧＭＰ含量的变化及Ｎ￣ω－ＮＯ３－Ｌ－精氨酸（Ｌ－ＮＡ）阻断一氧化氮（ＮＯ）生成后的影响。结果表明,急性缺氧兔心肌血流量增加,心肌组织中腺苷和ｃＧＭＰ含量增高;静脉输入Ｌ－ＮＡ后,心肌血流量减少,同时心肌组织中ｃＧＭＰ含量降低,腺苷含量进一步增高。慢性缺氧免心肌血流量无明显变化,红细胞压积（Ｈｃｔ）增高;抑制ＮＯ合成后,右室心肌血流量减少,左室心肌血流量无明显变化。说明ＮＯ和腺苷均参与急性缺氧时冠状血管扩张机制;ＮＯ参与慢性缺氧兔心肌血管基础张力调节。     

白细胞介素－1β对新生大鼠胰岛素分泌的作用及其机制分析

本实验采用分离培养的新生大鼠胰岛，观察了白细胞介素１β（ＩＬ－１β）和Ｎ￣Ｇ－甲基－Ｌ－精氨酸（ＮＭＭＡ，ＮＯ合成酶的竞争性阻断剂）对胰岛素分泌及对胰岛中ｃＧＭＰ水平和亚硝酸盐浓度的影响。结果如下：（１）ＩＬ－１β（５、１０、２０Ｕ／ｍｌ）能抑制基础的和由葡萄糖（２０ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ）刺激的胰岛素分泌。ＩＬ－１β对葡萄糖刺激的胰岛素分泌的抑制作用呈明显的量效关系，抑制率分别为５３．％，６０．５％和７０．７％。（２）ＮＭＭＡ（０．５ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ）能阻断ＩＬ－１β对葡萄糖刺激的胰岛素分泌的抑制作用。（３）ＩＬ－１β能增加胰岛内ｃＧＭＰ水平和亚硝酸盐浓度，而ＮＭＭＡ能阻断这一效应。以上结果表明，ＩＬ－１β能抑制新生大鼠胰岛β细胞的功能，这一作用可能是通过ＮＯ实现的。     

延髓腹外侧区微量注射L－NNA和SNP对大鼠血压、心率和肾交感神经活动的影响

在麻醉大鼠观察了向延髓腹外侧区微量注射ＮＯ合成酶抑制剂Ｎ－硝基左旋精氨酸（ＬＮＮＡ）和硝普钢（ＳＮＰ）对血压、心率和肾交感神经活动的影响,旨在探讨中枢左旋精氨酸－ＮＯ通路在动脉血压调节中的作用及其机制。实验结果如下：（１）向延髓腹外侧头端区（ＲＶＬＭ）注射Ｌ－ＮＮＡ后,平均动脉压（ＭＡＰ）升高,肾交感神经活动（ＲＳＮＡ）增强;心率（ＨＲ）减慢,但无统计学意义。ＭＡＰ和ＲＳＮＡ的变化持续３０ｍｉｎ以上;此效应可被预先静注左旋精氨酸所逆转。（２）向ＲＶＬＭ微量注射ＳＮＰ,ＭＡＰ降低,ＲＳＮＡ减弱;但ＨＲ的变化无统计学意义。（３）向延髓腹外侧尾端区（ＣＶＬＭ）注射Ｌ－ＮＮＡ,ＭＡＰ降低,ＨＲ减慢,ＲＳＮＡ减弱。（４）向ＣＶＬＭ微量注射ＳＮＰ,ＭＡＰ升高,ＲＳＮＡ增强,而心率无明显变化。以上结果表明,中枢左旋精氨酸－ＮＯ通路对延髓腹外侧部的神经元活动有调变作用。     

L—arg斤LNNA对大鼠胸主动脉内皮损伤后舒缩反应及cGMP…

本研究在大鼠胸主动脉内皮损伤内膜增生模型上观察了Ｌ－ａｒｇ和ＬＮＮＡ对大鼠胸主动脉条的血管反应性及ｃＧＭＰ含量的影响。血管反应性观察及血管局部ｃＧＭＰ测定发现,大鼠胸主动脉内皮损伤后３天对－ａｒｇ及ＬＮＮＡ的舒缩反应明显受损,血管局部基础ｃＧＭＰ明显下降,用Ｌ－ａｒｇ和ＬＮＮＡ干预后的ｃＧＭＰ变化亦明显受损,损伤后１０天以上现象明显恢复,损伤后２１天进一步恢复,但仍不能恢复正常。结果表明,内皮损伤     

内皮源性舒张因子对内皮损伤的大鼠胸主动脉中血管紧张素Ⅱ的影响

利用放免测定法在大鼠胸主动脉内皮损伤内膜增生模型上观察了内皮源性舒张因子（ＥＤＲＦ）的前体Ｌ－Ａｒｇ和抑制剂ＬＮＮＡ对内皮损伤血管局部ｃＧＭＰ（ＥＤＲＦ的效应物）和Ａｇ－Ⅱ水平的影响。结果发现,动脉血管内皮损伤后,其ｃＧＭＰ含量显著下降,血管局部Ａｇ－Ⅱ水平明显上升;ＬＮＮＡ可使这一现象更加明显;而Ｌ－Ａｒｇ却可使内皮损伤动脉中下降的ｃＧＭＰ明显上升,使其升高的局部Ａｇ－Ⅱ水平明显下降。表明ＥＤＲＦ可通过ｃＧＭＰ途径抑制内皮损伤的动脉中Ａｇ－Ⅱ的产生。     

一氧化氮和前列腺素在内毒素引起降钙素基因相关肽释放中的作用

本实验在离体灌流大鼠肠系膜动脉床研究内毒素引起降钙素基因相关肽（ＣＧＲＰ）释放的机制。内毒素（５０μｇ／ｍｌ）使ＣＧＲＰ释放增加１６倍,一氧化氮合成酶（ＮＯＳ）底物Ｌ－精氨酸（Ｌ－Ａｒｇ）能促进内毒素引起的ＣＧＲＰ释放（４１％）。ＮＯＳ抑制剂Ｎ￣Ｇ－硝基－Ｌ－精氨酸（Ｌ－ＮＮＡ）及鸟苷酸环化酶抑制剂甲基蓝（ＭＢ）能使内毒素的上述作用分别降低３５％与３６％,Ｌ－精氨酸（ｔ－Ａｒｇ）能逆转Ｌ－ＮＮＡ的作用。提示内毒素的作用机制中部分是通过一氧化氮引起细胞内ｃＧＭＰ升高而介导的。用化学方法破坏血管内皮细胞,Ｌ－ＮＮＡ与Ｌ－Ａｒｇ的上述作用依然存在。提示内毒素主要是激活血管周围感觉神经末梢的神经源ＮＯＳ,而非内皮源ＮＯＳ。环氧化酶抑制剂消炎痛（Ｉｎｄｏ）与布洛芬（Ｉｂｕ）也能使内毒素引起ＣＧＲＰ释放的作用分别降低３４％与３９％,但与Ｌ－ＮＮＡ的作用不能迭加。提示内毒素可能通过激活神经源ＮＯＳ进而引起环氧化酶活化而起作用。     

内源性一氧化氮在高血压心肌肥厚中的作用

目的和方法：本实验用Ｌ精氨酸和一氧化氮合酶（ＮＯＳ）抑制剂ＬＮＡＭＥ观察内源性一氧化氮（ＮＯ）在高血压性心肌肥厚中的作用。结果：腹主动脉缩窄引起大鼠动脉血压显著升高,左心室重量／体重比值显著增加,左心室ＮＯ含量显著下降;Ｌ精氨酸不影响主动脉缩窄大鼠动脉血压,但减轻左心室重量／体重比值,明显升高左心室ＮＯ含量,加入ＬＮＡＭＥ可消除Ｌ精氨酸的上述作用;主动脉缩窄大鼠给予ＬＮＡＭＥ,动脉血压和左心室／体重比值并没有进一步增加;假手术大鼠给予ＬＮＡＭＥ,血压明显升高,左心室重量／体重比值轻度增加;主动脉缩窄大鼠不论是服用Ｌ精氨酸还是ＬＮＡＭＥ,左心室ｃＧＭＰ含量都明显增加。结论：口服Ｌ精氨酸可减轻主动脉缩窄大鼠心肌肥厚但不影响动脉血压,此作用可能是通过Ｌ精氨酸ＮＯ途径实现的,与ｃＧＭＰ机制无关。     

内皮衍生舒张因子对缺血（缺氧）,再灌注（复氧）心肌的保护作用

血管内皮产生的内皮衍生舒张因子（ｅｎｄｏｔｈｅｌｉｕｍ－ｄｅｒｉｖｅｄ ｒｅｌａｘｉｎｇ ｆａｃｔｏｒ,ＥＤＲＦ）即一氧化氮（ｎｉｔｒｉｃ ｏｘｉｄｅ,ＮＯ）本工作分别在大鼠Ｌａｎｇｅｎｄｏｒｆｆ离体心脏灌流模型和培养的大鼠心肌细胞上观察了ＮＯ、ＮＯ的前体物质Ｌ－精氨酸（Ｌ－Ａｒｇ）、ＮＯ的前体物质Ｌ－精氨酸（Ｌ－Ａｒｇ）、ＮＯ的合成阻断剂Ｌ－硝基精氨酸（Ｌ－ＮＮＡ）对心肌缺血（缺氧）再灌注（复氧     

Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase signaling pathway inhibits RhoA-induced Ca2+ sensitization of contraction in vascular smooth muscle

The potent vasodilator action of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (cGK) involves decreasing the Ca(2+) sensitivity of contraction of smooth muscle via stimulation of myosin light chain phosphatase through unknown mechanisms (Wu, X., Somlyo, A. V., and Somlyo, A. P. (1996) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 220, 658-663). Myosin light chain phosphatase activity is controlled by the small GTPase RhoA and its target Rho kinase. Here we demonstrate cGMP effects mediated by cGK that inhibit RhoA-dependent Ca(2+) sensitization of contraction of blood vessels and actin cytoskeleton organization in cultured vascular myocytes. Ca(2+) sensitization and actin organization were inhibited by both 8-bromo-cGMP and sodium nitroprusside (SNP). SNP also caused translocation of activated RhoA from the membrane to the cytosol. SNP-induced actin disassembly was lost in vascular myocytes in culture after successive passages but was restored by transfection of cells with cGK I. Furthermore, cGK phosphorylated RhoA in vitro, and addition of cGK I inhibited RhoA-induced Ca(2+) sensitization in permeabilized smooth muscle. 8-Bromo-cGMP-induced actin disassembly was inhibited in vascular myocytes expressing RhoA(Ala-188), a mutant that could not be phosphorylated. Collectively, these results indicate that cGK phosphorylates and inhibits RhoA and suggest that the consequent inhibition of RhoA-induced Ca(2+) sensitization and actin cytoskeleton organization contributes to the vasodilator action of nitric oxide.     

Analysis of responses to hAmylin, hCGRP, and hADM in isolated resistance arteries from the mesenteric vascular bed of the rat

Responses to human calcitonin gene-related peptide (hCGRP) and human adrenomedullin (hADM) hAmylin were investigated in isolated mesenteric resistance arteries from the rat. The results of the present investigation show that hCGRP, hAmylin, and hADM induce dose-related vasodilator responses in isolated resistance arteries from the rat mesenteric vascular bed. Vasodilator responses to hCGRP and hAmylin were not altered after denuding the vascular endothelium, after administration of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NA, or after administration of the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor ODQ, suggesting that vasodilator responses to hCGRP and hAmylin are not mediated by the release of nitric oxide from the vascular endothelium and the subsequent increase in cGMP. Vasodilator responses to hCGRP, hAmylin, and hADM were not altered by the vascular selective K+(ATP) channel antagonist U-37883A. The role of the CGRP1 receptor was investigated and responses to hCGRP and hAmylin, but not hADM, were significantly reduced following administration of hCGRP-(8-37). Moreover, vasodilator responses to hCGRP and hAmylin, but not hADM, were significantly reduced by hAmylin-(8-37), suggesting that an hAmylin-(8-37)-sensitive receptor mediates responses to hCGRP and hAmylin in the rat mesenteric artery. These data suggest that hCGRP and hAmylin have direct vasodilator effects in the isolated mesenteric resistance artery that are mediated by hAmylin-(8-37)- and hCGRP-(8-37)-sensitive receptors.     

Hydralazine decreases sodium nitroprusside-induced rat aortic ring relaxation and increased cGMP production by rat aortic myocytes

Association of hydralazine with nitrova-sodilators has long been known to be beneficial in the vasodilator treatment of heart failure. We previously found that hydralazine appeared to reduce the increase in cGMP induced by sodium nitroprusside in cultured rat aortic myocytes. In order to further explore this seemingly paradoxical interaction, we extended our initial observations in rat aortic myocytes and also determined the influence of hydralazine on sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxation of rat aortic rings. Hydralazine produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of sodium nitroprusside stimulation of cGMP production and caused a rightward shift of concentration-relaxation curves in aortic rings. A possible mechanism of the hydralazine-nitroprusside interaction could be the interference with bioactivation of the nitro-vasodilator to release nitric oxide. Recent evidence indicates that vascular NADH oxidase, an enzyme known to be inhibited by hydralazine, could be involved in this process. Accordingly, hydralazine was found to inhibit NADH oxidase activity in rat aortic myocytes at concentrations similar to those reducing sodium nitroprusside responses. It was concluded that antagonism of sodium nitroprusside action by hydralazine could be a consequence of interference with bioactivation of the former, apparently through inhibition of vascular NADH oxidase.     

Menadione induces endothelial dysfunction mediated by oxidative stress and arylation

Our previous studies showed that menadione causes endothelial dysfunction which results in decreased relaxation and increased contraction of blood vessels. This investigation examined the role of two possible mechanisms (oxidative stress and arylation) in menadione-induced endothelial dysfunction. Menadione increased superoxide anion generation in aortic rings in a dose-dependent manner. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), reversed the inhibitory effects of menadione on vascular relaxation. The relaxation induced by the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside, was inhibited by menadione pretreatment in a dose-dependent manner. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity (eNOS) was suppressed by menadione. Menadione resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of cGMP levels accumulated by acetylcholine. This reduction of cGMP levels was blocked by SOD treatment, suggesting that superoxide anion generated by menadione could play a role in the inhibition of the nitric oxide pathway. Evidence supporting a possible role for arylation in impaired vascular relaxation was suggested by the observation that benzoquinone, which does not induce oxidative stress in aortic rings, inhibited acetylcholine-induced vascular relaxation to the same extent as menadione. Collectively, these results suggest that menadione can cause endothelial dysfunction in blood vessels by the inhibition of the nitric oxide pathway via superoxide anion generation and that arylation activity may also be another important mechanism.     

Upregulation of vascular inducible nitric oxide synthase mediates the hypotensive effect of ethanol in conscious female rats.

Previous reports from our laboratory have shown that ethanol elicits hypotension in female but not in male rats and that this effect of ethanol is estrogen dependent (El-Mass MM and Abdel-Rahman AA. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 23: 624-632, 1999; El-Mass MM and Abdel-Rahman AA. Clin Exp Hypertens 21: 1429-1445, 1999). In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that ethanol lowers blood pressure in female rats via upregulation of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in vascular tissues. The effects of pretreatment with NG-nitro-L-arginine (NOARG; nonselective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor) or aminoguanidine (selective iNOS inhibitor) on hemodynamic responses elicited by intragastric (ig) ethanol were determined in conscious female rats. Changes in vascular (aortic) iNOS protein expression evoked by ethanol in the presence and absence of aminoguanidine were also measured by immunohistochemistry. Compared with control (water treated) female rats, ethanol (1 g/kg ig) elicited hypotension that was associated with a significant increase in the aortic iNOS activity. The hypotensive effect of ethanol was virtually abolished in rats infused with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NOARG, suggesting a role for nitric oxide in ethanol hypotension. The inability of ethanol to lower blood pressure in NOARG-treated rats cannot be attributed to the presence of elevated blood pressure in these rats because ethanol produced hypotension when blood pressure was raised to comparable levels with phenylephrine infusion. Selective inhibition of iNOS by aminoguanidine (45 mg/kg ip), which had no effect on baseline blood pressure, abolished both the hypotensive action of subsequently administered ethanol and the associated increases in aortic iNOS content. These findings implicate vascular iNOS, at least partly, in the acute hypotensive action of ethanol in female rats.     

Involvement of nitric oxide and potassium channels in the bradykinin-induced vasodilatation in the rat kidney perfused ex situ

The role of nitric oxide (NO), K(+) channels, and arachidonic acid metabolism, via cytochrome P450 and cyclooxygenase pathways, in the renal vasodilatory effect of bradykinin was examined in the isolated rat kidney perfused ex situ with a blood-free solution. Bradykinin (BK, 0.25-1.0 microM) induced a dose-dependent reduction of 10-35% in the relative renal vascular resistance (rRVR) of isolated kidneys preconstricted with phenylephrine (PHE, 0.17-0.35 microM). The vasodilating effect of 0.5 microM bradykinin was significantly inhibited by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (95% inhibition) and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (45-75% inhibition). Clotrimazole, an inhibitor of cytochrome P450 pathway but not indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, reduced the renal vasodilator response to bradykinin by 84%. The nonspecific K(+) channel inhibitor, tetraethylammonium ion (TEA) and the selective inhibitor of Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels, charybdotoxin (ChTX) greatly attenuated the vasodilator response to bradykinin by approximately 84% and 79%, respectively. These two K(+) channel inhibitors showed similar effects on vasodilatation induced by S-nitroso-acetyl-D,L-penicillamine (1 microM), a nitric oxide donor. The results suggest that bradykinin releases nitric oxide which, by opening potassium channels specifically the Ca(+)-dependent type, mediates the renal vasodilator response to bradykinin in the isolated kidney perfused ex situ.     

Upregulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme by vascular endothelial growth factor

The role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent endothelium-specific angiogenic factor, in the regulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was studied. VEGF (0.07-1.2 x 10(-6) mmol/l) caused a dose-dependent increase in ACE measured in intact endothelial cells and increased the expression of ACE mRNA. The stimulatory effect of VEGF was inhibited by pretreatment of endothelial cells with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin (4.35 x 10(-5) mmol/l). The stimulatory effect of VEGF was potentiated by the selective cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor zaprinast (0.1 mmol/l). The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 5.4 mmol/l) suppressed the stimulatory effect of VEGF. The nonselective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor indomethacin (5 microM) and the selective COX-2 inhibitor NS-398 (5 microM) potentiated the stimulatory effect of VEGF, whereas the selective COX-1 inhibitor resveratrol (5 microM) was without effect. ACE induction by VEGF was inhibited by the selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF109203X (2.5 x 10(-3) mmol/l) and by downregulating PKC with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. In summary, VEGF induced ACE in cultured HUVECs. Intracellular events such as tyrosine kinase activation, PKC activation, and increase of cGMP were probably involved in ACE induction by VEGF. Nitric oxide may partially contribute to ACE induction by VEGF. The powerful capacity of VEGF to increase ACE in endothelial cells shown here suggests a synergistic relation between VEGF and the renin-angiotensin system in vascular biology and pathophysiology.     

Role of cGMP-dependent protein kinase in development of tolerance to nitric oxide in pulmonary veins of newborn lambs

Continuous exposure to nitrovasodilators and nitric oxide induces tolerance to their vasodilator effects in vascular smooth muscle. This study was done to determine the role of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) in the development of tolerance to nitric oxide. Isolated fourth-generation pulmonary veins of newborn lambs were studied. Incubation of veins for 20 h with DETA NONOate (DETA NO; a stable nitric oxide donor) significantly reduced their relaxation response to the nitric oxide donor and to beta-phenyl-1,N2-etheno-8-bromo-cGMP (8-Br-PET-cGMP, a cell-permeable cGMP analog). Incubation with DETA NO significantly reduced PKG activity and protein and mRNA levels in the vessels. These effects were prevented by 1H-(1,2,4)oxadiazolo(4,3-a)quinoxalin-1-one (an inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase) and Rp-8-Br-PET-cGMPS (an inhibitor of PKG). A decrease in PKG protein and mRNA levels was also observed after continuous exposure to cGMP analogs. The PKG inhibitor abrogated these effects. The decrease in cGMP-mediated relaxation and in PKG activity caused by continuous exposure to DETA NO was not affected by KT-5720, an inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Prolonged exposure to 8-Br-cAMP (a cell-permeable cAMP analog) did not affect PKG protein level in the veins. These results suggest that continuous exposure to nitric oxide or cGMP downregulates PKG by a PKG-dependent mechanism. Such a negative feedback mechanism may contribute to the development of tolerance to nitric oxide in pulmonary veins of newborn lambs.     

Omentin, a novel adipocytokine inhibits TNF-induced vascular inflammation in human endothelial cells

Omentin is a recently identified adipocytokine with insulin-sensitizing effect. While lack of omentin may be related to the pathogenesis of obesity-related cardiovascular diseases, its effect in vasculature is largely unknown. We examined effects of omentin on vascular endothelial inflammatory states. Western blotting was performed to analyze inflammatory signal transduction in cultured vascular endothelia cells. The cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) content was measured using enzyme immunoassay. Treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells with omentin (300 ng/ml, 20 min) induced phosphorylation of 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) (Thr 172) and endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) (Ser 1177). Consistently, omentin increased the cGMP level. Pretreatment with omentin (300 ng/ml, 30 min) significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of JNK as well as expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 by TNF-α (5 ng/ml, 20 min–24 h). An inhibitor of JNK significantly inhibited the TNF-α-induced COX-2 expression. Inhibitory effect of omentin on TNF-α-induced COX-2 was reversed by a NOS inhibitor. The present results demonstrate for the first time that omentin plays an anti-inflammatory role by preventing the TNF-α-induced COX-2 expression in vascular endothelial cells. Omentin inhibits COX-2 induction via preventing the JNK activation presumably through activation of AMPK/eNOS/NO pathways.     

Thiopental inhibits nitric oxide production in rat aorta

We studied whether thiopental affects endothelial nitric oxide dependent vasodilator responses and nitrite production (an indicator of nitric oxide production) elicited by acetylcholine, histamine, and A23187 in rat aorta (artery in which nitric oxide is the main endothelial relaxant factor). In addition, we evaluated the barbiturate effect on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in both rat aorta and kidney homogenates. Thiopental (10-100 microg/mL) reversibly inhibited the endothelium-dependent relaxation elicited by acetylcholine, histamine, and A23187. On the contrary, this anesthetic did not modify the endothelium-independent but cGMP-dependent relaxation elicited by sodium nitroprusside (1 nM - 1 microM) and nitroglycerin (1 nM - 1 microM), thus excluding an effect of thiopental on guanylate cyclase of vascular smooth muscle. Thiopental (100 microg/mL) inhibited both basal (87.8+/-14.3%) and acetylcholine- or A23187-stimulated (78.6+/-3.9 and 39.7+/-5.6%, respectively) production of nitrites in aortic rings. In addition the barbiturate inhibited (100 microg/mL) the NOS (45+/-4 and 42.8+/-9%) in aortic and kidney homogenates, respectively (measured as 14C-labeled citrulline production). In conclusion, thiopental inhibition of endothelium-dependent relaxation and nitrite production in aortic rings strongly suggests an inhibitory effect on NOS. Thiopental inhibition of the NOS provides further support to this contention.