一氧化氮供体增强大鼠记忆及其与脑内ADP-核糖基转移酶的关系

为探讨与学习记忆有关的一氧化氮（ｎｉｔｒｉｃ ｏｘｉｄｅ,ＮＯ）信号转导通路,本文用ＮＯ供体硝普钠（ｓｏｄｉｕｍ ｎｉｔｒｏｐｒｕｓｓｉｄｅ,ＳＮＰ）或同时给予ＡＤＰ－核糖基转移酶（ＡＤＰ－ｒｉｂｏｓｙｌｔｒａｎｓｆｅｒａｓｅ,ＡＤＰＲＴ）抑制剂尼克酰胺（ｎｉｃｏｔｉｎａｍｉｄｅ,ＮＩＣ）侧脑室内流射,观察其对大鼠学习记忆行为的影响,并用高效液相色谱法测定脑内ＡＤＰＲＴ活性。结果表明,ＳＮＰ（０．     

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     

一氧化氮合酶在豚鼠听觉核团的分布

为了研究一氧化氮合酶（ｎｉｔｒｉｃｏｘｉｄｅｓｙｔｈａｓｅ,ＮＯＳ）在听觉核团的分布特点,探讨一氧化氮（ｎｉｔｒｉｃｏｘｅｄｅ,ＮＯ）在听觉径路中的作用,本文采用ＮＡＤＰＨ硫辛酸胺脱氢酶（ＮＡＤＰＨ－ｄ）组织化学方法,研究了豚鼠听觉核团内ＮＯＳ的分布。结果发现,在各级听觉传入核团,均有ＮＯＳ阳性神经元,而上橄榄复合体ＮＯＳ反应阴性。耳蜗核ＮＯＳ阳性神经元主要集中在耳蜗后腹核,为圆形或椭圆形双极神经元。下丘ＮＯＳ阳性反应神经元位于下丘中央核团,胞体形状和大小不一。内侧膝状体背侧核ＮＯＳ阳性神经元相对集中,多为双极神经元,部分神经元突起很长,散在阳性纤维,部分阳性纤维穿行于内侧膝状体背侧核与内侧膝状体之间。本研究提示,ＮＯ可能是听觉中枢的神经递质或调质,参与声信号传递的调节。     

NO：一种重要的生物信使分子

一氧化氮（ｎｉｔｒｉｃｏｘｉｄｅ,ＮＯ）以其多样而新颖的生理,病理作用和广泛的组织分布,得到国内外学者的关注,研究表明,ＮＯ是一种重要的细胞内信使分子和神经递质,参与血管调节,炎症免疫反应等过程,Ｌ－Ａｒｇ－ＮＯ途径异常和ＮＯ产生异常,会引起某些疾病,从ＮＯ抑制剂和ＮＯ供体两方面,提出ＮＯ相关性疾病的治疗方法。     

一氧化氮等在体外循环下心肌缺血再灌注损伤中的改变

近年来,一氧化氮（ｎｉｔｒｉｃｏｘｉｄｅ,ＮＯ）在心肌缺血再灌注损伤（ｍｇｏｃａｒｄｉａｌｉｓｃｈｅｍｉａｒｅｐｅｒｆｓｉｏｎｉｎｊｕｒｙ,ＭＩＲＩ）中的作用日益为人们所重视。本研究通过观察１６例心内直视手术患者主动脉阻断前,阻断３０ｍｉｎ、开放３０ｍｉｎ、１ｈ、２ｈ、４ｈ及８ｈ不同时相点血浆ＮＯ水平、ＬＤＨ及ＣＰＫ活性的动态变化,探讨ＮＯ在体外循环（ＣＰＢ）下ＭＩＲＩ中的作用、意义及其可能的机制,更好地为ＭＩＲＩ的防治提供可靠的理论依据。１　材料与方法（１）观察对象　先天性心脏病（室间隔缺损…     

植物硝酸还原酶的新功能：合成NO

一氧化氮 (ＮＯ)是一种广泛存在于生物体内的信使分子和效应分子 ,也是一种活性氮 (ａｃｔｉｖｅｎｉｔｒｏｇｅｎｓｐｅｃｉｅｓ ,ＡＮＳ)。已经知道 ,ＮＯ可以参与动物体内诸如神经传导、免疫和细胞毒性等各种生理、病理过程。依赖ＮＡＤＰＨ的一氧化氮合酶 (ｎｉｔｒｉｃｏｘｉｄｅｓｙｎ ｔｈａｓｅ,ＮＯＳ ,ＥＣ 1 .1 4.1 3.39)是动物体内合成ＮＯ的关键酶类 ,它能催化Ｌ 精氨酸氧化而生成ＮＯ和Ｌ 瓜氨酸。植物体内则是通过与动物略有不同的依赖于Ｃａ2 的ＮＯＳ合成ＮＯ ,这已在大豆、玉米和豌豆中得到初步证实[1～ 4] 。不少研究表…     

人早期胎盘绒毛纤维连接蛋白的分离纯化及鉴定

人妊娠５－８周的胎盘绒毛经匀浆后,用２ｍｏ１／Ｌｕｒｅａ－ＰＢＳ提取,通过Ｈｅｐａｒｉｎ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ４Ｂ亲和柱层析,再经ＳｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅＣＬ－６Ｂ凝胶过滤层析,得到人早期胎盘纤维连接蛋白（ｅａｒｌｙｐｌａｃｅｎｔａｆｉｂｒｏｎｅｃｔｉｎ,ｅｐＦＮ）。经还原及非还原ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ和免疫印迹电泳分析,ｅｐＦＮ分子量约５００ｋＤ,是由两个２５０ｋＤ亚基组成,与人足月胎盘纤维连接蛋白（ｔｅｒｍｐｌａｃｅｎｔａｆｉｂｒｏｎｅｃｔｉｎ,简称ｔｐＦＮ）相似,而大于人血浆纤维连接蛋白（ｐｌａｓｍａｆｉｂｒｏｎｅｃｔｉｎ,ｐＦＮ）。ｅｐＦＮ与抗人ｐＦＮ抗体及抗人羊水纤维连接蛋白（ａｍｎｉｏｔｉｃｆｌｕｉｄｆｉｂｒｏｎｅｃｔｉｎ,简称ａｍＦＮ）的三个主要功能区单抗均可发生反应。与五种植物凝集素结合力实验表明,ｅｐＦＮ在糖基组成上与ｐＦＮ和ｔｐＦＮ均不相同。     

肿瘤坏死因子和酯多糖对培养脑微血管内皮细胞NOS的影响

一氧化氮合酶（ＮＯＳ）活性与一氧化氮（ＮＯ）合成及血管功能关系密切,为了研究脑血管内皮细胞ＮＯＳ表达及其调节作用,本文采用脑微血管内皮细胞培养技术和组织化学方法,观察了内皮细胞ＮＯＳ的表达。未加刺激物对照组的脑微血管内皮细胞染色淡,阳性反应物主要聚集在细胞核周围胞浆中。加入肿瘤坏死因子－α（ｔｕｍｏｒｎｅｃｒｏｓｉｓｆａｃｔｏｒ－α,ＴＮＦ－α）或酯多糖（ｌｉｐｏｐｏｌｙｓａｃｃｈａｒｉｄｅ,ＬＰＳ）５ｍｉｎ后,ＮＯＳ染色开始增加,１ｈ达顶峰。以后呈下降趋势。ＬＰＳ比ＴＮＦ－α作用时间较长,ＮＯＳ染色较深     

脂多糖对离体培养大鼠血管平滑肌细胞增殖的影响

本研究观察到１０－７～１０－５ｋｇ／Ｌ脂多糖（ｌｉｐｏｐｏｌｙｓａｃｈａｒｉｄｅ,ＬＰＳ）可显著促进血管平滑肌细胞（ＶＳＭＣ）的增殖及ＤＮＡ的合成（Ｐ＜００５）。５×１０－４～１０－３ｋｇ／ＬＬＰＳ却抑制ＶＳＭＣ的增殖及ＤＮＡ的合成,降低其活力（Ｐ＜００１）,并呈时间依赖效应。一氧化氮合酶抑制剂ＮＮｉｔｒｏＬＡｒｇｉｎｉｎｅ（ＬＮＮＡ）可拮抗ＬＰＳ的抑制作用。大剂量ＬＰＳ作用组ＶＳＭＣ上清液中一氧化氮（ＮＯ）代谢产物ＮＯ－３和ＮＯ－２的含量与对照组相比显著增加（Ｐ＜００１）,４８ｈ组比２４ｈ组增加９１％,７２ｈ组比４８ｈ组增加４５％;同时,诱导性一氧化氮合酶（ｉｎｄｕｃｔｉｖｅｎｉｔｒｉｃｏｘｉｄｅｓｙｎｔｈａｓｅ,ｉＮＯＳ）免疫组化染色呈阳性。结果表明,低浓度ＬＰＳ促进ＶＳＭＣ增殖和ＤＮＡ合成,而高浓度ＬＰＳ却明显抑制ＶＳＭＣ增殖和ＤＮＡ合成,降低其活力。这种抑制作用可能与ＬＰＳ诱导ＶＳＭＣ产生的ＮＯ有关。     

一氧化氮在植物体内的信号分子作用

一氧化氮 (ｎｉｔｒｉｃｏｘｉｄｅ ,ＮＯ)是一种广泛分布于生物体的气体活性分子 ,它具有多种生理功能。动物体研究结果揭示 ,ＮＯ在血管松驰、神经转导及先天性免疫反应等一系列生理代谢过程均可作为一种关键的信号和效应分子。有关ＮＯ作为信使物质参与植物抗病及其他生理代谢调节的报道也日益增多。1 .植物内源ＮＯ的产生途径植物体内氮代谢的关键酶硝酸还原酶(ｎｉｔｒａｔｅｒｅｄｕｃｔａｓｅ,ＮＲ)也可以ＮＡＤＨ/ＮＡＤＰＨ作为电子供体 ,催化硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐的单电子还原反应来合成ＮＯ。如在含有ＮＯ-2 和ＮＡＤＨ的缓冲液 (ｐ…     

整合素—配体结合反应上调兔支气管上皮细胞抗氧化能力

支气管上皮细胞（BECs）的抗氧化活性对于改善上皮的抗损伤能力、维持上皮结构和功能的完整性具有重要意义。BEC表达的整合素分子是细胞外基质成分如纤维连接蛋白（Fn）的受体,与细胞的生长、分化、代谢调控有关,为论证整合素－配体结合反应对细胞抗氧化活性的影响,本实验用臭氧攻击培养的兔BEC,观察用EFn或其特异性识别域片段RGD肽处理后细胞内谷胱苷肽过氧化物酶（GSH－Px）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（catalase）三种抗氧化酶活性变化和谷胱苷肽（GSH）含量的变化。结果：（1）Fn及RGD肽均呈剂量依赖性地提高GSH－Px活性（分别为r=0.93和r=0.73),Fn的上调作用可被钙调素抑制剂W7逆转;（2)Fn可提高SOD活性,但能被W7阻断;（3）Fn增加细胞的catalase活性,W7可取消这一效应;（4）Fn和RGD肽处理增加细胞内GSH含量,且有量－效关系（相关系数r分别为0.82和0.84）。以上结果提示,细胞外基质与整合素结合可增强细胞的抗氧化酶活性,增加GSH含量,以及提高抗氧化损伤能力。     

纤维连接蛋白上调兔支气管上皮细胞过氧化氢酶表达

为从基因转录水平阐明纤维连接蛋白(fibronectin,Fn)与整合素(integrins)结合反应对支气管上皮细胞(bronchial epithelialCells,BECs)的抗氧化保护机制,本文在先前的工作基础上用臭氧(ozone,O_3)攻击原代培养的免BEC,RT-PCR扩增过氧化氢酶(catalase,CAT)的cDNA,PCR产物经琼脂糖凝胶电泳后用凝胶成像系统进行灰度分析,反映CAT mRNA的原始表达丰度,观察Fn处理的影响及蛋白酪氨酸激酶抑制剂genistein和钙调素抑制剂W_7的作用。同时,将电泳展开的PCR产物电转移至尼龙膜上,用CAT特异性寡核苷酸探针杂交,证实PCR扩增产物为特异性目的基因的转录产物。结果证实:Fn(10μg/ml)处理可提高CAT表达(P<0.01),蛋白酪氨酸激酶抑制剂genistein可阻断Fn对CAT mRNA表达的增强效应(P<0.01);钙调素抑制剂W_7对Fn处理后CAT mRNA表达增强也有抑制作用。提示:Fn可提高BEC细胞内CAT编码基因的转录水平,其上游信号途径与整合素介导的酪氨酸磷酸化或Ca~(2+)-钙调素通路有关。     

整合素介导小鼠卵内钙离子增加

为了研究整合素是否作为跨膜信号传递受体介导小鼠卵[Ca^2 ]i的变化并探讨其机制。本实验采用甘-精-甘-天冬-丝-脯(GLY-ARG-GLY-ASP-SER-PRO,RGD肽)、纤连蛋A(fibronectin,Fn)及抗整合素α6、β1的单克隆抗体作用于负载了钙探针Fluo-3／AM的去透明带小鼠卵,用激光共聚焦显微镜检测小鼠卵的荧光强度以反映卵[Ca^2 ];用无钙液替代有钙液、或用酪氨酸激酶抑制剂或蛋白激酶C的抑制剂预先作用于卵,然后再观察RGD肽所致卵[Ca^2 ]i的变化。结果显示整合素配体RGD肽或Fn作用于去透明带小鼠卵可引起卵[Ca^2 ]i增加,增加的程度与精子作用相似;去除培养液中的Ca^2 后,再用RGD肽、Fn作用仍可引起卵[Ca^2 ]i增加：用功能性的抗小鼠整合素α6、β1的单克隆抗体也可引起不同程度的卵[Ca^2]i增加,尤其以抗小鼠整合素α6、β1单克隆抗体的作用明显;用酪氨酸激酶抑制剂预先作用于鼠卵,RGD肽或精子作用都不再引起卵[Ca^2 ]i增加;蛋白激酶C抑制剂预先作用鼠卵,RGD肽及Fn也不再引起卵[Ca^2 ]i增加。实验证明。小鼠卵膜整合素与其配体结合可使卵内贮存钙离子释放,引起卵[Ca^2 ]i增加这一卵激活的早期事件;整合素介导小鼠卵激活需要酪氨酸激酶信号转导途径的参与;蛋白激酶C也参与了整合素介导的卵激活。     

Integrin alpha IIb beta 3 (platelet GPIIb-IIIa) recognizes multiple sites in fibronectin.

The binding of fibronectin (Fn) to several integrins involves the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) tripeptide sequence. However, linear synthetic RGD peptides do not completely mimic the cell attachment activity of intact Fn or certain large Fn fragments. This suggests that the integrin-Fn interaction involves a more extended surface of Fn than that provided by the RGD sequence. To test this possibility, three novel monoclonal anti-Fn antibodies that inhibit its binding to a purified integrin, alpha IIb beta 3, were developed. The epitopes of these three antibodies mapped to a region at least 55 residues amino-terminal of the RGD sequence. Further, recombinant fragments of Fn containing these epitopes and lacking the RGD site also inhibited the binding of Fn to purified alpha IIb beta 3. These fragments, which spanned Fn residues 1359-1436, bound to alpha IIb beta 3 in a divalent cation-dependent manner. In addition, this region of Fn bound specifically to alpha IIb beta 3 on thrombin-stimulated but not resting platelets. These results demonstrate the presence of additional sequences in Fn that interact with integrin alpha IIb beta 3 and suggest that multiple sites in Fn are involved in its recognition by this integrin.     

Effect of receptor-ligand affinity on the strength of endothelial cell adhesion.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of receptor-ligand affinity on the strength of endothelial cell adhesion. Linear and cyclic forms of the fibronectin (Fn) cell-binding domain peptide Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) were covalently immobilized to glass, and Fn was adsorbed onto glass slides. Bovine aortic endothelial cells attached to the surfaces for 15 min. The critical wall shear stress at which 50% of the cells detached increased nonlinearly with ligand density and was greater with immobilized cyclic RGD than with immobilized linear RGD or adsorbed Fn. To directly compare results for the different ligand densities, the receptor-ligand dissociation constant and force per bond were estimated from data for the critical shear stress and contact area. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy was used to measure the contact area as a function of separation distance. Contact area increased with increasing ligand density. Contact areas were similar for the immobilized peptides but were greater on surfaces with adsorbed Fn. The dissociation constant was determined by nonlinear regression of the net force on the cells to models that assumed that bonds were either uniformly stressed or that only bonds on the periphery of the contact region were stressed (peeling model). Both models provided equally good fits for cells attached to immobilized peptides whereas the peeling model produced a better fit of data for cells attached to adsorbed Fn. Cyclic RGD and linear RGD both bind to the integrin alpha v beta 3, but immobilized cyclic RGD exhibited a greater affinity than did linear RGD. Receptor affinities of Fn adsorbed to glycophase glass and Fn adsorbed to glass were similar. The number of bonds was calculated assuming binding equilibrium. The peeling model produced good linear fits between bond force and number of bonds. Results of this study indicate that 1) bovine aortic endothelial cells are more adherent on immobilized cyclic RGD peptide than linear RGD or adsorbed Fn, 2) increased adhesion is due to a greater affinity between cyclic RGD and its receptor, and 3) the affinity of RGD peptides and adsorbed Fn for their receptors is increased after immobilization.     

Coordinate induction of collagenase-1, stromelysin-1 and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) by the 120-kDa cell-binding fibronectin fragment in fibrocartilaginous cells: uPA contributes to activation of procollagenase-1.

Specific fibronectin (Fn) fragments found in synovial fluid of arthritic joints potentially contribute to the loss of cartilage proteoglycans by inducing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression. However, whether or not the Fn fragment-modulated changes in expression of MMPs result in a net increase in matrix-degradative activity through alterations in the balance between MMP activation and inhibition has not been established. To understand the mechanisms by which proteolytic Fn fragments may contribute to joint degeneration, conditioned medium from fibrocartilaginous cells exposed to Fn, its 30-kDa fragment containing the collagen/gelatin-binding domain, its 120-kDa fragment containing the central cell-binding domain, and the RGD peptide were assayed for MMPs, and MMP activators and inhibitors. We found that the 120-kDa fragment of Fn (but not intact Fn), the 30-kDa fragment, and the RGD peptide, dose-dependently induced procollagenase-1 and prostromelysin-1 and decreased levels of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) -1 and -2. The alpha5beta1 integrin was implicated in the induction of collagenase by the 120-kDa Fn fragment, since collagenase induction was abrogated in the presence of blocking antibody to this integrin. Conditioned medium from cells exposed to the 120-kDa Fn fragment also demonstrated increased levels of the activated collagenase-1, which resulted in significantly elevated collagen degradative activity. That the urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) was involved in the activation of procollagenase-1 was suggested by findings that the 120-kDa Fn fragment induced uPA coordinately with procollagenase-1, and the activation of procollagenase-1 was dose-dependently inhibited in the presence of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. These data demonstrate that the 120-kDa cell-binding fragment of Fn induces a net increase in matrix-degradative activity in fibrocartilaginous cells by concomitantly inducing MMPs and their activator, uPA, while decreasing TIMPs.     

Extracellular matrix proteins secreted from both the endometrium and the embryo are required for attachment: A study using a co‐culture model of rat blastocysts and Ishikawa cells

Integrins are expressed in a highly regulated manner at the maternal‐fetal interface during implantation. However, the significance of extracellular matrix (ECM) ligands during the integrin‐mediated embryo attachment to the endometrium is not fully understood. Thus, the distribution of fibronectin in the rat uterus and blastocyst was studied at the time of implantation. Fibronectin was absent in the uterine luminal epithelial cells but was intensely expressed in the trophoblast cells and the inner cell mass suggesting that fibronectin secreted from the blastocyst may be a possible bridging ligand for the integrins expressed at the maternal‐fetal interface. An Arg‐Gly‐Asp (RGD) peptide was used to block the RGD recognition sites on integrins, and the effect on rat blastocyst attachment to Ishikawa cells was examined. There was a significant reduction in blastocyst attachment when either the blastocysts or the Ishikawa cells were pre‐incubated with the RGD‐blocking peptide. Thus, successful attachment of the embryo to the endometrium requires the interaction of integrins on both the endometrium and the blastocyst with the RGD sequence of ECM ligands, such as fibronectin. Pre‐treatment of both blastocysts and Ishikawa cells with the RGD peptide also inhibited blastocyst attachment, but not completely, suggesting that ECM bridging ligands that do not contain the RGD sequence are also involved in embryo attachment. J. Morphol. 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Endotoxin stimulates bronchial epithelial cells to release chemotactic factors for neutrophils. A potential mechanism for neutrophil recruitment, cytotoxicity, and inhibition of proliferation in bronchial inflammation.

To test the effect of endotoxin on bronchial epithelial cells (BEC), BEC were isolated from bovine lungs and cultured in the presence of bacterial endotoxin. The BEC culture supernatant fluids were harvested, and neutrophil chemotactic activity (NCA) was determined with a blindwell chamber technique; cytotoxicity determined by lactate dehydrogenase release and BEC proliferation determined by Coulter counting. Endotoxin caused a dose- and time-dependent release of NCA from BEC cultures compared with media alone (82.3 +/- 8.1 vs 12.0 +/- 3.1 cells/high power field, p less than 0.001). To further characterize this activity, reverse phase HPLC analysis of release eicosanoid metabolites after [3H]arachidonic acid incorporation was performed. Endotoxin stimulated the release of the neutrophil chemoattractants, leukotriene B4 and 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids. Endotoxin also resulted in a dose and time dependent release of lactate dehydrogenase (42.9 +/- 4.2 vs 20.2 +/- 2.2 U/liter, p less than 0.001) although higher doses were required to cause cytotoxicity than to stimulate chemotaxis. Finally, endotoxin resulted in a dose dependent inhibition of BEC proliferation (176 x 10(3) +/- 16 x 10(3) vs 1,080 x 10(3) +/- 38 x 10(3) cells/ml measured at day 14, p less than 0.001). These data suggest that bacterial release of endotoxin may contribute to the pathophysiologic changes observed in bronchial inflammation by stimulating BEC to release NCA, denuding airway epithelium by causing cytotoxicity of BEC, and inhibiting epithelial repair by inhibiting BEC proliferation.     

Regulation of murine airway responsiveness by endothelial nitric oxide synthase

Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent vasodilator, but it can also modulate contractile responses of the airway smooth muscle. Whether or not endothelial (e) NO synthase (NOS) contributes to the regulation of bronchial tone is unknown at present. Experiments were designed to investigate the isoforms of NOS that are expressed in murine airways and to determine whether or not the endogenous release of NO modulates bronchial tone in wild-type mice and in mice with targeted deletion of eNOS [eNOS(-/-)]. The presence of neuronal NOS (nNOS), inducible NOS (iNOS), and eNOS in murine trachea and lung parenchyma was assessed by RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry. Airway resistance was measured in conscious unrestrained mice by means of a whole body plethysmography chamber. The three isoforms of NOS were constitutively present in lungs of wild-type mice, whereas only iNOS and nNOS were present in eNOS(-/-) mice. Labeling of nNOS was localized in submucosal airway nerves but was not consistently detected, and iNOS immunoreactivity was observed in tracheal and bronchiolar epithelial cells, whereas eNOS was expressed in endothelial cells. In wild-type mice, treatment with N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, but not with aminoguanidine, potentiated the increase in airway resistance produced by inhalation of methacholine. eNOS(-/-) mice were hyperresponsive to inhaled methacholine and markedly less sensitive to N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. These results demonstrate that the three NOS isoforms are expressed constitutively in murine lung and that NO derived from eNOS plays a physiological role in controlling bronchial airway reactivity.     

Receptor functions for the integrin VLA-3: fibronectin, collagen, and laminin binding are differentially influenced by Arg-Gly-Asp peptide and by divalent cations

The capability of the integrin VLA-3 to function as a receptor for collagen (Coll), laminin (Lm), and fibronectin (Fn) was addressed using both whole cell adhesion assays and ligand affinity columns. Analysis of VLA-3-mediated cell adhesion was facilitated by the use of a small cell lung carcinoma line (NCI-H69), which expresses VLA-3 but few other integrins. While VLA-3 interaction with Fn was often low or undetectable in cells having both VLA-3 and VLA-5, NCI-H69 cells readily attached to Fn in a VLA-3-dependent manner. Both Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide inhibition studies, and Fn fragment affinity columns suggested that VLA-3, like VLA-5, may bind to the RGD site in human Fn. However, unlike Fn, both Coll and Lm supported VLA-3-mediated adhesion that was not inhibited by RGD peptide, and was totally unaffected by the presence of VLA-5. In addition, VLA-3-mediated binding to Fn was low in the presence of Ca++, but was increased 6.6-fold with Mg++, and 30-fold in the presence of Mn++. In contrast, binding to Coll was increased only 1.2-fold with Mg++, and 1.7-fold in Mn++, as compared to the level seen with Ca++. Together, these experiments indicate that VLA-3 can bind Coll, Lm, and Fn, and also show that (a) VLA-3 can recognize both RGD-dependent and RGD-independent ligands, and (b) different VLA-3 ligands have distinctly dissimilar divalent cation sensitivities.