神经型一氧化氮合酶的活性调控

一氧化氮是重要的信使分子,在生物体内参与众多生理及病理过程。生物体内存在着复杂的一氧化氮合酶活性调控机制以精确调控一氧化氮的生成。在神经系统中,一氧化氮主要由神经型一氧化氮合酶催化生成。神经型一氧化氮合酶的活性主要受到翻译后水平上钙离子和钙调蛋白的调控,其调控方式包括二聚化、多位点的磷酸化和去磷酸化,以及主要由PDZ结构域介导的蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用。一氧化氮本身对其合酶的活性具有负反馈调控作用。近年来的研究提示,细胞质膜上的脂筏微区在神经性一氧化氮合酶的活性调控中也起到重要的调节作用。     

Redox Regulation of Arabidopsis Mitochondrial Citrate Synthase

Citrate synthase has a key role in the tricarboxylic （TCA） cycle of mitochondria of all organisms, as it cata- lyzes the first committed step which is the fusion of a carbon-carbon bond between oxaloacetate and acetyl CoA. The regulation of TCA cycle function is especially important in plants, since mitochondrial activities have to be coordinated with photosynthesis. The posttranslational regulation of TCA cycle activity in plants is thus far almost entirely unexplored. Although several TCA cycle enzymes have been identified as thioredoxin targets in vitro, the existence of any thioredoxin-dependent regulation as known for the Calvin cycle, yet remains to be demonstrated. Here we have investigated the redox regulation of the Arabidopsis citrate synthase enzyme by site-directed mutagenesis of its six cysteine residues. Our results indicate that oxidation inhibits the enzyme activity by the formation of mixed disulfides, as the partially oxidized citrate synthase enzyme forms large redox-dependent aggregates. Furthermore, we were able to demonstrate that thioredoxin can cleave diverse intraas well as intermolecular disulfide bridges, which strongly enhances the activity of the enzyme. Activity measurements with the cysteine variants of the enzyme revealed important cysteine residues affecting total enzyme activity as well as the redox sensitivity of the enzyme.     

Biochemical Characterization and Histochemical Localization of Nitric Oxide Synthase in the Nervous System of the Snail, Helix pomatia

Abstract: Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the snail Helix pomatia was characterized by biochemical and molecular biological techniques and localized by histochemical methods. Central ganglia contained particulate paraformaldehyde-sensitive and cytosolic paraformaldehyde-insensitive NADPH-diaphorase. The cytosolic NADPH-diaphorase activity coeluted with NOS activity. The activity of NOS was dependent on Ca²⁺ and NADPH and was inhibited by N ^G-nitro- l -arginine ( l -NNA). Proteins purified by 2',5'-ADP affinity chromatography were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and migrated at 150, 60, 40, and 30 kDa. An antibody to mammalian NOS exclusively labeled the 60-kDa protein. Characterization of the cDNA of the corresponding 60-kDa NOS-immunoreactive protein revealed no sequence homology with any known NOS isoform. The recombinant protein exhibited Ca²⁺- and NADPH-dependent NOS activity, which was partially inhibited by EGTA and l -NNA. Histochemistry showed NADPH-diaphorase activity in discrete regions of the central and peripheral nervous system. About 60% of the NADPH-diaphorase-positive neurons colocalize with immunoreactive material detected by antibodies to mammalian NOS. Comparison of organs showed the highest NADPH-diaphorase activity in the nervous system, whereas moderate activity was present in muscle tissue, digestive tract, and gonads. Our study suggests the presence of NOS and a putative NOS-associated/regulating protein in mollusk nervous tissue.     

软体动物的一氧化氮及其合酶的研究进展

一氧化氮作为一种重要的信息分子,参与调节软体动物的嗅觉、运动、取食、机体防御及学习行为。本文从生理、生化、形态定位以及信号转导几方面综述了有关软体动物一氧化氮及其合酶的最新研究进展。     

Characterization of l-Arginine and Aminoguanidine Uptake into Isolated Rat Choroid Plexus: Differences in Uptake Mechanisms and Inhibition by Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors

Abstract: Recent reports suggest that nitric oxide (NO) may contribute to several neurodegenerative diseases, e.g., focal cerebral ischemia, N -methyl- d -aspartate-mediated neurotoxicity, and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Accordingly, an understanding of the CNS transport processes of NO synthase (NOS) inhibitors has important therapeutic implications. The objective of the present study was to characterize the in vitro transport processes governing the uptake of l -[¹⁴C]arginine and the NOS inhibitor [¹⁴C]aminoguanidine in rat choroid plexus tissue. Consistent with previous reports, the uptake of l -[¹⁴C]arginine was mediated by both saturable and nonsaturable processes and was inhibited by the NOS inhibitors N ^G-methyl- l -arginine, N ^G-amino- l -arginine, and N ⁵-imidoethyl- l -ornithine. l -[¹⁴C]Arginine uptake was not inhibited by aminoguanidine or N ^G-nitro- l -arginine. Because aminoguanidine is an organic cation that bears some structural similarity to l -arginine, aminoguanidine might be transported by either an organic cation transporter or by the basic amino acid transporter governing arginine uptake. However, there was no evidence of a saturable uptake process for [¹⁴C]aminoguanidine in isolated rat choroid plexus, in contrast to that observed for l -[¹⁴C]arginine.     

Photoneural Regulation of Rat Pineal Nitric Oxide Synthase

Abstract: We report here a photoneural regulation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in the rat pineal gland. In the absence of the adrenergic stimulation following constant light exposure (LL) or denervation, pineal NOS activity is markedly reduced. A maximal drop is measured after 8 days in LL. When rats are housed back in normal light-dark (LD) conditions (12:12), pineal NOS activity returns to normal after 4 days. A partial decrease in pineal NOS activity is also observed when rats are placed for 8 days in LD 18:6 or shorter dark phases, indicating that pineal NOS activity reflects the length of the dark phase. Because it is known that norepinephrine (NE) is released at night from the nerve endings in the pineal gland and this release is blocked by exposure to light, our data suggest that NOS is controlled by adrenergic mechanisms. Our observation may also explain the lack of cyclic GMP response to NE observed in animals housed in constant light.     

Subcellular Localization and Characterization of Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase

Abstract: In contrast to the predominantly participate, Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent nitric oxide (NO) synthase in endothelial cells, the corresponding neuronal isoenzyme is considered to be mainly soluble, presumably owing to the lack of a posttranslational myristoylation. However, preliminary findings from this and other laboratories suggest that a substantial portion of the neuronal NO synthase activity may in fact be membrane bound. We have therefore investigated the distribution of this enzyme among subcellular fractions of the rat and rabbit cerebellum in more detail. Up to 60% of the total NO synthase activity was found in the particulate fraction and, according to density gradient ultracentrifugation, associated mainly with the endoplasmic reticulum fraction. There was no apparent difference between the soluble and particulate enzymes with respect to their specific activity, Ca²⁺ and pH dependency, inhibitor sensitivity, or immunoreactivity, suggesting that both rat and rabbit cerebella contain a single Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent NO synthase. The inhibition by the cytochrome P450 inhibitor SKF-525A of the NO synthase activity in these subcellular fractions (IC₅₀= 90 μ M ) and the fact that mammalian cytochrome P450 enzymes are endoplasmic reticulum-bound proteins support the notion that the cerebellar NO synthase is a cytochrome P450-type hemoprotein. Moreover, the aforementioned findings suggest that posttranslational myristoylation may not be the only factor determining the intracellular localization of NO synthase.     

α-Guanidinoglutaric Acid, an Endogenous Convulsant, as a Novel Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitor

Abstract: The effects of α-guanidinoglutaric acid (GGA), the levels of which were increased in the cobalt-induced epileptic focus tissue in the cerebral cortex of cats, on brain nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity were observed. GGA inhibited NOS activity in a linear mixed manner ( K _i = 2.69 µ M ) and was as effective as N ^G-monomethyl- l -arginine (MeArg; K _i = 3.51 µ M ), a well-known NOS inhibitor. Although MeArg was synthesized by substituting the guanidino nitrogen of l -arginine (Arg), GGA was a non-guanidino nitrogen-substituted guanidino compound. On the other hand, Arg, which is an endogenous NOS substrate, elevates the threshold of seizures induced by GGA. There is evidence that GGA is an endogenous, potent, and non-guanidino nitrogen-substituted NOS inhibitor and that suppression of nitric oxide biosynthesis may be involved in GGA-induced convulsions. Therefore, GGA may be a useful tool in elucidating the chemical nature of NOS and the physiological function of nitric oxide.     

TNF-α、IL-1β及LPS对血管平滑肌细胞一氧化氮合酶基因表达的影响及作用机制研究

通过ＲＮＡ印迹分析和亚硝酸盐含量测定检查ＴＮＦ－α、ＩＬ－１β和ＬＰＳ对大鼠血管平滑肌细胞（ＶＳＭＣ）诱导型一氧化氮合酶（ｉＮＯＳ）基因表达及ＮＯ生成的影响．结果表明,ＴＮＦ－α、ＩＬ－１β和ＬＰＳ均能显著诱导ＶＳＭＣｉＮＯＳ基因表达和促进ＮＯ生成,其作用强度与浓度和作用时间有关;双因素（ＴＮＦ－α＋ＬＰＳ,ＬＰＳ＋ＩＬ－１β）对诱导ｉＮＯＳ基因表达及ＮＯ生成产生协同作用．ＰｏｌｙｍｙｘｉｎＢ和地塞米松可部分抑制ＴＮＦ－α对ｉＮＯＳ基因表达的诱导作用及ＮＯ生成     

In Vivo Expression of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Cerebellar Neurons

Abstract: In the CNS, nitric oxide (NO) functions as both neuromodulator and neurotoxic agent. In vivo neuronal expression of NO synthase (NOS) has been attributed to constitutive NOS—both the neuronal and the endothelial types. The other class of NOS—the inducible NOS (iNOS)—is known to mediate toxic effects of NO in various tissues. In this study, we show for the first time that direct intracerebellar injection of endotoxin and cytokine (lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ) induced in vivo neuronal expression of the iNOS gene, as demonstrated by fluorescent in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical staining analyzed by confocal laser-scanning microscopy. This raises the possibility that neuronal iNOS might contribute significantly to the vulnerability of the brain to various insults.     

Induction and Regulation of Nitric Oxide Synthase in Retinal Müller Glial Cells

Abstract: Müller glial cells from the rat retina were examined for their capacity to produce nitric oxide (NO). Treatment of retinal Müller glial (RMG) cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α induced NO synthesis as determined by nitrite release in media. Simultaneous addition of LPS, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α caused the largest increase in NO synthesis. NO biosynthesis was detected after 12 h and was dependent on the dose of LPS, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Stereoselective inhibitors of NO synthase (NOS), cycloheximide and transforming growth factor-β, blocked cytokine-induced NO production. Cytosol from LPS/cytokine-treated RMG cultures, but not from unstimulated cultures, produced a calcium/calmodulin-independent conversion of l -arginine to l -citrulline that was completely blocked by NOS inhibitor. The expression of NOS in RMG cells was confirmed by northern blot analysis, in which stimulation of these cells led to an increase in NOS mRNA levels. We conclude that RMG cells can express an inducible form of NOS similar to the macrophage isoform. High NO release from activated RMG cells might represent a protection from infection but may also contribute to the development of retinal pathologies.     

Age Related Changes from Youth to Adulthood in Rat Brain Cortex: Nitric Oxide Synthase and Mitochondrial Respiratory Function

Age related changes in brain cortex NO metabolism were investigated in mitochondria and cytosolic extracts from youth to adulthood. Decreases of 19%, 40% and 71% in NO production were observed in mitochondrial fractions from 3, 7, and 14 months old rats, respectively, as compared with 1-month-old rats. Decreased nNOS protein expression in 14 months old rats was also observed in mitochondria as compared with the nNOS protein expression in 1-month-old rats. Low levels of eNOS protein expression close to the detection limits and no iNOS protein expression were significantly detected in mitochondrial fraction for both groups of age. NO production in the cytosolic extracts also showed a marked decreasing tendency, showing higher levels than those observed in mitochondrial fractions for all groups of age. In the cytosolic extracts, however, the levels were stabilized in adult animals from 7 to 14 months. nNOS protein expression showed a similar age-pattern in cytosolic extracts for both groups of age, while the protein expression pattern for eNOS was higher expressed in adult rats (14 months) than in young animals. As well as in mitochondrial extracts iNOS protein expression was not significantly detected in cytosolic extracts at any age. RT-PCR assays indicated increased levels of nNOS mRNA in 1-month-old rats as compared with 14 months old rats, showing a similar pattern to that one observed for protein nNOS expression. A different aged pattern was observed for eNOS mRNA expression, being lower in 1-month-old rats as compared with 14 months old animals. iNOS mRNA was very low expressed in both groups of age, showing a residual iNOS mRNA that was not significantly detected. State 3 respiration rates were 78% and 85% higher when succinate and malate-glutamate were used as substrates, respectively, in 14 months rats as compared with 1-month-old rats. No changes were observed in state 4 respiration rates. These results could indicate 1 that nNOS and eNOS mRNA and protein expression can be age-dependent, and confirmed the nNOS origin for the mitochondrial NOS. During rat growth, the respiratory function seems to be modulated by NO produced by the different NOS enzymes: nNOS, eNOS and mtNOS present in the cytosol and in the mitochondria.     

Analysis of the effects of nitric oxide and oxygen on nitric oxide production by macrophages

The interactions between NO and O(2) in activated macrophages were analysed by incorporating previous cell culture and enzyme kinetic results into a novel reaction-diffusion model for plate cultures. The kinetic factors considered were: (i) the effect of O(2) on NO production by inducible NO synthase (iNOS); (ii) the effect of NO on NO synthesis by iNOS; (iii) the effect of NO on respiratory and other O(2) consumption; and (iv) the effects of NO and O(2) on NO consumption by a possible NO dioxygenase (NOD). Published data obtained by varying the liquid depth in macrophage cultures provided a revealing test of the model, because varying the depth should perturb both the O(2) and the NO concentrations at the level of the cells. The model predicted that the rate of NO(2)(-) production should be nearly constant, and that the net rate of NO production should decline sharply with increases in liquid depth, in excellent agreement with the experimental findings. In further agreement with available results for macrophage cultures, the model predicted that net NO synthesis should be more sensitive to liquid depth than to the O(2) concentration in the headspace. The main reason for the decrease in NO production with increasing liquid depth was the modulation of NO synthesis by NO, with O(2) availability playing only a minor role. The model suggests that it is the ability of iNOS to consume NO, as well as to synthesize it, that creates very sensitive feedback control, setting an upper bound on the NO concentration of approximately 1 microM. The effect of NO consumption by other possible pathways (e.g., NOD) would be similar to that of iNOS, in that it would help limit net NO production. The O(2) utilized during enzymatic NO consumption is predicted to make the O(2) demands of activated macrophages much larger than those of unactivated ones (where iNOS is absent); this remains to be tested experimentally.     

逆转录病毒载体介导诱导型NO合酶在神经细胞中表达

为了深入研究诱导型一氧化氮合酶基因表达产物在阿片耐受和依赖中作用,采用脂质体介导基因转染技术,将ｉＮＯＳ ｃＤＮＡ重组逆转录病毒载体导入ＮＧ１０８－１５神经细胞,获得Ｇ４１８抗性克隆,命名为ＮＧ－ＬＮＣＸｉＮＯＳ细胞。ＤＮＡ印迹杂交,ＰＣＲ扩增及ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ和蛋白质免疫印迹杂交分析,证实ＮＧ－ＬＮＣＸｉＮＯＳ细胞有外源ｉＮＯＳ基因整合,转录和表达;ＮＡＤＰＨ黄递酶（ＮＡＤＰＨ ｄｉａｐｈｏｒａｓｅ     

Localization and Characterization of Nitric Oxide Synthase in the Rat Suprachiasmatic Nucleus: Evidence for a Nitrergic Plexus in the Biological Clock

Abstract: Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence indicates that the biological clock in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) can be reset at night through release of glutamate from the retinohypothalamic tract and subsequent activation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). However, previous studies using NADPH-diaphorase staining or immunocytochemistry to localize NOS found either no or only a few positive cells in the SCN. By monitoring conversion of l -[³H]arginine to l -[³H]citrulline, this study demonstrates that extracts of SCN tissue exhibit NOS specific activity comparable to that of rat cerebellum. The enzymatic reaction requires the presence of NADPH and is Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent. To distinguish the neuronal isoform (nNOS; type I) from the endothelial isoform (type III), the enzyme activity was assayed over a range of pH values. The optimal pH for the reaction was 6.7, a characteristic value for nNOS. No difference in nNOS levels was seen between SCN collected in day versus night, either by western blot or by enzyme activity measurement. Confocal microscopy revealed for the first time a dense plexus of cell processes stained for nNOS. These data demonstrate that neuronal fibers within the rat SCN express abundant nNOS and that the level of the enzyme does not vary temporally. The distribution and quantity of nNOS support a prominent regulatory role for this nitrergic component in the SCN.     

Subunit f of the Yeast Mitochondrial ATP Synthase: Topological and Functional Studies

Modified versions of subunit f were produced by mutagenesis of theATP17 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A version of subunit f devoid of thelast 28 amino acid residues including the unique transmembranous domaincomplemented the oxidative phosphorylation of the null mutant. However, atwo-fold decrease in the specific ATP synthase activity was measured andattributed to a decrease in the stability of the mutant ATP synthase complexas shown by the low oligomycin-sensitive ATPase activity at alkaline pH. Themodification or not by non-permeant maleimide reagents of cysteine residuesintroduced at the N and C termini of subunit f indicated aN_in-C_out orientation. From the C terminus of subunit fit was possible to cross-link subunit 4 (also called subunit b), which isanother component of the F₀ sector and which also displays a shorthydrophilic segment exposed to the intermembrane space.     

Characterization of Neuronal Amino Acid Transporters: Uptake of Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors and Implication for Their Biological Effects

Abstract: In the present study we investigated uptake of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitors N ^G-methyl- l -arginine and N ^G-nitro- l -arginine by the mouse neuroblastoma × rat glioma hybrid cell line NG108-15. Uptake of N ^G-methyl- l -arginine was characterized by biphasic kinetics ( K _m1 = 8 µmol/L, V _max1 = 0.09 nmol × mg⁻¹× min⁻¹; K _m2 = 229 µmol/L, V _max2 = 2.9 nmol × mg⁻¹× min⁻¹) and was inhibited by basic but not by neutral amino acids. Uptake of N ^G-nitro- l -arginine followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics ( K _m = 265 µmol/L, V _max = 12.8 ± 0.86 nmol × mg⁻¹× min⁻¹) and was selectively inhibited by aromatic and branched chain amino acids. Further characterization of the transport systems revealed that uptake of N ^G-methyl- l -arginine is mediated by system y⁺, whereas systems L and T account for the transport of N ^G-nitro- l -arginine. In agreement with these data on uptake of the inhibitors, l -lysine and l -ornithine antagonized the inhibitory effects of N ^G-methyl- l -arginine on bradykinin-induced intracellular cyclic GMP accumulation, whereas l -tryptophan, l -phenylalanine, and l -leucine interfered with the effects of N ^G-nitro- l -arginine. These data suggest that rates of uptake are limiting for the biological effects of NO synthase inhibitors.