敌百虫对兔食饵性动脉硬化加速作用

目的:观察低剂量敌百虫对高脂模型兔动脉粥样硬化的作用.方法:新西兰兔32只,随机分为A组:喂饲高脂高胆固醇饲料加敌百虫清晨空腹灌胃(18mg·kg-1·d-1);B 组:单纯喂饲高脂高胆固醇饲料.检测喂饲饲料前和喂饲后5周、10周、15周血清PON1、胆碱酯酶(CHE)、血清总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、高密度脂蛋白(HDL)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL)、C反应蛋白(CRP)和血糖(GLU):实验第5周、第10周每组处死5只兔,第15周处死全部剩余兔,取主动脉全段,苏丹Ⅳ染色,Photoshop系统测定粥样斑块面积占内膜面积的百分比:检测肝PON1活性及血管内皮依赖性舒张功能(EDRR).结果:喂饲高脂高胆固醇后,A组和B组动物的TC、TG、HDL、LDL、CRP、GLU水平明显增高,但A、B组检测值差异无显著意义(P＞0.05);血清PON1、肝PON1活性降低,但A组PON1活性明显低于B组(P＜0.05);A组和B组动物主动脉EDRR均降低,A组EDRR降低大于B((P＜0.05);喂饲高脂高胆固醇饲料各组动物主动脉均见粥样硬化斑块形成,但A组动脉粥样斑块面积/内膜面积百分比明显高于B组(P＜0.05).结论:敌百虫加速实验性高脂血症动物动脉粥样硬化斑块形成,其机制可能与降低PONl活性有关.     

普伐他汀对溶血磷脂酰胆碱所致血管内皮功能损伤的保护作用及机制探讨

目的:探讨不同剂量的普伐他汀对溶血磷脂酰胆碱(LPC)所致血管内皮功能的影响.方法:用离体血管环和培养的人脐静脉内皮细胞(HUVECs)为实验模型,以血管内皮依赖性舒张反应(EDR)、内皮细胞活力以及生化参数为指标,用LPC作为损伤因子,用普伐他汀作为保护药,观察LPC对内皮的损伤作用及普伐他汀的保护作用.结果:LPC与血管环共孵或内皮细胞显著性地抑制了血管EDR反应,增加了血管MDA含量,并导致培养的内皮细胞的活力、内皮型一氧化氮合酶(eNOS)活性及一氧化氮(NO)含量显著性降低;普伐他汀与血管环或内皮细胞共孵,浓度依赖性地减轻了LPC对血管EDR的抑制作用(P＜0.05),保护了内皮细胞的活力(P＜0.05).恢复了细胞eNOS活性及NO含量(P＜0.05),抑制了内皮细胞活性氧(ROS)的生成(P＜0.05).结论:LPC能直接损伤的血管内皮细胞,普伐他汀对LPC所致的血管内皮细胞损伤有显著性保护作用,其机制可能与LPC触发脂质过氧化反应,从而抑制血管内皮血管内皮细胞NO的合成有关,普伐他汀通过抗氧化而保护血管内皮细胞的功能.     

过氧亚硝基阴离子对离体兔肺动脉反应性变化的影响

探讨过氧亚硝基阴离子(peroxynitrite,ONOO^-)对离体兔肺动脉反应性变化的影响。用离体血管环技术观察ONOO^-孵育后肺动脉对钙离子载体A23187、ADP、ACh、硝普钠(sodium nitroprusside,SNP)和苯肾上腺素(phe-nylephrine,PE)的反应性张力变化。结果显示：(1)ONOO^-孵育后肺动脉对A23187、ADP和ACh引起的舒张反应明显降低,ONOO^-抑制内皮依赖受体依赖或受体非依赖性舒张反应有量效关系;(2)ONOO^-孵育可剂量依赖性抑制肺动脉对SNP的舒张反应;(3)0．5mmol／L ONOO^-孵育后肺动脉对PE的收缩反应明显增强,而1．0和2．0mmol／L ONOO^-导致肺动脉的收缩反应明显降低;(4)溶剂对肺动脉的反应性无明显影响,dec ONOO^-对PE和ADP的反应性影响不大,但可增强A23187、ACh和SNP的舒张反应。结果表明,ONOO^-可改变离体肺动脉的反应性。     

ERK1/2参与自发性高血压大鼠离体血管环对apelin-13舒张反应性降低作用

研究自发性高血压大鼠(spontanously hypertensive rat,SHR)离体血管环对G蛋白偶联受体APJ的内源性配体apelin-13的血管收缩与舒张反应及其与一氧化氮(NO)和ERK1/2通路关系．采用离体血管环体外灌流方法用Power-Lab生物信息采集仪检测血管环的张力．实验分组如下：新福林(Phenylephrine,PE)组,乙酰胆碱(acetylcholine,Ach)组,apelin-13组,apelin-13 + PE组,apelin-13 + Ach组,PD98059(ERK1/2抑制剂) + PE组,PD98059 + Ach组,LNNA(L-nitro-arginine,硝基左旋精氨酸,一氧化氮合酶抑制剂) + PE组,LNNA+Ach组,apelin-13(预孵育) + PD98059 + PE组,apelin-13(预孵育)+PD98059+ Ach组,apelin-13(预孵育) + LNNA + PE组和apelin-13(预孵育) + LNNA + Ach组,以WKY大鼠血管环为对照组．培养大鼠血管平滑肌细胞,Western blot检测ERK1/2蛋白表达．结果显示：a．apelin-13对于有内皮的血管表现出浓度依赖性舒张作用,血管舒张百分比SHR < WKY大鼠,而对于去除内皮血管,apelin-13则表现出收缩血管的作用,且收缩张力SHR>WKY大鼠,apelin-13预孵育,能减少SHR和WKY大鼠血管对新福林的缩血管反应性,增加对乙酰胆碱的舒张反应性;b．NOS抑制剂LNNA阻断NO形成后,血管环对apelin-13的舒张反应明显抑制,且SHR组较WKY组对apelin的舒张反应减少更明显,提示apelin-13的舒血管效应至少部分依赖NO通路,而SHR高血压大鼠NO通路障碍减弱了apelin对血管的舒张作用;c．ERK1/2抑制剂PD98059预孵育后血管环对apelin-13表现出浓度依赖性的收缩,与去除内皮后apelin-13的收缩血管效应趋势一致,血管收缩张力SHR＞WKY大鼠,PD98059逆转了apelin-13引起的血管舒张效应;d．Apelin-13促大鼠VSMCs ERK1/2磷酸化增加并呈剂量依赖性和时间依赖性,ERK1/2抑制剂PD98059可以减少apelin-13诱导ERK1/2的磷酸化．结果表明,自发性高血压大鼠离体血管环对apelin-13舒张反应性降低, NO通路和ERK1/2通路介导了apelin-13的舒张血管作用．     

双环醇减轻超氧阴离子诱导的大鼠胸主动脉舒张功能损伤

目的：探讨双环醇（bicyclol）对超氧阴离子（O2）诱导的血管舒张功能损伤的影响。方法：采用离体器官灌流技术,观察bicyclol对离体大鼠胸主动脉环张力的影响。采用焦酚（O2的供体）建立O2损伤模型,观察bicyclol预孵育对氧化应激损伤后血管内皮依赖性舒张功能的改善作用。结果：bicyclol（10-8~10-5mol/L）对由苯肾上腺素预收缩的内皮完整主动脉环产生舒张作用,该作用可被NO合酶抑制剂L-NAME和环氧化酶抑制剂吲哚美辛阻断。500μmol/L焦酚可引起乙酰胆碱诱导的主动脉环内皮依赖性舒张反应减弱,bicyclol（10-5mol/L）预孵育45 min可减轻焦酚的损伤作用。对于吲哚美辛处理的主动脉环,bicyclol（10-5mol/L）可抑制焦酚所致的血管舒张反应降低,但这一效应未见于L-NAME处理的主动脉环。结论：bicyclol具有内皮依赖性舒血管作用,并能对抗O2引起的血管舒张功能损伤,该作用通过NO途径介导。     

葛根素对抗高糖诱导的血管低反应性的作用及其机制

目的：研究葛根素是否可对抗高糖引起的血管低反应性,并探讨其作用机制。方法：采用血管环离体灌流装置,观察SD大鼠胸主动脉环的收缩反应;测定主动脉胆红素生成量反映血红素加氧酶-1（heme oxygenase-1,HO-1）的活性。结果：①与空白对照组（含11 mmol/L葡萄糖）相比,经44 mmol/L葡萄糖（高糖）孵育血管4 h后,主动脉环对苯肾上腺素（PE）引起的血管收缩反应下降;且该作用通过内皮依赖性途径实现。②葛根素（10-10~10-8mol/L）与高糖联合孵育,可剂量依赖性地改善高糖诱导的血管PE收缩反应的下降。③葛根素孵育血管后可引起血管HO-1活性增高;用ZnPP抑制HO-1的活性后,葛根素抗高糖损伤的作用被取消。结论：葛根素具有对抗高糖引起的血管收缩功能下降的作用,其机制可能是通过诱导HO-1活性增加实现的。     

超氧阴离子抑制大鼠肠系膜阻力血管内皮依赖性舒张功能

目的:研究超氧阴离子对大鼠肠系膜阻力血管内皮细胞超极化因子(EDHF)和一氧化氮(NO)引起的血管舒张作用的影响及其可能机制.方法:雄性Sprague-Dawley大鼠,取肠系膜血管三级分支约2 mm长血管环,置于DMT 610 M系统,记录张力变化.血管环浴液中加入焦酚建立超氧阴离子损伤模型.结果:焦酚(10,100,300和1 000 μmol/L)可浓度依赖性地引起乙酰胆碱(ACh)诱导的肠系膜阻力血管舒张功能减弱;其中,300 μmol/L焦酚显著减弱肠系膜血管环由ACh诱导的EDHF和NO介导的内皮依赖性血管舒张效应,但对硝普钠和吡那地尔引起的内皮非依赖性的血管舒张作用无明显影响.结论:超氧阴离子可减弱阻力血管内皮依赖性舒张反应,其机制可能与超氧阴离子抑制了阻力血管内皮细胞EDHF和NO的作用有关.     

纯化的兔血清PON1在大鼠体内药动学初步研究

通过探讨纯化的兔血清对氧磷酶-1在大鼠体内的药动学过程,为进一步研究其作为催化清除剂提供依据．按1200,2400和4800U／kg剂量,大鼠尾静脉注射纯化的兔血清对氧磷酶-1．每个剂量组66只大鼠,随机分成11组,每组6只,每只大鼠均于给药前采血,给药后10min,20min,30min,1h,2h,4h,8h,24h,30h,48h和72h分别处死一组大鼠,采集血液．大鼠给药后血清对氧磷酶-1活性值与给药前活性值的差值作为外源性酶活性值,对每一时间点活性值差值的均值进行药动学参数拟合．1200～4800U／kg剂量下,纯化的兔血清PON1在体内符合线性二室模型．T1／2α=2．3-2．35h,T1／2β=18．76-19．72h,V（c）=34．13-35．83mL／kg,CL=2．18～2．35mL·kg^-1·h^-1．3个剂量下雌雄大鼠体内外源性对氧磷酶-1活性无显著性差异（P〉0．05）．因此,纯化的兔血清对氧磷酶-1在大鼠体内的消除半衰期较长,几乎全部分布于血液中,其在雌雄动物体内基本动力学行为相同．     

染料木素体外抑制人低密度脂蛋白氧化修饰作用

为探讨染料木素对人低密度脂蛋白(LDL)氧化修饰的影响,采用铜离子(10 umol/L)体外氧化LDL的方法,观察大豆异黄酮主要成分染料木素(genistein)对LDL氧化过程中脂质过氧化产物丙二醛(MDA)含量和维生素E(VitE)水平的影响。结果:10 umol/LCuSO4与100 mg/L LDL共同孵育18 h,MDA含量明显升高,VitE含量明显降低,染料木素(0.25、1.25、2.5、12.5、25、50、125、250 umol/L)能显著降低MDA含量,升高VitE含量(P<0.01,P<0.05,P<0.02),且呈剂量依赖性。提示一定浓度范围的染料木素体外有抗LDL氧化修饰作用。     

丹皮酚通过酸性鞘磷脂酶/ 神经酰胺通路改善血管紧张素II 所致动脉内 皮功能障碍

目的:探讨丹皮酚(Paeonol,Pae)对血管紧张素II(AngiotensinⅡ,AngⅡ)所致动脉内皮功能障碍的保护作用及其机制。方法:采用实时定量聚合酶链式反应(RT-PCR)和Westernblot检测酸性鞘磷脂酶(acidsphingomyelinase,ASM)基因及蛋白表达;采用免疫组织荧光检测血管环神经酰胺(ceramide,Cer)含量变化;采用血管环张力描记技术检测主动脉血管环的舒张功能;采用二氢乙啶荧光探针(dihydroethidium,DHE)检测血管环超氧阴离子(superoxideanion,O2-·)水平。结果:与对照组相比,AngⅡ孵育后主动脉对乙酰胆碱(acetylcholine,Ach)的舒张反应显著降低,Pae与AngⅡ共孵育则无明显改变;AngⅡ及Pae孵育后,动脉对硝普钠(sodiumnitroprusside,SNP)的舒张反应均无明显变化;AngⅡ孵育可增高动脉环O2-·水平,这一反应被Pae明显抑制;与对照组相比,AngⅡ孵育动脉ASMmRNA水平无明显改变,但蛋白表达显著增加,Cer含量显著增多,Pae与AngⅡ共孵育动脉ASM蛋白及Cer水平与对照组相比均无明显改变;采用神经酰胺酶抑制剂N-oleoylethanolamine(OEA)增加动脉Cer含量后,Pae降低动脉O2-·水平以及增强Ach舒张反应的效应被显著抑制。结论:Pae通过ASM/Cer通路改善AngⅡ所致动脉氧化应激增强和内皮功能障碍。     

Activated pericyte attenuates endothelial functions: nitric oxide-cGMP rescues activated pericyte-associated endothelial dysfunctions.

Hepatic stellate cells are liver-specific pericytes and exist in close proximity with endothelial cells. The activation of liver pericytes is intrinsic to liver pathogenesis, and leads to endothelial dysfunction, including the low bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO). However, the role of nitric oxide in pericyte-endothelium cross-talk has not yet been elucidated. This work examines the cellular mechanism of action of NO in pericyte-mediated endothelial dysfunction. We used in vitro coculture and conditioned medium systems to study the effects of activated liver pericytes on endothelial function, and an egg yolk vascular bed model was used to study the effects of activated pericytes on angiogenesis. This study also demonstrates that activated pericytes attenuate the migration, proliferation, permeability, and NO production of endothelial cells. Our results demonstrate that activated pericytes restrict angiogenesis in egg yolk vascular bed models, and NO supplementation recovers 70% of the inhibition. Our results also demonstrate that supplementation with NO, sildenafil citrate (phosphodiesterase inhibitor), and 8-bromo-cGMP (cGMP analog) partially recovers activated-pericyte-mediated endothelium dysfunction. We conclude that NO-cGMP alleviates activated-pericyte-associated endothelial dysfunction, including angiogenesis, in a cGMP-dependent manner.     

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.     

NMR determination of Electrophorus electricus acetylcholinesterase inhibition and reactivation by neutral oximes

Neurotoxic organophosphorus compounds (OPs), which are used as pesticides and chemical warfare agents lead to more than 700,000 intoxications worldwide every year. The main target of OPs is the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme necessary for the control of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh). The control of ACh function is performed by its hydrolysis with AChE, a process that can be completely interrupted by inhibition of the enzyme by phosphylation with OPs. Compounds used for reactivation of the phosphylated AChE are cationic oximes, which usually possess low membrane and hematoencephalic barrier permeation. Neutral oximes possess a better capacity for hematoencephalic barrier permeation.NMR spectroscopy is a very confident method for monitoring the inhibition and reactivation of enzymes, different from the Ellman test, which is the common method for evaluation of inhibition and reactivation of AChE. In this work ¹H NMR was used to test the effect of neutral oximes on inhibition of AChE and reactivation of AChE inhibited with ethyl-paraoxon. The results confirmed that NMR is a very efficient method for monitoring the action of AChE, showing that neutral oximes, which display a significant AChE inhibition activity, are potential drugs for Alzheimer disease. The NMR method showed that a neutral oxime, previously indicated by the Ellman test as better in vitro reactivator of AChE inhibited with paraoxon than pralidoxime (2-PAM), was much less efficient than 2-PAM, confirming that NMR is a better method than the Ellman test.     

Ameliorative effect of daidzein: a caveolin-1 inhibitor in vascular endothelium dysfunction induced by ovariectomy

Estrogen deficiency was produced in female Sprague-Dawley rats by surgical removal of both the ovaries and these animals were used 4 weeks later. Endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent relaxations due to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside were observed respectively, in isolated rat thoracic aortic ring preparation. Extent of lipid peroxidation was measured by estimating serum TBARS. Integrity of vascular endothelium was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Generation of nitric oxide was measured indirectly, by estimating serum and urinary nitrite/nitrate concentration. Ovariectomy produced significant vascular endothelial dysfunction, measured in terms of reduced acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, serum and urinary nitrite/nitrate concentration and impairment of integrity of vascular endothelium. Administration of daidzein (0.2 mgkg(-1)day(-1), sc 0.4 mgkg(-1)day(-1), sc and 0.8 mgkg(-1)day(-1), sc) and Atorvastatin (30 mgkg(-1)day(-1), po Positive Control) for one week markedly improved vascular endothelial dysfunction due to increase in nitric oxide bioavailability perhaps by inhibiting caveolin-1 and activation of PI3K-AKT pathway.     

乙酰胆碱酯酶敏感性的变化与家蝇抗药性的关系

结合抗性机理, 对四个家蝇(Musca domestica vicina)品系头部的乙酰胆碱酯酶(AchE)对底物和抑制剂反应的动力学进行了研究.结果表明, AchE敏感性的降低是引起两个有机磷药剂(OP)抗性品系DDVP-R和Trichl-R对OP交互抗性的一个主要因子.Trichl-R对二氯苯醚菊酯无抗性, 而二氯苯醚菊酯抗性品系2Cl—R对所测定的OP有负交互抗性, 并且它的AchE对OP的敏感性较正常品系(NP)AchE的敏感性要高.AchE敏感性的变化, 反应在酶结构上, 主要是酶对抑制剂的亲和性(K_d)的变化, 而磷酸化速率(K₂)影响不大.同时对AchE的底物和抑制剂结合位点及结构变化进行了分析和探讨.     

Paraoxonase (PON 1) as a biomarker of susceptibility for organophosphate toxicity

Paraoxonase (PON1) is an A-esterase capable of hydrolysing the active metabolites (oxons) of a number of organophosphorus (OP) insecticides such as parathion, diazinon and chlorpyrifos. PON1 activity is highest in liver and plasma, and among animal species significant differences exist, with birds and rabbits displaying very low and high activity, respectively. Human PON1 has two polymorphisms in the coding region (Q192R and L55M) and five polymorphisms in the promoter region. The Q192R polymorphism imparts different catalytic activity toward some OP substrates, while the polymorphism at position -108 (C/T) is the major contributor to differences in the level of PON1 expression. Animal studies have shown that PON1 is an important determinant of OP toxicity, with animal species with a low PON1 activity having an increased sensitivity to OPs. Administration of exogenous PON1 to rats or mice protects them from the toxicity of OPs. PON1 knockout mice display a high sensitivity to the toxicity of diazoxon and chlorpyrifos oxon, but not paraoxon. In vitro assayed catalytic efficiencies of purified PON₁₉₂ isoforms for hydrolysis of specific oxon substrates accurately predict the degree of in vivo protection afforded by each isoform. Low PON1 activity may also contribute to the higher sensitivity of newborns to OP toxicity.     

Resveratrol prevents hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction via activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase

Endothelial dysfunction secondary to persistent hyperglycemia plays a key role in the development of type 2 diabetic vascular disease. The aim of the present study was to examine the protective effect of resveratrol against hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction. In cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), resveratrol (10-100 μM) concentration dependently enhanced phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthesis (eNOS) at Ser1177 and nitric oxide (NO) production. In addition, resveratrol can increase the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) at Thr172 and suppress high glucose-induced generation of superoxide anion. In mouse aortic rings, resveratrol (1-100 μM) elicited endothelium-dependent vasodilatations and alleviated high glucose-mediated endothelial dysfunction. All these beneficial effects of resveratrol on the endothelium were abolished by pharmacological antagonism of AMPK by compound C. These results provide new insight into the protective properties of resveratrol against endothelial dysfunction caused by high glucose, which is attributed to the AMPK mediated reduction of superoxide level.     

Diabetes impairs endothelium-dependent relaxation of human penile vascular tissues mediated by NO and EDHF

Standard treatments for erectile dysfunction (ED) (i.e., PDE5 inhibitors) are less effective in diabetic patients for unknown reasons. Endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR) of human corpus cavernosum (HCC) depends on nitric oxide (NO), while in human penile resistance arteries (HPRA) endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) and NO participate. Here we show that diabetes significantly reduced EDR induced by acetylcholine (ACh) in HCC and HPRA. Relaxation attributed to EDHF was also impaired in HPRA from diabetic patients. The PDE5 inhibitor, sildenafil (10nM), reversed diabetes-induced endothelial dysfunction in HCC, but not in HPRA. Calcium dobesilate (DOBE; 10 microM) fully reversed diabetes-induced endothelial dysfunction in HPRA by specifically potentiating the EDHF-mediated component of EDR. Impairment by diabetes of NO and EDHF-dependent responses precluded the complete recovery of endothelial function in HPRA by sildenafil. This could explain the poor clinical response to PDE5 inhibitors of diabetic men with ED and suggests that a pharmacological approach that combines enhancement of NO/cGMP and EDHF pathways could be necessary to treat ED in many diabetic men.     

Aldose Reductase and AGE–RAGE pathways: central roles in the pathogenesis of vascular dysfunction in aging rats

Aging is inevitably accompanied by gradual and irreversible innate endothelial dysfunction. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that accentuation of glucose metabolism via the aldose reductase (AR) pathway contributes to age‐related vascular dysfunction. AR protein and activity levels were significantly increased in aged vs. young aortic homogenates from Fischer 344 rats. Immunostaining revealed that the principal site of increased AR protein was the aortic endothelium as well as smooth muscle cells. Studies revealed that endothelial‐dependent relaxation (EDR) in response to acetylcholine was impaired in aged rats compared to young rats and that treatment with the AR inhibitor (ARI) zopolrestat significantly improved EDR in aged rats. Methylglyoxal (MG), a key precursor of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), was significantly increased in the aortas of aged rats vs. young rats. Consistent with central roles for AR in generation of MG in aging, ARI treatment significantly reduced MG levels in aged rat aorta to those in young rats. Treatment of aged rats with soluble(s) RAGE, a soluble form of the chief signal transduction receptor for AGEs, RAGE, significantly improved EDR in aged rats, thus establishing the contribution of age‐related increases in AGEs to endothelial dysfunction. These findings reveal that significant increases in AR expression and activity in aged rat vasculature linked to endothelial dysfunction may be mitigated, at least in part, via ARI and that aging‐linked increased flux via AR generates AGEs; species which transduce endothelial injury consequent to their interaction with RAGE. These data demonstrate for the first time that AR mediates aging‐related vascular dysfunction, at least in part, via RAGE.     

Nippostrongylus brasiliensis: Infection decreases plasma butyrylcholinesterase activity in rats

Plasma butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) hydrolyzes ester-containing compounds such as succinylcholine, as well as acting as a scavenger against neurotoxic organophosphates (OPs). We previously found that Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infection makes rats more susceptible to OP toxicity by decreasing serum paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity. In the present study, we examined the effects of N.brasiliensis infection on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in plasma, red blood cells (RBCs), brain and diaphragm, as well as serum PON1 activity, in rats at day 7 after infection. N.brasiliensis infection significantly decreased plasma BChE and PON1 activities without significantly altering AChE activity in RBCs, brain and diaphragm. These results provide further insight into the unusual deleterious effects of intestinal nematode infections on body homeostasis.