In this review, we address the regulatory and toxic role of ·NO along several pathways, from the gut to the brain. Initially, we address the role on ·NO in the regulation of mitochondrial respiration with emphasis on the possible contribution to Parkinson’s disease via mechanisms that involve its interaction with a major dopamine metabolite, DOPAC. In parallel with initial discoveries of the inhibition of mitochondrial respiration by ·NO, it became clear the potential for toxic ·NO-mediated mechanisms involving the production of more reactive species and the post-translational modification of mitochondrial proteins. Accordingly, we have proposed a novel mechanism potentially leading to dopaminergic cell death, providing evidence that NO synergistically interact with DOPAC in promoting cell death via mechanisms that involve GSH depletion. The modulatory role of NO will be then briefly discussed as a master regulator on brain energy metabolism. The energy metabolism in the brain is central to the understanding of brain function and disease. The core role of ·NO in the regulation of brain metabolism and vascular responses is further substantiated by discussing its role as a mediator of neurovascular coupling, the increase in local microvessels blood flow in response to spatially restricted increase of neuronal activity. The many facets of NO as intracellular and intercellular messenger, conveying information associated with its spatial and temporal concentration dynamics, involve not only the discussion of its reactions and potential targets on a defined biological environment but also the regulation of its synthesis by the family of nitric oxide synthases. More recently, a novel pathway, out of control of NOS, has been the subject of a great deal of controversy, the nitrate:nitrite:NO pathway, adding new perspectives to ·NO biology. Thus, finally, this novel pathway will be addressed in connection with nitrate consumption in the diet and the beneficial effects of protein nitration by reactive nitrogen species.
Biophysics - The effects of the separate and combined action of lead nitrate in a wide range of doses, uranyl nitrate, and chronic low-dose gamma irradiation on the formation of oxidative stress in... 相似文献
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Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology - The article addresses the role of TNF-α, IL-2, IL-5 and IL-6 in the contractile activity of rat tracheal and bronchial smooth muscle... 相似文献
Aim It is a central issue in ecology and biogeography to understand what governs community assembly and the maintenance of biodiversity in tropical rain forest ecosystems. A key question is the relative importance of environmental species sorting (niche assembly) and dispersal limitation (dispersal assembly), which we investigate using a large dataset from diverse palm communities. Location Lowland rain forest, western Amazon River Basin, Peru. Methods We inventoried palm communities, registering all palm individuals and recording environmental conditions in 149 transects of 5 m × 500 m. We used ordination, Mantel tests and indicator species analysis (ISA) to assess compositional patterns, species responses to geographical location and environmental factors. Mantel tests were used to assess the relative importance of geographical distance (as a proxy for dispersal limitation) and environmental differences as possible drivers of dissimilarity in palm species composition. We repeated the Mantel tests for subsets of species that differ in traits of likely importance for habitat specialization and dispersal (height and range size). Results We found a strong relationship between compositional dissimilarity and environmental distance and a weaker but also significant relationship between compositional dissimilarity and geographical distance. Consistent with expectations, relationships with environmental and geographical distance were stronger for understorey species than for canopy species. Geographical distance had a higher correlation with compositional dissimilarity for small‐ranged species compared with large‐ranged species, whereas the opposite was true for environmental distance. The main environmental correlates were inundation and soil nutrient levels. Main conclusions The assembly of palm communities in the western Amazon appears to be driven primarily by species sorting according to hydrology and soil, but with dispersal limitation also playing an important role. The importance of environmental characteristics and geographical distance varies depending on plant height and geographical range size in agreement with functional predictions, increasing our confidence in the inferred assembly mechanisms. 相似文献
Liposomes composed of soybean phosphatidylcholine were peroxidized using the reagent sodium hypochlorite or the myeloperoxidase-hydrogen peroxide-Cl- system. Linoleic acid hydroperoxide previously prepared from linoleic acid by means of lipoxidase was incorporated into liposomes. The yield of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) continuously increased with higher amounts of hydroperoxide groups after the initiation of lipid peroxidation by hypochlorous acid producing systems. The accumulation of TBARS was inhibited by scavengers of free radicals such as butylated hydroxytoluene and by the scavengers of hypochlorous acid, taurine and methionine. Lipid peroxidation was also prevented by sodium azide or chloride free medium in the myeloperoxidase-hydrogen peroxide-Cl- system. Here we show for the first time that the reaction of hypochlorous acid with a biologically relevant hydroperoxide yields free radicals able to cause further oxidation of lipid molecules. 相似文献
The contents of endogenous free and conjugated polyamines, putrescine (Put) and spermidine (Spd), were determined during 9
week of vernalization (at 5 °C) in winter wheat seedlings cultivated on Murashige and Skoog media without (MS0) and with 2
mg dm−3 zearalenone (MSZEN). At the 4th week of chilling treatment, which is sufficient to induce generative development in 30 % of plants, the marked increase in
free and conjugated forms of Put and free Spd were observed. The presence of ZEN in medium significantly accelerated the vernalization.
About 20 % of plants treated with ZEN flowered already after 2 weeks and 40 % after 3 weeks of chilling. Significantly higher
content of free Put was determined in roots grown on MSZEN compared with MS0 during the first 5 weeks of vernalization with
maximum at the 4th week. After germination, a marked decrease in free Spd content was observed both in plants grown on MS0 and MSZEN. Application
of ZEN significantly slowed down the Spd decline in leaves and roots during the first and second week of vernalization. The
content of Spd and its conjugates decreased in vernalized plants after 1 week of cultivation at 20 °C. 相似文献