Activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase following spinal cord injury in mice

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays a neuroprotective role after cerebral ischemia through the production of NO, which enhances cerebral blood flow. However, precise details regarding activation of eNOS after spinal cord injury (SCI) largely remain to be elucidated. In the present study we investigated chronological alteration and cellular location of eNOS and phosphorylated (p)-eNOS at Ser(1177) following SCI in mice. Western blot analysis showed eNOS to be significantly phosphorylated at Ser(1177) from 1 to 2 days after mild SCI, with gradual decrease thereafter. Immunohistochemistry revealed the p-eNOS to be mainly expressed in the endothelial cells of microvessels within gray matter under these conditions. These findings suggest that mild SCI activates eNOS in the subacute stage, which increases spinal cord blood flow and may be involved in protective and repair responses.     

Src kinase mediates angiotensin II-dependent increase in pulmonary endothelial nitric oxide synthase

We have previously demonstrated that angiotensin II (Ang II) stimulates nitric oxide (NO) production in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAECs) by increasing NO synthase (NOS) expression via the type 2 receptor. The purpose of this study was to identify the Ang II-dependent signaling pathway that mediates this increase in endothelial NOS (eNOS). The Ang II-dependent increase in eNOS expression is prevented when BPAECs are pretreated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitors, herbimycin A and 4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo[3,4-D]pyrimidine, which also blocked Ang II-dependent mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase/extracellular-regulated protein kinase (MEK)-1 and MAPK phosphorylation, suggesting that Src is upstream of MAPK in this pathway. Transfection of BPAECs with an Src dominant negative mutant cDNA prevented the Ang II-dependent Src activation and increase in eNOS protein expression. PD98059, a MEK-1 inhibitor, prevented the Ang II-dependent phosphorylation of extracellular-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 and increase in eNOS expression. Neither AG1478, an epidermal growth factor receptor kinase inhibitor, nor AG1295, a platelet derived growth factor receptor kinase inhibitor, had any effect on Ang II-stimulated Src activity, MAPK activation, or eNOS expression. Pertussis toxin prevented the Ang II-dependent increase in Src activity, MAPK activation, and eNOS expression. These data suggest that Ang II stimulates Src tyrosine kinase via a pertussis toxin-sensitive pathway, which in turn activates the MAPK pathway, resulting in increased eNOS protein expression in BPAECs.     

Overexpression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in endothelial cells is protective against ischemia-reperfusion injury in mouse skeletal muscle

Microvascular injury has been proposed to be a main cause of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. The roles of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-derived NO, a key regulator of vascular function, in I/R injury are incompletely understood. We used transgenic mice overexpressing eNOS in endothelial cells (eNOS-Tg) and their littermates wild-type mice (WT) to investigate the roles of eNOS in I/R injury in skeletal muscle. Superoxide levels in the affected muscles were reduced by approximately 50% in eNOS-Tg compared with WT during reperfusion. In WT, the disassembly of endothelial junctional proteins seen in the early period of reperfusion was recovered in the later phase. These findings were correlated with the increased vascular permeability in vivo. In contrast, eNOS-Tg maintained the endothelial junction assembly as well as vascular permeability during reperfusion. Leukocyte extravasation into tissue and up-regulated expression of adhesion molecules in the reperfused vessels were significantly inhibited in eNOS-Tg. Tissue viability of the affected muscle was decreased in WT time-dependently after reperfusion, whereas eNOS-Tg showed no significant reduction. NOS inhibition completely reversed these protective effects of eNOS overexpression in I/R injury. Thus, eNOS overexpression appears to prevent the I/R injury in skeletal muscle by maintaining vascular integrity.     

Protective role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase

Nitric oxide is a versatile molecule, with its actions ranging from haemodynamic regulation to anti-proliferative effects on vascular smooth muscle cells. Nitric oxide is produced by the nitric oxide synthases, endothelial NOS (eNOS), neural NOS (nNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS). Constitutively expressed eNOS produces low concentrations of NO, which is necessary for a good endothelial function and integrity. Endothelial derived NO is often seen as a protective agent in a variety of diseases.This review will focus on the potential protective role of eNOS. We will discuss recent data derived from studies in eNOS knockout mice and other experimental models. Furthermore, the role of eNOS in human diseases is described and possible therapeutic intervention strategies will be discussed.     

Inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibition reverses pulmonary arterial dysfunction in lung transplantation

Background

Ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) after lung transplantation remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Lung IRI induces nitric oxide synthesis (iNOS) and reactive nitrogen species, decreasing nitric oxide bioavailability. We hypothesized that ischemia-induced iNOS intensifies with reperfusion and contributes to IRI-induced pulmonary arterial regulatory dysfunction, which may lead to early graft failure and cause pulmonary edema. The aim of this study was to determine whether ischemia–reperfusion alters inducible and endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression, potentially affecting pulmonary perfusion. We further evaluated the role of iNOS in post-transplantation pulmonary arterial disorder.

Methods

We randomized 32 Sprague–Dawley rats into two groups. The control group was given a sham operation whilst the experimental group received orthotropic lung transplants with a modified three-cuff technique. Changes in lung iNOS, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression were measured after lung transplantation by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Vasoconstriction in response to exogenous phenylephrine and vasodilation in response to exogenous acetylcholine of pulmonary arterial rings were measured in vitro as a measure of vascular dysfunction. To elucidate the roles of iNOS in regulating vascular function, an iNOS activity inhibitor (N6-(1-iminoethyl)-L-lysine, L-NIL) was used to treat isolated arterial rings. In order to test whether iNOS inhibition has a therapeutic effect, we further used L-NIL to pre-treat transplanted lungs and then measured post-transplantation arterial responses.

Results

Lung transplantation caused upregulation of iNOS expression. This was also accompanied by suppression of both vasoconstriction and vasodilation of arterial rings from transplanted lungs. Removal of endothelium did not interfere with the contraction of pulmonary arterial rings from transplanted lungs. In contrast, iNOS inhibition rescued the vasoconstriction response to exogenous phenylephrine of pulmonary arterial rings from transplanted lungs. In addition, lung transplantation led to suppression of PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio, increased intrapulmonary shunt (Q _s/Q _t), and increase of lung wet to dry ratio (W/D), malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase levels, all of which were reversed upon iNOS inhibition. Furthermore, inhibition of iNOS significantly rescued vascular function and alleviated edema and inflammatory cell infiltration in the transplanted lung.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that lung transplantation causes upregulation of iNOS expression, and pulmonary vascular dysfunction. iNOS inhibition reverses the post-transplantational pulmonary vascular dysfunction.     

Impairment of neocortical long-term potentiation in mice deficient of endothelial nitric oxide synthase

The role of the possible retrograde messenger nitric oxide (NO) in the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) was studied in supragranular layers of somatosensory cortical slices obtained from adult mice. High-frequency stimulation produced a slowly rising, long-lasting (50 min) and significant (P < 0.001) increase in the extracellular synaptic response by 23%. The induction of LTP was independent from activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, but prevented by bath application of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), indicating that one or several of the different NO synthases (NOS) produced NO within the postsynaptic neuron. No LTP could be induced in knockout mice lacking the endothelial NOS (eNOS) isoform. These data suggest that eNOS is involved in an NMDA receptor-independent form of LTP in the rodent cerebral cortex.     

肢体缺血再灌注后的肺损伤和细胞凋亡及NO的效应

目的：探讨肢体缺血再灌注（LIR）后肺的损伤性变化以及细胞凋亡在肺损伤发生中的作用；探讨一氧化氮（NO）对LIR后肺组织细胞凋亡的影响。 方法：采用本室常规方法复制大鼠LIR模型，给予外源性一氧化氮合酶底物（L-Arg）和一氧化氮合酶抑制剂(L-NAME)处理，采用原位末端标记法（TUNEL）检测缺血4 h再灌注4 h时各组动物肺组织细胞凋亡情况；采用放免法检测凋亡相关细胞因子TNF-α在肺组织的表达，结合计算机分析系统对结果进行定量分析；采用免疫组织化学方法检测Bcl-2、Bax、caspase-3、TNF-α蛋白表达情况，结合自动图像分析系统对其结果进行定量分析；在光镜下观察肺组织的形态学改变。结果：大鼠LIR后4 h，肺泡Ⅱ型上皮细胞、肺血管内皮细胞呈凋亡改变,肺组织TNF-α、caspase-3、Bax明显上调,Bcl-2表达下调。L-Arg处理组，凋亡细胞数明显减少，肺组织TNF-α、caspase-3、Bax的表达情况与IR组相比明显减弱，Bcl-2表达明显增强；L-NAME处理组动物肺组织TNF-α、caspase-3、Bax的表达情况与IR组相比明显增强，Bcl-2表达明显减弱。结论：细胞凋亡参与了大鼠LIR后急性肺损伤的发生，且与TNF-α有关；NO可通过减弱细胞凋亡相关因子TNF-α的表达，减轻LIR后肺组织的细胞凋亡。     

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase regulates endothelial inflammation

NO, produced by the endothelium, is a modulator of vascular inflammation. Traditionally, eNOS was believed to be the primary source of NO in the endothelium. However, recent data suggest an important role for nNOS in the endothelium, although little is known about factors regulating this novel eNOS. We examined the localization, regulation, and significance of endothelial nNOS in this study. Primary HUVECs were used as a model system. Inflammatory changes were induced by stimulation with TNF. We report that unlike eNOS, nNOS is predominantly localized to the nucleus of resting endothelial cells. This nNOS also contributed to basal NO production in the resting endothelium. Ablation of endothelial nNOS by pharmacological inhibition (using L-NPA) or siRNA further enhanced cytokine-mediated inflammatory responses, such as up-regulation of VCAM-1 and proinflammatory cytokines, as well as increased leukocyte recruitment. Based on these findings, we suggest a potential anti-inflammatory role of endothelial nNOS that can attenuate unopposed, proinflammatory cytokine actions. Our data indicate a novel location and an immunoregulatory role for nNOS in the endothelium.     

人内皮型一氧化氮合酶基因在小鼠肺内的表达

目的 观察人内皮型一氧化氮合酶(heNOS)重组腺病毒感染小鼠肺组织后heNOS基因在小鼠肺组织内的表达.方法 采用反转录PCR(RT-PCR)法克隆heNOS基因,利用体外连接法构建复制缺陷型heNOS重组腺病毒表达载体;免疫组织化学分析heNOS在小鼠肺组织内的表达情况.结果 (1)序列分析表明,克隆所得heNOS基因片段含有完整开放阅读框架,与GenBank中heNOS DNA序列(*163729)同源性达99.93%.(2)该基因在转染细胞中能表达具有生物活性功能的NOS蛋白.(3)体外连接法成功构建出复制缺陷型heNOS重组腺病毒转移载体.(4)滴入heNOS重组腺病毒后,小鼠肺血管内皮细胞、平滑肌细胞、细支气管上皮细胞内heNOS阳性表达明显增加.结论 本实验成功构建的复制缺陷型heNOS重组腺病毒转移载体,能经呼吸道转移至肺组织,并在小鼠肺血管、支气管和肺泡上皮细胞表达所需的目的 蛋白heNOS.     

吸烟大鼠一氧化氮合酶和一氧化氮的变化

目的:观察吸烟对大鼠肺组织iNOS、eNOSmRNA和蛋白表达以及支气管肺泡灌洗液(BALF)中NO的影响, 探讨不同类型的NOS在吸烟所致慢性气道炎症中的作用。方法:选用Wistar大鼠80只随机分为对照组, 被动吸烟组, iNOS抑制剂L-NIL干预组及NOS抑制剂L-NAME干预组。用免疫组化法检测iNOS及eNOS的蛋白表达, 用RT-PCR检测iNOS及eNOSmRNA的表达, 用Griess法测定BALF中的NO^-₂/NO^-₃含量。结果:吸烟大鼠肺组织中iNOSmRNA及其蛋白表达增加, eNOSmRNA及蛋白表达下降, BALF中细胞总数及NO^-₂/NO^-₃显著增加(P＜0.05)。在体实验发现, L-NIL使BALF中细胞总数及NO^-₂/NO^-₃下降(P＜0.05);L-NAME对BALF中细胞总数及NO^-₂/NO^-₃无显著影响(P＞0.05)。结论:吸烟大鼠肺组织iNOSmRNA和蛋白表达增加, eNOSmRNA和蛋白表达减少。活化的iNOS产生大量NO促进炎症发展。     

Melatonin attenuates renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in nitric oxide synthase inhibited rats

Recent studies show that melatonin reduces the blood pressure (BP) and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced damage. This study was designed to investigate the effects of melatonin on the renal I/R injury in rats given the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). After right nephrectomy, I/R was induced by occlusion of the left renal vessels for 60 min, followed by 24h reperfusion. The administration of melatonin significantly attenuated BP in NOS-inhibited hypertensive rats. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, a stable metabolite of the free-radical-mediated lipid peroxidation cascade, were found to be significantly higher in the I/R group (3.48+/-0.2mg/l serum) than in the control group (2.69+/-0.2mg/l serum). L-NAME (40 mgkg(-1) for 15 days)+I/R significantly increased the MDA levels compared to I/R alone. Melatonin administration to L-NAME rats significantly reduced the MDA values resulting from I/R. We also demonstrated that I/R, and especially L-NAME+I/R, lead to structural changes in the kidney and that melatonin attenuates these changes. These results suggest that melatonin reduces BP and I/R injury in NOS inhibited rats by L-NAME.     

Plasma from ESRD patients inhibits nitric oxide synthase activity in cultured human and bovine endothelial cells

Our recent observations of reduced total nitric oxide synthesis in renal failure patients on peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis suggest that hypertension in end-stage renal disease involves lack of vasodilatory endothelial NO. To directly test this, uraemic plasma was obtained from dialysis patients and incubated with cultured vascular endothelial cells, to determine the effect on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in comparison with plasma from subjects with normal renal function. After incubation for 6 h with 20% uraemic plasma from peritoneal dialysis and immediately prehaemodialysis patients, NOS activity was reduced in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells. Haemodialysis did not remove the NOS-inhibitory activity of uraemic plasma nor did it activate inducible NOS, as NOS activity was always similar in control and dexamethasone pretreated cells. Nitric oxide production (accumulation of nitrite and nitrate) was lower in cells incubated with uraemic vs. normal plasma and excess arginine increased nitric oxide production by cells previously exposed to uraemic medium. This inhibitory effect was not associated with co-factor deficiency but did correlate with plasma concentrations of endogenous NOS inhibitors. These in vitro findings suggest that low endothelial NOS activity may contribute to hypertension in end stage renal disease patients.     

非诺贝特上调血管内皮细胞一氧化氮合酶的表达

目的:观察PPARα激动剂非诺贝特对牛主动脉(BAECs)内皮细胞一氧化氮合酶(eNOS)活性和表达的影响。方法:制备5-9代BAECs,加入不同浓度的非诺贝特(0, 5, 10, 50, 100 μmol/L)后,用NOS Assay Kit测定eNOS活性,RT-PCR法检测eNOS mRNA表达,Western blot分析检测eNOS蛋白质表达。结果: 非诺贝特以浓度和时间依赖的方式增加eNOS活性,非诺贝特浓度10 μmol/L以上时,明显增加eNOS活性。50μmol/L非诺贝特处理48 h时eNOS活性最大(为对照组的2.32±0.47倍,P<0.01)。非诺贝特处理1 h和12 h不增加eNOS活性。RT-PCR分析表明,非诺贝特浓度大于5 μmol/L以上时,明显增加eNOS mRNA水平,在非诺贝特浓度为50 μmol/L时作用最大,为对照组的2.08±0.33倍(P<0.01)。此作用在6 h时出现,持续到48 h。Western blot显示,非诺贝特处理48 h,eNOS蛋白表达明显增加,在浓度为10,50 和100 μmol/L时,eNOS蛋白表达分别为对照组的1.80±0.45, 2.70±0.42 和 2.20±0.32 倍,均P<0.01。在非诺贝特处理12 h后出现,持续到48 h。结论:PPARα激动剂非诺贝特增加BAECs eNOS基因表达,提高eNOS活性及增加蛋白表达。     

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase transgenic models of endothelial dysfunction

Endothelial production of nitric oxide is critical to the regulation of vascular responses, including vascular tone and regional blood flow, leukocyte–endothelial interactions, platelet adhesion and aggregation, and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. A relative deficiency in the amount of bioavailable vascular NO results in endothelial dysfunction, with conditions that are conducive to the development of atherosclerosis: thrombosis, inflammation, neointimal proliferation, and vasoconstriction. This review focuses on mouse models of endothelial dysfunction caused by direct genetic modification of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene. We first describe the cardiovascular phenotypes of eNOS knockout mice, which are a model of total eNOS gene deficiency and thus the ultimate model of endothelial dysfunction. We then describe S1177A and S1177D eNOS mutant mice as mouse models with altered eNOS phosphorylation and therefore varying degrees of endothelial dysfunction. These include transgenic mice that carry the eNOS S1177A and S1177D transgenes, as well as knockin mice in which the endogenous eNOS gene has been mutated to carry the S1177A and S1177D mutations. Together, eNOS knockout mice and eNOS S1177 mutant mice are useful tools to study the effects of total genetic deficiency of eNOS as well as varying degrees of endothelial dysfunction caused by eNOS S1177 phosphorylation.     

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression in pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis

Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH) is an unusual disorder characterized by the proliferation of capillaries in the alveolar septa and pulmonary interstitium. Originally conceived as a primary idiopathic disorder of the pulmonary microcirculation, recent studies have demonstrated that PCH may be associated with other pathologies. Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous free radical with protean biological effects that is released during the intracellular conversion of arginine to citrulline. Nitric oxide synthases (NOS) mediate the production of NO and the release of NO in the microvasculature is specifically catalyzed by endothelial NOS (NOS-III). As NOS contributes to angiogenesis and is reduced in the hypertensive pulmonary microcirculation, we examined the expression of NOS-III protein in situ in the lungs of patients with PCH. Reduced microvascular expression of NOS-III protein by endothelial cells was observed in 4/6 (67%) cases of PCH, and all of these showed concomitant pulmonary vascular hypertensive remodeling. In 2/6 (33%) cases of PCH with no morphologic evidence of pulmonary hypertensive arteriopathy, endothelial expression of NOS-III protein was judged to be either minimally reduced or normal. These findings suggest that NOS-III is specifically reduced in PCH when pulmonary arterial hypertensive remodeling is concomitantly present.     

Human seminal plasma inhibits brain nitric oxide synthase activity

Nitric oxide is a chemical messenger which functions as a neurotransmitteror as a cytotoxic agent. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) has beenisolated from various mammalian reproductive tissues* The presenceor absence of NOS in spermatozoa has not yet been reported.We therefore tested human and marine spermatozoa for NOS activityby measuring the conversion of argmine to citmlline. No activitywas found either in human or in murine spermatozoa. Human nativesemen and human seminal plasma exerted an inhibition on brainNOS activity, as assayed on rat brain cytosolic fractions. Thisinhibitory effect was dependent on the amount of protein presentin the human seminal plasma. No inhibitory effect was observedwhen homogenates of washed spermatozoa were tested. The humanseminal plasma did not affect the Michaelis constant (Km) ofNOS for L-arginine (endogenous NOS substrate) whereas the maximalvelocity (Vmax) was reduced, suggesting that it contains a non-competitiveinhibitor of brain NOS. This inhibitory component was virtuallyinsensitive to heat; a 10 min treatment to 95°C only slightlyreduced its ability to inhibit brain NOS. The physiologicalrelevance of our observations remains to be elucidated. Humanseminal plasma may exert an inhibition of nitric oxide synthesison cells other than spermatozoa or on cells from the male orfemale genital tract, modulating directly or indirectly (viamodulation of reactive oxygen species formation) the functionalstate of the spermatozoa.