• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1299-1305
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• 1996

The rat thoracic aorta was harvested to determine whether either hyperkalemla or hypothermia impairs the endothelium-dependent re axation of the vascular smooth muscle. Isolated thoracic aorta segments were studied in five groups(n=10 in each group). In group I(control), the isolated aortic seglnents were suspended in organ bath without any intervention. In group ll(endotheilum removAl). the endothelium of the aortic segment was removed by gentle rubbing of the intimal surface with a pair of forceps. In group III(457), IV(4mST), and V(3757), the aortic segments were exposed for 45minutes to 4$^{\circ}C$ St. Thomas hospital cardioplegic solution(57 : NaCl, 144.3; KCI, 19.6, MgCl:, 15.7 : CaCl, 2.2 mmol/L).4$^{\circ}C$ modified St. Thomas hospital cardioplegic solution(NaCl, 144.3 : KCI. 140.0 : MgCl:, 15.7; CaCl:. 2.2 mmol/L). and 37$^{\circ}C$ 57, before suspending in the organ bath, respectively. Then, aorta segments were suspended in organ baths(physiologic salt solution, 37$^{\circ}C$, 95% oxygen and 5% carbon dioxide) for Isometric tension recording. The vasodilatation to acetylcholine (10-2 to 10-2mol/L) was not impaired in control, 457, 4mST, nd 3757 groups. The vasodilatation to acetylcholine was impaired in endothelium removal group. The vasodilatation to sodium nitroprusslde (10-2 to 10-2 mol/L) was not impaired in all groups. In conclusion, both hyperkalemia and hypothermia do not alter irreversibly the function of the rondothelium of the thoracic aorta of the rat.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 1989

Responsiveness of muscarinic and alpha adrenoceptor activation on endothelial cells was studied in isolated canine renal artery rings. Ach (10-100 nM), dose dependently, relaxes endothelial intact rings precontracted with phenylephrine ($IC_{50}$ of Ach was 34.5 nM). Selective mechanical destruction of the endothelium transformed the activity of this substance from vasodilatation to vasoconstriction. Acetylcholine induced relaxations could be selectively inhibited competitively by atropine, but could not be inhibited by cyclooxygenase inhibitor. Methylene blue, however, an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase activity, inhibited Ach as well as sodium nitroprusside (SNP) induced relaxation. Relaxation produced by prostacyclin was not modified by methylene blue. On the other hand, alpha adrenoceptor agonist did not relax but contract canine renal artery rings possessing an intact intima precontracted with U-46619. Clonidine, however, selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, is more susceptible than phenylepherine, selective alpha-1 adrenergic agonist, to the inhibitory effect of contraction. These results suggest that in canine renal artery rings, 1) muscarinic receptor is responsible for releasing endothelium dependent relaxation factor (EDRF). 2) alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenergic receptors are present in canine renal artery. 3) relaxation via EDRF is antagonized by methylene blue, providing further evidence that EDRF acts through a cGMP mechanism.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.873-878
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• 2002

OA-8159, a new Phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 inhibitor, has exhibited potent erectogenic potential in a penile erection test in rats and anesthetized dogs. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of its erectogenic activity by measuring the activity of OA-8159 against a various PDE isozymes and assessing cGMP and cAMP formation in a rabbit corpus cavernosum in vitro. DA-8159 inhibited the PDE 5 activity in rabbit and human platelets, which the $IC_{50}$ was 5.84$\pm$1.70 nM and 8.25$\pm$2.90 nM, respectively. The $IC_{50}$ of DA-8159 on PDE 1, PDE2, PDE 3 and PDE 6 were 870$\pm$57.4 nM, $101\pm$5 $\mu$M, 52.0$\pm$3.53 $\mu$M and 53.3$\pm$2.47 nM, respectively. This suggests that DA-8159 is a potent, highly selective, competitive inhibitor of PDE 5-catalyzed cGMP hydrolysis. The rates of cGMP hydrolysis catalyzed by human platelets-derived PDE 5 as a function of the cGMP concentration (5~100 nM) and two-fixed DA-8159 concentration (11.3 and 18.8 nM) were investigated in order to characterize the mode of PDE 5 inhibition by DA-8159. DA-8159 increased the apparent 4K_{m}$ value for cGMP hydrolysis but had no effect on the apparent $V_{max}$, indicating a competitive mode of inhibition. DA-8159 increased the cGMP concentrations in the rabbit corpus cavernosum dose dependently. In the presence of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), DA-8159 significantly sti\mulated the accu\mulation of cGMP when compared to the control level. This indicated that the enhancement of a penile erection by DA-8159 involved the relaxation of the cavernosal smooth \muscle by NO-sti\mulated cGMP accu\mulation. In conclusion, DA-8159 is a selective inhibitor of PDE 5-catalyzed cGMP hydrolysis and the enhancement of a penile erection by DA-8159 is mediated by the relaxation of the cavernosal smooth \muscle by the NO-sti\mulated cGMP accu\mulation.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1323-1334
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• 2010

The effect of nitric oxide (NO) on antioxidant system and protective mechanism against oxidative stress under UV-B radiation was investigated in leaves of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings during 3 days growth period. UV-B irradiation caused a decrease of leaf biomass including leaf length, width and weight during growth. Application of NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), significantly alleviated UV-B stress induced growth suppression. NO donor permitted the survival of more green leaf tissue preventing chlorophyll content reduction and of higher quantum yield for photosystem II than in non-treated controls under UV-B stress, suggesting that NO has protective effect on chloroplast membrane in maize leaves. Flavonoids and anthocyanin, UV-B absorbing compounds, were significantly accumulated in the maize leaves upon UV-B exposure. Moreover, the increase of these compounds was intensified in the NO treated seedlings. UV-B treatment resulted in lipid peroxidation and induced accumulation of hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) in maize leaves, while NO donor prevented UV-B induced increase in the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and $H_2O_2$. These results demonstrate that NO serves as antioxidant agent able to scavenge $H_2O_2$ to protect plant cells from oxidative damage. The activities of two antioxidant enzymes that scavenge reactive oxygen species, catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in maize leaves in the presence of NO donor under UV-B stress were higher than those under UV-B stress alone. Application of 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4, 4, 5, 5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3- oxide (PTIO), a specific NO scavenger, to the maize leaves arrested NO donor mediated protective effect on leaf growth, photosynthetic pigment and free radical scavenging activity. However, PTIO had little effect on maize leaves under UV-B stress compared with that of UV-B stress alone. $N^{\omega}$-nitro-L-arginine (LNNA), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), significantly increased $H_2O_2$ and MDA accumulation and decreased antioxidant enzyme activities in maize leaves under UV-B stress. This demonstrates that NOS inhibitor LNNA has opposite effects on oxidative resistance. From these results it is suggested that NO might act as a signal in activating active oxygen scavenging system that protects plants from oxidative stress induced by UV-B radiation and thus confer UV-B tolerance.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.64-68
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• 2001

Endothelin-1 (ET-1 ), a novel and potent vasoconstrictor in blood vessel, is known to have some functions in the rat central nervous system (CNS), In order to investigate the central functions of ET-1 , ET-1 was administered to the periaqueductal gray area (PAC) of anesthetized rats to induce barrel rolling and increase the arterial blood pressure (ABP). ET-1 had a modulatory effect on central cardiovascular and behavioral control. The selective N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 (3${u}m/ol/kg$, i.p.) blocked the ET-1 induced responses, and both the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-NAME (N-nitro-L-arginine mIThyl-ester 1 nmol/rat) and the nitric oxide (NO) scavenger hemoglobin (15 nmol/rat) had similar effects in redtAcing the IT-1 (10 pmol/rat)-induced behavioral changes and ABP elevation. However, NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP 10${u}g$, 1${u}g/rat$) decreased the ET-1 induced ABP elevation, and recovered the ET-1 -induced barrel rolling effect that was reduced by MK-801. These results suggest that ET-1 might have neuromodulatory functions such as ABP elevation and barrel rolling induction in the PAG of the rats via the NMDA receptor and NO.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1265-1276
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• 1998

Background : Nitric oxide(NO) is an endogenously produced free radical that plays an important role in regulating vascular tone, inhibition of platelet aggregation and white blood cell adhesion to endothelial cells, and host defense against infection. The highly reactive nature of NO with oxygen radicals suggests that it may either promote or reduce oxidant-induced cell injury in several biological pathways. Oxidant injury and interactions between pulmonary vascular endothelium and leukocytes are important in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury, including acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS). In ARDS, therapeutic administration of NO is a clinical condition providing exogenous NO in oxidant-induced endothelial injury. The role of exogenous NO from NO donor or the suppression of endogenous NO production was evaluated in oxidant-induced endothelial injury. Method : The oxidant injury in cultured rat lung microvascular endothelial cells(RLMVC) was induced by hydrogen peroxide generated from glucose oxidase(GO). Cell injury was evaluated by $^{51}$chromium($^{51}Cr$) release technique. NO donor, such as S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine(SNAP) or sodium nitroprusside(SNP), was added to the endothelial cells as a source of exogenous NO. Endogenous production of NO was suppressed with N-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA) which is an NO synthase inhibitor. L-NMMA was also used in increased endogenous NO production induced by combined stimulation with interferon-$\gamma$(INF-$\gamma$), tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$(TNF-$\alpha$), and lipopolysaccharide(LPS). NO generation from NO donor or from the endothelial cells was evaluated by measuring nitrite concentration. Result : $^{51}Cr$ release was $8.7{\pm}0.5%$ in GO 5 mU/ml, $14.4{\pm}2.9%$ in GO 10 mU/ml, $32.3{\pm}2.9%$ in GO 15 mU/ml, $55.5{\pm}0.3%$ in GO 20 mU/ml and $67.8{\pm}0.9%$ in GO 30 mU/ml ; it was significantly increased in GO 15 mU/ml or higher concentrations when compared with $9.6{\pm}0.7%$ in control(p < 0.05; n=6). L-NMMA(0.5 mM) did not affect the $^{51}Cr$ release by GO. Nitrite concentration was increased to $3.9{\pm}0.3\;{\mu}M$ in culture media of RLMVC treated with INF-$\gamma$ (500 U/ml), TNF-$\alpha$(150 U/ml) and LPS($1\;{\mu}g/ml$) for 24 hours ; it was significantly suppressed by the addition of L-NMMA. The presence of L-NMMA did not affect $^{51}Cr$ release induced by GO in RLMVC pretreated with INF-$\gamma$, TNF-$\alpha$ and LPS. The increase of $^{51}Cr$ release with GO(20 mU/ml) was prevented completely by adding 100 ${\mu}M$ SNAP. But the add of SNP, potassium ferrocyanate or potassium ferricyanate did not protect the oxidant injury. Nitrite accumulation was $23{\pm}1.0\;{\mu}M$ from 100 ${\mu}M$ SNAP at 4 hours in phenol red free Hanks' balanced salt solution. But nitrite was not detectable from SNP upto 1 mM The presence of SNAP did not affect the time dependent generation of hydrogen peroxide by GO in phenol red free Hanks' balanced salt solution. Conclusion : Hydrogen peroxide generated by GO causes oxidant injury in RLMVC. Exogenous NO from NO donor prevents oxidant injury, and the protective effect may be related to the ability to release NO. These results suggest that the exogenous NO may be protective on oxidant injury to the endothelium.