Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.6.1.1 (aspartate aminotransferase)
 21,665 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Nitric oxide synthase produces NO, citrulline, water, and NADP at the expense of arginine, NADPH, and dioxygen. While citrulline has been considered to be an inert by-product of the high output inducible isoform of NO synthase (iNOS), we show here that immunostimulants induce a metabolic pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells, which enables them to regenerate arginine from citrulline. Regeneration of arginine from citrulline is accomplished by two urea cycle enzymes: arginino-succinate synthetase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (AL). Whereas AL is constitutive to vascular smooth muscle cells, AS mRNA and enzyme activity is markedly induced in cells by treatment with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The induction of AS mRNA and activity by LPS follows a time course which mirrors that for iNOS but lags 1-2 h behind. As shown for iNOS, interferon-gamma does not itself induce AS but is synergistic with LPS. AS induction is suppressed by glucocorticoids, actinomycin D, and, to a lesser extent, cycloheximide. On the other hand, AS induction is unaffected by an excess of citrulline or the inhibitor of iNOS, N omega-methyl-L-arginine. Our results show the urea cycle enzymes AS and AL confer cells with the capacity to produce NO without a need for exogenous arginine. In conjunction with NOS, citric acid cycle enzymes that covert fumarate to oxaloacetate (fumarase and malate dehydrogenase) and oxaloacetate to aspartate (aspartate transaminase), AS and AL form a novel arginine-citrulline cycle that enables high output NO production by cells.
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PMID:Argininosuccinate synthetase mRNA and activity are induced by immunostimulants in vascular smooth muscle. Role in the regeneration or arginine for nitric oxide synthesis. 751 85

Liver transplantation (Ltx) has become a routine procedure for patients with end-stage liver disease. Despite ongoing progress on short- and long-term graft survival, primary dysfunction (PDF) remains a major problem. PDF is significantly associated with the duration of cold ischemia- and, possibly, with reperfusion-related injury. Nitric oxide (NO) has many physiological functions and plays an important role in modulating tissue injury. However, the mechanism of NO action in ischemia/reperfusion injury after Ltx is thus far unknown. In this study we investigated the role of inducable NO synthase (iNOS) in the liver after preservation with UW solution using the orthotopic Ltx model in the rat. Male Brown Norway rats were used for the Ltx procedure. After donor hepatectomy, livers were stored on ice-cold UW solution for 24 or 40 h and subsequently transplanted. A control group consisted of rats with Ltx after less than 1 h storage. Post-transplant blood samples were taken at 48 h to determine standard parameters for liver injury (aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase). Liver biopsies were obtained for detection of expression of iNOS (western blot) 24 and 48 h post-transplant. We observed that a preservation time of 24 h in UW solution presents no problem for graft survival after Ltx in rats with some brain function and in healthy animals. After 40 h preservation, liver damage is obvious and graft survival reduced, indicating the limits of cold storage may be within reach. With longer preservation times, more NOs was detected in liver tissue. This finding suggests that NO has a role in ischemia/reperfusion-related injury. Current intervention with NOS inhibitors will reveal whether NO has a negative or a positive effect on graft survival after Ltx.
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PMID:Extended preservation and effect of nitric oxide production in liver transplantation. 966 72

The free radical nitric oxide (NO) is endogenously produced by enzymes known as NO synthases. NO in the airways is involved in a number of pathophysiological processes, such as airway inflammation, allergic reactions, and asthma. Asthma is a multifactorial disease that is caused by environmental and genetic factors. Genome wide screening approaches in families revealed evidence for linkage between chromosomal region 12q and allergic diseases, increased serum IgE levels as well as the development of asthma. The gene encoding for neuronal NOS (NOS1) is an attractive candidate gene for asthma, not only because it is localized in chromosomal region 12q24. Experimental studies in animals and humans suggest that NOS1 plays an important role in asthma. For instance, in a murine model of allergic asthma, NOS1 has been shown to be important for the development of bronchial hyperresponsiveness, since mice deficient for the nos1 gene were less responsive to airway challenge than both wild-type mice and mice deficient for the nos2 gene. Case-control studies in humans revealed allelic associations between polymorphic markers in the NOS1 gene and the diagnosis of asthma. Furthermore, increased concentrations of NO in the airways of asthmatics are closely related to the size of an intronic (AAT)(n)-repeat polymorphism in the NOS1 gene. The purpose of this review is to summarize studies that provide evidence for an involvement of NOS1 in the genetics of asthma.
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PMID:[Genetics of the neuronal NO synthase (NOS1) in the etiology of bronchial asthma]. 1150 91

Abnormalities of nitric oxide metabolism have been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute chest syndrome in subjects with sickle cell anemia. It is not known whether exhaled nitric oxide levels (FE(NO)) are abnormal in children with a history of the acute chest syndrome (ACS). We compared FE(NO), plasma nitric oxide metabolites (NO(x)), serum arginine and citrulline levels, and the number of AAT repeats in intron 20 of NOS I in subjects with sickle cell disease (SCD) and a history of at least one episode of ACS (ACS(+), n = 13), subjects with SCD and no prior history of ACS (ACS(-), n = 7), and healthy children (HC, n = 6). Mean +/- SD FE(NO) (ppb) was lower in ACS(+) than in ACS(-) and HC: (10.4 +/- 4.3 versus 23.4 +/- 6.1 p = 0.002] and 30.4 +/- 15.8 [p = 0.0001], respectively). Plasma NO(x) (microM) were similar in all three groups (37.3 +/- 19.4, 33.0 +/- 13.2, 44.7 +/- 7.8, respectively). Arginine and citrulline levels (microM) did not differ between ACS(+) and ACS(-) groups. Spirometric data revealed a mildly diminished FEV(1) and FVC in ACS(+) that was statistically different from HC but not ACS(-): (FEV(1) as % of predicted for ACS(+), ACS(-), and HC; 83 +/- 17 versus 87 +/- 16 versus 102 +/- 16, respectively, p < 0.05 between ACS(+) and HC). The level of FE(NO) was significantly associated with the sum of AAT repeats in intron 20 of NOS I gene alleles. The correlation coefficient (r) was 0.62 (p < 0.005). We conclude that FE(NO) levels are significantly reduced in subjects who have a history of ACS and that the FE(NO) levels are significantly correlated with the number of NOS I AAT repeats. FE(NO) is a sensitive marker and may be a predictor of ACS prone children.
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PMID:Low exhaled nitric oxide and a polymorphism in the NOS I gene is associated with acute chest syndrome. 1175 Nov 85

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of nitric oxide (NO) in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the protein expression of endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthases (eNOS, iNOS) and nitrotyrosine after I/R challenges to the liver, and blood levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), hydroxyl radical and NO were measured before ischemia and after reperfusion. Ischemia was induced by occlusion of the common hepatic artery and portal vein for 40 min, followed by reperfusion for 90 min. Reperfusion of the liver induced a significant increase in the blood concentrations of AST, ALT, LDH (n = 8; P < 0.001), hydroxyl radical (n = 8; P < 0.001) and NO (n = 8; P < 0.01). The eNOS, iNOS, nitrotyrosine, SOD1 and SOD2 protein expression was also found to increase significantly after reperfusion (n = 3). Administration of the NOS inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (n = 8) had a protective effect on the I/R-related injury, but the NO donor L-arginine (L-Arg) (n = 8) potentiated the damage caused by I/R. These results suggest that reperfusion of the liver induces expression of NOS, which is related to the elevation of blood NO. The increase in hydroxyl radical concentration was accompanied by an increase in antioxidant enzyme expression (SOD1 and SOD2), and an increase in nitrotyrosine expression was also observed, reflecting the increased production of NO and oxygen radicals. We concluded from the protective effect of L-NAME and the potentiation by L-Arg that NOS expression and increases in NO and hydroxyl radical production have deleterious effects on the response to I/R in the liver.
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PMID:Ischemia and reperfusion of liver induces eNOS and iNOS expression: effects of a NO donor and NOS inhibitor. 1561 29

The exact role of inducible NOS (iNOS) in liver ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is controversial. This study was designed to investigate whether donor liver pretreatment with adenovirus encoding iNOS (AdiNOS) ameliorates I/R injury associated with liver transplantation. Orthotopic syngeneic LEW rat liver transplantation (OLT) was performed after 18 or 24 hours' preservation in cold UW. AdiNOS or control gene vector (AdLacZ) was delivered to the liver by donor intravenous pretreatment 4 days before graft harvesting. Uninfected grafts also served as control. Recipients were sacrificed 1 to 48 hours posttransplantation. An abundant hepatic iNOS protein expression and marked serum NO elevation was observed in the AdiNOS-treated group, without affecting endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression, before harvesting and after OLT. AdiNOS pretreatment markedly improved liver function assessed by serum aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase levels and reduced liver necrosis formation. AdiNOS treatment also was associated with reduced ICAM-1 mRNA expression and neutrophil accumulation in the liver graft after OLT compared with untransfected or AdLacZ-treated group. Furthermore, AdiNOS delivery significantly improved transplant survival, compared with AdLacZ or saline controls. AdiNOS pretreatment did not attenuate I/R-induced apoptotic cell death in the liver graft. Administration of a selective inhibitor for iNOS abrogated the protection afforded by AdiNOS pretreatment. In conclusion, donor pretreatment with AdiNOS led to improved liver graft injury and posttransplantation survival. Downregulation of ICAM-1 mRNA and neutrophil infiltration may be associated with the mechanisms by which AdiNOS pretreatment confer the protection against transplant-associated hepatic I/R injury.
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PMID:Donor graft adenoviral iNOS gene transfer ameliorates rat liver transplant preservation injury and improves survival. 1649 5

The effect of Sivelestat, a neutrophil elastase inhibitor, on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury was examined in a pig hepatectomy model. An internal jugular vein-splenic vein bypass was prepared in male pigs and about 40% hepatic resection (left lobe) was performed under 15-min liver ischemia and 5-min intermittent reperfusion. Six animals received Sivelestat (10 mg/kg/h) intravenously and six control animals received physiological saline (10 mg/kg/h) from commencement of laparotomy. Hemodynamics, blood chemistry, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, nitrite/nitrate (NOS), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were compared between the groups. The effects of Sivelestat on NOS generation and expression of iNOS mRNA and TNF-alpha mRNA were also assessed in J774 cells. Expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in hepatic tissues was examined using RT-PCR. The blood pressure of control animals was significantly lower immediately and 3 h after ischemia-reperfusion, compared with that at commencement of laparotomy, whereas there was no decrease of blood pressure in animals administered Sivelestat. Serum AST (P=0.0045), NOS (P=0.0098), and TNF-alpha (P=0.041) levels were significantly lower 3 h after hepatectomy in animals receiving Sivelestat. Sivelestat inhibited NOS production in J774 cells, but did not inhibit expression of iNOS mRNA or TNF-alpha mRNA. In hepatic tissues, Sivelestat showed a greater tendency to inhibit expression of TNF-alpha mRNA and fewer TUNEL-positive cells were present in the hepatic sinusoidal endothelium after Sivelestat treatment, although these differences were not statistically significant. We conclude that Sivelestat inhibits production of TNF-alpha and NO by inhibiting neutrophil elastase, and thus reduces hepatic injury and stabilizes hemodynamics after ischemia-reperfusion.
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PMID:Protective effect of Sivelestat in a porcine hepatectomy model prepared using an intermittent Pringle method. 1837 31

The involvement of oxidative and nitrosative mediators in liver injury caused by heat stress remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS)-derived NO and nitrotyrosine in the whole-body hyperthermia (WBH)-induced liver injury. Rats were anesthetized with intraperitoneal pentobarbital, and were exposed to a heating lamp for 60 min to raise the core temperature to 42.5 degrees C. The rats were maintained at the hyperthermic state for an additional 50 min. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactic dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, amylase, lipase, nitrate/nitrite, methyl guanidine, and proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factoralpha, interleukin-1beta and interleukin-10) were measured before and 14 h after hyperthermia. Immunohistochemical staining was employed to detect the eNOS, iNOS and nitrotyrosine levels. Western blotting was used to examine the expression of heatshock protein 70 (HSP 70). Histopathological examination of the liver tissue was performed. WBH caused liver injury accompanied with significant increases in biochemical factors, nitrate/nitrite, methyl guanidine, and proinflammatory cytokines. In addition, WBH enhanced the eNOS, iNOS, nitrotyrosine and HSP 70 levels. WBH caused hepatic injury. The pathogenetic mechanism is likely mediated through the NOS-derived NO, free radical, proinflammatory cytokines and nitrotyrosine. The enhanced expression of HSP 70 may play a protective role.
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PMID:Oxidative and nitrosative mediators in hepatic injury caused by whole body hyperthermia in rats. 1866 11

Exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), a measure of airway inflammation, is being explored as a tool to guide asthma management in children. Investigators have identified associations of genetic polymorphisms in nitric oxide synthase genes (NOS1 and NOS3) with FeNO levels; however, none have explored whether these polymorphisms modify the relationship of environmental exposures with FeNO. The objective of this project was to evaluate the association of NOS polymorphisms and environmental exposures with FeNO levels among children with asthma. We conducted a 12-month prospective cohort study of 225 tobacco-smoke exposed children (6-12 years) with doctor-diagnosed asthma. We assessed environmental exposures (tobacco, indoor allergens, & airborne particulates), polymorphisms in NOS1 (an intronic AAT tandem repeat) and NOS3 (G894T), and FeNO levels. There was no association of NOS1 or NOS3 polymorphisms with FeNO levels. There were no significant interactions of environmental exposures and the NOS1 polymorphism with FeNO levels. In contrast, there was an interaction of the NOS3 polymorphism and airborne nicotine concentration with FeNO levels (P = 0.01). Among GG genotype individuals, nicotine exposure did not affect FeNO levels; however, among individuals with at least one T allele, higher nicotine exposure was associated with lower FeNO levels (approximately 5 ppb decrease from the lowest to the highest quartile). We conclude that genetic differences may explain some of the conflicting results in studies of the effects of tobacco smoke exposure on FeNO levels and may make FeNO interpretation difficult for a subset of children with asthma.
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PMID:Environmental exposures, nitric oxide synthase genes, and exhaled nitric oxide in asthmatic children. 1960 29

The goal of study was directed to investigate the effects of resveratrol (RES) pretreatment on the enhancing action of D-galactosamine (D-GalN; 800 mg/kg) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 0.5 microg/kg) inducing liver failure in rats. Liver function was assessed by determination of plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alpha-glutathione S-transferase (alpha GST) and bilirubin (BILI). Plasma NO(2)(-) was assessed by NO(2)(-)/NO(3)(-) colorimetric kit. The estimation of nonenzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione and catalase) was performed in plasma and liver homogenate. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated by the thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) and the conjugated dienes (CD). Morphological examinations using light and electron microscopy were performed. Observations related to pharmacological increases of inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS-2)/nitric oxide (NO) and inducible heme oxygenase (HO-1) in fulminant hepatic failure and modulation by resveratrol were followed up by real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) in liver tissue. In the present study we found that among the mechanisms responsible for the hepatoprotective effect of resveratrol in the LPS/D-GalN liver toxicity model are reduction in NO, downregulation of NOS-2, modification of oxidative stress parameters and modulation of HO-1 which led to overall improvement in hepatotoxic markers and morphology after the hepatic insult.
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PMID:Resveratrol attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced hepatitis in D-galactosamine sensitized rats: role of nitric oxide synthase 2 and heme oxygenase-1. 1979 4


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