Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.6.1.2 (alanine aminotransferase)
26,722 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

It is well revealed that activation of macrophages stimulated by endotoxin resulted in induction of nitric oxide synthase which catalyze nitric oxide (NO) formation from L-arginine. Consequently, blood concentrations of NO2-/NO3- (NOx-) are shown to increase. We studied on pharmaco/toxicokinetics of NOx- in serum and principal organs in Wistar male rats after i.p. administrations of LPS and NaNO3. The serum levels of NOx- at 1 h and 6 h after nitrate administration (10 mg/kg, i.p.) were 240 and 120 microM, respectively. Tissue levels of NOx- in lung, liver and kidneys were ca.1/2 of the serum level. Those levels in spleen and brain were ca.1/4 and 1/10 of the serum level, respectively. The correlation of NOx- levels in serum and these 5 organ tissues between 1 h and 6 h after administration of nitrate was r = 0.992 suggesting no specific accumulation of NOx- in these organs. The serum level of NOx- at 18 h after LPS treatment (1 mg/kg, i.p.) was 430 microM. The correlation of NOx- levels in serum and 5 organ tissues between LPS and nitrate administrations was shown to be r = 0.851. NOx- levels of serum, lung, kidneys and brain showed good correlation but liver and spleen showed out of the correlation. The liver tissue level of NOx- after LPS treatment was low compared with the expected value from the serum level. The reason may be explained partially by the liver weight increase and the liver toxicity with increased GPT and gamma-GT levels due to LPS. Contrary to this, NOx- level of spleen tissue after LPS treatment was more than 2-fold compared with the expected value from the serum level suggesting NO formation in the spleen. This was supported by the markedly high concentration (73.2 nmol/g tissue) of NO2- in the spleen tissue. NO2- levels in lung (34.5 nmol/g tissue) and brain (14.3) were also found to be significantly high after stimulation with LPS suggesting NO formation in these organs. Increased formation of NO2- in these organs by LPS stimulation suggests the formation of active nitrogen oxides such as N2O3 which is an effective nitrosating agent in non-acidic conditions in vivo.
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PMID:[NO2-/NO3- levels in blood and principal organs in rats treated with lipopolysaccharide]. 1009 17

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of the 21-aminosteroid U-74389G [21- < 4-(2,6-di-1-pyrrolidinyl-4-pyrimidinyl)-1-piperazinyl-pregna-1,4,9,(11) triene-3,20-dione(z)-2-butenedionate] on the l-arginine-nitric oxide (NO) pathway in a rat model of endotoxin shock. Endotoxin shock was produced in male rats by a single intravenous (i.v.) injection of 20 mg/kg of Salmonella Enteritidis lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Rats were treated with U-74389G (7.5, 15 and 30 mg/kg i.v.) or vehicle (1 ml/kg i.v.) 5 min after endotoxin challenge. Lipopolysaccharide administration reduced survival rate (0%, 72 h after endotoxin administration) decreased mean arterial blood pressure, enhanced plasma concentration of bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase and increased plasma nitrite concentrations. Lipopolysaccharide injection also increased the activity of inducible NO synthase in the liver and in the aorta. Furthermore aortic rings from shocked rats showed a marked hyporeactivity to phenylephrine (1 nM-10 microM). In addition lipopolysaccharide (50 microg/ml for 4 h) in vitro stimulation significantly increased nitrite production in peritoneal macrophages harvested from normal rats. Treatment with U-74389G (15 and 30 mg/kg i.v., 5 min after endotoxin challenge) significantly protected against lipopolysaccharide-induced lethality (90% survival rate 24 h and 80% 72 h after lipopolysaccharide injection, respectively, following the highest dose of the drug), reduced hypotension, ameliorated liver function, decreased plasma nitrite levels, restored the hyporeactivity of aortic rings to their control values and inhibited the activity of inducible NO synthase in the liver and in the aorta. Finally, U-74389G in vitro (12.5, 25 and 50 microM) significantly inhibited nitrite production in endotoxin stimulated peritoneal macrophages. The data suggest that U-74389G may exert beneficial effects in an experimental model of septic shock by inhibiting the activity of the inducible NO synthase.
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PMID:The lazaroid, U-74389G, inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase activity, reverses vascular failure and protects against endotoxin shock. 1020 81

Liver damage induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in actinomycin D-sensitized mice was initiated by a Fas/CD95-independent apoptotic process that produced DNA fragmentation in hepatocytes followed by an increase of plasma ALT. The metabolic inhibitor actinomycin D blocked most of the LPS-induced increase of plasma nitrite/nitrate levels, as did administration of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N(G)-monomethyl-l-arginine, which also promoted LPS-induced apoptotic liver damage. Administration of nitric oxide donors (hydroxylamine, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine or 2, 2'-(hydroxynitrosohydrazino)bis-ethanamine) resulted in elevation of the plasma nitrite/nitrate level and amelioration of actinomycin D/LPS-induced apoptotic liver damage. The protective effect of nitric oxide against apoptotic liver damage was partially reproduced by a membrane-permeable analog of cyclic GMP. On the other hand, treatment with the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor LY83583 overcame the protective effect of nitric oxide against apoptotic liver damage. These results suggest that nitric oxide may regulate programmed cell death in the mouse liver and that induction of genes, including inducible nitric oxide synthase, plays an important role in protecting the liver against LPS-induced apoptotic damage. This effect appears to be mediated, at least in part, via the soluble guanylate pathway.
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PMID:Nitric oxide ameliorates actinomycin D/endotoxin-induced apoptotic liver failure in mice. 1042 31

In the present study, we examined the role of nitric oxide (NO) in early-response cytokine production by using a rat model of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (HI/R). The left and median lobes of the liver were subjected to 30 min of ischemia, followed by 4 h of reperfusion. Group I and II rats were sham-operated controls that received saline (vehicle) or N(W)-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME) (10 mg/kg, iv); group III and IV rats were subjected to HI/R and received vehicle or L-NAME (10 mg/kg, iv, 10 min before reperfusion), respectively. Administration of L-NAME to rats subjected to I/R resulted in a fourfold decrease in plasma NO levels, accompanied by a marked increase of plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity relative to group III. These changes in group IV were associated with elevation of superoxide generation in ischemic liver lobes by 2.1-fold and circulating leukocyte number by 1.42-fold, compared with group III. Normalized for expression of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) mRNA in ischemic liver of group IV was augmented by 207% and 175% compared with Group III. The expression of (iNOS) mRNA was also increased (223%) relative to group III. Moreover, in group IV, plasma TNF-alpha levels at 4 h of reperfusion and IL-1beta levels at 90 min and 4 h of reperfusion were significantly increased compared with group III. No statistically significant changes were observed between groups I and II in plasma ALT activity, plasma NO levels, circulating leukocyte counts, superoxide generation in the ischemic lobes of liver, and plasma TNF-a and IL-1beta concentrations. The observed enhancement of I/R injury by L-NAME is consistent with the hypothesis that endogenous NO down-regulates TNF-alpha and IL1beta generation, thereby decreasing HI/R injury.
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PMID:Role of endogenous nitric oxide in TNF-alpha and IL-1beta generation in hepatic ischemia-repefusion. 1071 79

Prolonged hyperglycemia inhibits B-cell function by mechanisms that are largely unclarified. We investigated the involvement of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), using aminoguanidine as well as the AGE-breaking compound ALT-711 in a transplantation model. Islets from Wistar-Furth rats were transplanted under the kidney capsule of syngeneic streptozocin-diabetic recipients. Aminoguanidine was administered as 1 g/L in the drinking water. Graft-bearing kidneys were isolated and perfused to investigate insulin secretion, and grafts were excised to measure preproinsulin mRNA contents. In all transplants to diabetic rats, insulin responses to 27.8 mM glucose were abolished and aminoguanidine failed to correct this abnormality. However, aminoguanidine treatment for 8 weeks following transplantation increased preproinsulin mRNA contents of the grafts (P < 0.05). In addition, treatment with aminoguanidine enhanced the insulin secretory response to arginine (P < 0.05). Arginine-induced insulin secretion was also enhanced when aminoguanidine treatment was started after an initial 2-week implantation period rather than immediately after transplantation. On the other hand, treatment with ALT-711 (0.1 mg/kg by gavage) for 8 weeks completely failed to affect B-cell function of grafts, and ALT-711 was also ineffective under in vitro conditions. Our findings indicate that aminoguanidine effects in vivo are to a major extent not coupled to AGEs or nitric oxide synthetase inhibition, but possibly to oxidative modifications accomplished by the guanidine compound.
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PMID:Improvement by aminoguanidine of insulin secretion from pancreatic islets grafted to syngeneic diabetic rats. 1082 71

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia produces nitric oxide (NO); however, the role of the NO during endotoxemia is still controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate a role of LPS-induced NO during the early phase of endotoxemia. Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with saline or LPS at various doses (0.001, 0.01, or 5 mg/kg), and intra-abdominal NO concentration was determined by chemiluminescence before and after LPS administration at indicated times (1, 2, 6, 10, and 18 h). Serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were determined and histological examination was performed 10 h after LPS administration to assess liver damage. N(G)-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME), a nonselective inhibitor of NO synthase, was used to investigate the possible roles of NO during LPS-induced endotoxemia. The intra-abdominal NO concentration was elevated within 2 h and reached a maximal level at 10 h after low doses of LPS injection (0.001 and 0.01 mg/kg) while liver damage was not observed. After high-dose LPS (5 mg/kg) administration, liver damage was observed and intra-abdominal NO was elevated continuously until 18 h. A time course study revealed very similar patterns of intra-abdominal NO increase after the three different dose of LPS at each times points during the first 10 h. Pretreatment of L-NAME inhibited the intra-abdominal NO release and aggravated the liver damage caused by low doses (0.001 and 0.01 mg/kg) of LPS as well as high dose (5 mg/kg) of LPS. Therefore, NO, released during the first 10 h after LPS injection, may play a cytoprotective role in the liver.
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PMID:The cytoprotective role of lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide against liver damage during early phase of endotoxemia in rats. 1094 71

During ischemia-reperfusion an imbalance between endothelin (ET) and nitric oxide (NO) can be responsible for microcirculatory disturbances. The aim of this study was to restore the ET/NO balance to reduce the ischemia-reperfusion injury. Hepatic ischemia was induced for 30 min in 56 Wistar rats. Sham operation, ischemia and treatment groups with the ET receptor antagonist (ERA) bosentan (1 mg/kg body weight i.v.) and the NO donor L-arginine (400 mg/kg body weight i.v.) were performed. For evaluation of hepatic microcirculation in vivo microscopy was carried out 30-90 min after reperfusion. Local hepatic tissue PO2, laser Doppler flow and aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) levels were measured. Increased ET caused sinusoidal constriction after reperfusion to 76% of the sham group (p < 0.05), leading to significant decrease in perfusion rate (82%), liver tissue PO2 (6.9 mmHg) and erythrocyte flux (45.2% of sham group). Hepatocellular damage could be detected 6 h after reperfusion by AST/ALT increase (p < 0.05). Sinusoidal diameters were maintained at baseline in the ERA (98%) and NO (102%) groups (p < 0.05). Increased percentage of leukocytes sticking in sinusoids (144%) and venules (435%) was reduced by therapy to 110/253% (ERA) and 111/324% (NO), respectively (p < 0.05). Perfusion rate was increased to 93 and 94% (p < 0.05 vs ischemia). Local hepatic tissue PO2 was improved 30 min after reperfusion in the ERA (11.0 mmHg) as well as in the NO group (11.5 mmHg; p < 0.05 vs ischemia). Measurement with a laser Doppler flow meter revealed significant improved erythrocyte flux in both therapy groups (p < 0.05 vs ischemia). Also, the post-ischemic AST/ALT increase was reduced by therapy. In conclusion, ET evokes strong constriction of post-ischemic sinusoids, leading to microcirculatory disturbances. The maintenance of the ET/NO balance by blocking ET receptors, or providing an NO donor, protects liver microcirculation and reduces hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.
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PMID:Endothelin/nitric oxide balance influences hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. 1107 80

Nitric oxide (NO) has an important role in controlling heart rate and contributes to the cholinergic antagonism of the positive chronotropic response to adrenergic stimulation. Based on evidence of NO overproduction in cholestasis and also on the existence of bradycardia in cholestatic subjects, this study aimed to evaluate the chronotropic effect of epinephrine in isolated atria of cholestatic rats and determine whether alterations in epinephrine-induced chronotropic responses of cholestatic rats are corrected after systemic inhibition of NO synthase (NOS) with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Cholestasis was induced by surgical ligation of the bile duct under general anesthesia and sham-operated animals were considered as control. The animals were divided into three groups, which received either L-arginine (200 mg/kg/day), L-NNA (10 mg/kg/day) or saline. One week after the operation, a lead II ECG was recorded from the animals, then spontaneously beating atria were isolated and chronotropic responses to epinephrine were evaluated in a standard oxygenated organ bath. The results showed that plasma gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and alanine aminotransferase activity was increased by bile-duct ligation, and that L-aginine treatment partially, but significantly, prevented the elevation of these markers of liver damage. The results showed that heart rate of cholestatic animals was significantly less than that of sham-operated control rats in vivo and this bradycardia was corrected with daily administration of L-NNA. The basal spontaneous beating rate of atria in cholestatic animals was not significantly different from that of sham-operated rats in vitro. Meanwhile, cholestasis induced a significant decrease in chronotropic effect of epinephrine. These effects were corrected by daily administration of L-NNA. Surprisingly L-arginine was as effective as L-NNA and increased the chronotropic effect of epinephrine in cholestatic rats but not in sham-operated animals. Systemic NOS inhibition corrected the decreased chronotropic response to adrenergic stimulation in cholestatic rats, and suggests an important role for NO in the pathophysiology of heart rate complications in cholestatic subjects. The opposite effect of chronic L-arginine administration in cholestasis and in control rats could be explained theoretically by an amelioration of cholestasis-induced liver damage by chronic L-arginine administration in bile duct-ligated rats.
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PMID:The role of nitric oxide in bradycardia of rats with obstructive cholestasis. 1113 68

Recent evidence suggests that the hepatic expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) may preserve hepatocellular integrity after hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation (HR). Because nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to modulate HO-1 expression in cultured cells in vitro, we determined its potential role in the regulation of HO-1 expression after HR in the rat liver in vivo. HO-1 mRNA and protein were highly induced and HO enzyme activity was higher after HR when compared with time-matched sham controls. Administration of the NO donor, molsidomine (MOL) (3 mg. kg(-1)), during resuscitation attenuated the accumulation of HO-1 mRNA and protein and the rise in HO activity. In addition, MOL prevented the shock-induced increase in DNA binding activity of the transcription factor, activator protein-1 (AP-1), but did not alter the activity of nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor (Nrf-2), nuclear transcription factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). The suppressing action of MOL was not confined to HO-1, because the hepatic expression of the 70-kd major heat shock protein (HSP) in response to HR was also diminished. Moreover, MOL prevented the HR-induced increase in the serum activity of alanine transaminase (ALT) and alpha-glutathione-S-transferase (alpha-GST) that could otherwise be observed after HR. In contrast, the NO synthase inhibitor, N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (1 mg.kg(-1)), had either no or only minor effects on the primary experimental endpoints. These findings would be consistent with a reduction of shock-induced liver damage by exogenous NO, which in turn prevents the subsequent activation of injury-sensitive transcription factors, thus attenuating the expression of stress-inducible proteins such as HO-1.
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PMID:Effect of nitric oxide on shock-induced hepatic heme oxygenase-1 expression in the rat. 1128 57

Hepatic Kupffer cells and pulmonary alveolar macrophages together constitute a macrophage-axis involved in the regulation of regional and systemic inflammatory responses. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome induced by overproduced pro-inflammatory mediators is the major cause of adult respiratory distress syndrome. In the present study, we examined the anti-inflammatory role of nitric oxide (NO) in a rat model of acute lung injury induced by hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (HI/R). The left and median lobes of the liver were subjected to 30 min of ischemia by clamping the relevant branches of hepatic artery and portal vein, followed by a 4-h reperfusion achieved by removal of the vascular clamp. Four groups of animals were studied: sham control + saline; sham control + N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10 mg/kg, i.v., 10 min before reperfusion); HI/R + saline; HI/R + L-NAME. Results show that (1) administration of L-NAME to rats subjected to HI/R decreased plasma NO levels; however, the attenuation of NO increased plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and superoxide generation in the ischemic lobes of liver, compared to HI/R alone. (2) Inhibition of NO synthesis with L-NAME in rats subjected to HI/R also enhanced systemic inflammatory response as assessed by the increase in the number of circulating leukocytes and levels of plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin 1-beta (IL-1beta). (3) The overwhelming systemic inflammatory response induced by administration of L-NAME in rats subjected to HI/R also augmented pulmonary vascular permeability and superoxide generation in the lung tissue. (4) Pulmonary alveolar macrophages isolated from rats subjected to HI/R + L-NAME produced higher levels of TNFalpha and IL-1beta in the supernatant of culture medium than that of rats subjected to HI/R alone. (5) There were no differences between the groups of sham + saline and sham + L-NAME in terms of plasma NO levels and ALT activity, circulating leukocytes, superoxide generation in the liver and lung, lavage protein levels, and TNFalpha and IL-1beta levels in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Our results suggest that inhibition of NO synthesis by L-NAME in rats subjected to HI/R not only augments ischemic liver injury, but also enhances the systemic inflammatory response and exacerbates remote lung injury. The increase in TNFalpha and IL-1beta production by alveolar macrophages may, in part, account for L-NAME-induced enhancement of acute lung injury.
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PMID:Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis by L-name exacerbates acute lung injury induced by hepatic ischemia-reperfusion. 1153 Oct 23


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