Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:4.6.1.2 (guanylate cyclase)
 8,497 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In cultured rat hepatocytes, we have previously demonstrated that inhibition of interleukin-1 (IL-1)-mediated nitric oxide (NO) synthesis is associated with depletion of intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) in toxin-mediated oxidative injury. To further examine NO's effects on GSH metabolism in rat hepatocytes, IL-1-mediated NO synthesis was examined in the context of 1) cysteine, cystine, and methionine uptake; 2) gene transcription and enzyme activities for gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, the rate-limiting enzyme in GSH synthesis, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase; and 3) GSH and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels. Inhibition of NO synthesis decreased the GSH content and GSH/GSSG ratio in a guanylyl cyclase-independent fashion. Enzyme activity and steady-state levels of mRNA for gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase were also depressed. Nuclear run-on analysis demonstrated ablation of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase gene transcription. Hepatocellular uptake of cysteine, cystine, and methionine was not altered. Activity and steady-state mRNA levels for glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase were not affected. These results indicate that IL-1-mediated NO synthesis regulates hepatocyte GSH synthesis through a mechanism that is dependent on transcriptional regulation of the rate-limiting enzyme in GSH synthesis. In the setting of oxidative stress and IL-1 exposure, hepatocyte synthesis of NO may be protective through regulation of GSH synthesis.
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PMID:Interleukin-1-induced nitric oxide production modulates glutathione synthesis in cultured rat hepatocytes. 884 15

Ten-day administration of the glutamate-cysteine ligase inhibitor L-buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine (BSO; 20 or 30 mM in drinking water) to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats induced 50-60% glutathione depletion (p<0.001) and elevated aortic ring reactive oxygen species release and tissue and plasma H2O2 concentrations (p<0.001) compared to control animals (CON) that consumed normal drinking water. In contrast to previous studies using tail cuff plethysmography methods, BSO had no significant effect on systolic blood pressure assessed by indwelling femoral artery catheters in conscious animals (10-day values, 119+/-3 mn Hg vs 122+/-4 mm Hg in CON vs BSO, respectively). Thoracic aorta rings were excised for in vitro assessment of vasomotor function. BSO shifted the phenylephrine (PE) dose-response curve to the left (p=0.003), lowering the EC50 for PE contraction (from -6.752+/-0.056 to -7.056+/-0.055 log units; p=0.001). Endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine (ACh) was significantly blunted (p=0.019) and the EC50 for ACh relaxation was significantly increased (from -7.428+/-0.117 to -7.129+/-0.048 log units; p=0.02) in BSO vs CON. Endothelium-independent vasorelaxation to sodium nitroprusside was similar in BSO and CON groups. Thoracic aorta immunoblot analyses revealed increases in endothelial nitric oxide synthase, superoxide dismutase 1 and 2, and soluble guanylate cyclase in BSO vs CON (all p<0.01). Thus, enhanced PE contraction, blunted endothelium-dependent relaxation, and adaptations in nitric oxide bioavailability pathways provide the first evidence of chronic, in vivo BSO-induced, oxidative stress-mediated direct effects on the vasomotor function of arteries.
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PMID:Glutathione depletion in vivo enhances contraction and attenuates endothelium-dependent relaxation of isolated rat aorta. 1645 98