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)

The extension of the positive results obtained with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the locoregional treatment of cancer to systemic treatments requires the selective inhibition of its shock-inducing properties. In this paper, recent data regarding the mechanisms by which infections and tumors render mice extremely sensitive to the lethal effects of TNF as well as regarding the inhibition of the dose-limiting toxicities, hypotension and hepatotoxicity, are summarized. An interleukin-12 (IL-12) driven induction of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), probably in synergism with endogenous TNF, was found to mediate infection-induced sensitization. The sensitization induced by tumors develops independent of the IL-12/IFN-gamma axis but ultimately leads to a common step, which can be inhibited by alpha-CD11a and is specific for sensitization. Hypotension can be inhibited by methylene blue (MB), an inhibitor of the nitric oxide (NO)-induced activation of the cytosolic guanylate cyclase, without the indispensable protective properties of NO being affected. Finally, two acute phase proteins, alpha 1-acid-glycoprotein (AGP) and alpha 1-antitrypsin (AT), were able to protect against the TNF-induced liver failure. None of these three inhibitors seems to affect the antitumor effects of TNF.
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PMID:Inhibition of and sensitization to the lethal effects of tumor necrosis factor. 891 26

beta-Amyloid precursor protein (beta APP), transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) are remarkably pleiotropic neural cytokines/neurotrophic factors that orchestrate intricate injury-related cellular and molecular interactions. The links between these three factors include: their responses to injury; their interactive effects on astrocytes, microglia and neurons; their ability to induce cytoprotective responses in neurons; and their association with cytopathological alterations in Alzheimer's disease. Astrocytes and microglia each produce and respond to TGF beta and TNF alpha in characteristic ways when the brain is injured. TGF beta, TNF alpha and secreted forms of beta APP (sAPP) can protect neurons against excitotoxic, metabolic and oxidative insults and may thereby serve neuroprotective roles. On the other hand, under certain conditions TNF alpha and the fibrillogenic amyloid beta-peptide (A beta) derivative of beta APP can promote damage of neuronal and glial cells, and may play roles in neurodegenerative disorders. Studies of genetically manipulated mice in which TGF beta, TNF alpha or beta APP ligand or receptor levels are altered suggest important roles for each factor in cellular responses to brain injury and indicate that mediators of neural injury responses also have the potential to enhance amyloidogenesis and/or to interfere with neuroregeneration if expressed at abnormal levels or modified by strategic point mutations. Recent studies have elucidated signal transduction pathways of TGF beta (serine/threonine kinase cascades), TNF alpha (p55 receptor linked to a sphingomyelin-ceramide-NF kappa B pathway), and secreted forms of beta APP (sAPP; receptor guanylate cyclase-cGMP-cGMP-dependent kinase-K+ channel activation). Knowledge of these signaling pathways is revealing novel molecular targets on which to focus neuroprotective therapeutic strategies in disorders ranging from stroke to Alzheimer's disease.
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PMID:Cellular signaling roles of TGF beta, TNF alpha and beta APP in brain injury responses and Alzheimer's disease. 906 86

Since recent studies demonstrate that vascular smooth muscle cells synthesize two distinct guanylate cyclase-stimulatory gases, NO and CO, we examined possible regulatory interactions between these two signaling molecules. Treatment of rat aortic smooth muscle cells with the NO donors, sodium nitroprusside, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine, or 3-morpholinosydnonimine, increased heme oxygenase-I (HO-1) mRNA and protein levels in a concentration and time-dependent manner. Both actinomycin D and cycloheximide blocked NO-stimulated HO-1 mRNA and protein expression. Nuclear run-on experiments demonstrated that NO donors increased HO-1 gene transcription between 3- and 6-fold. In contrast, NO donors had no effect on the stability of HO-1 mRNA. Incubation of vascular smooth muscle cells with the membrane-permeable cGMP analogues, dibutyryl cGMP and 8-bromo-cGMP, failed to induce HO-1 gene expression. Treatment of vascular smooth muscle cells with NO donors also stimulated the production and release of CO, as demonstrated by the CO-dependent increase in intracellular cGMP levels in coincubated platelets. Finally, incubating vascular smooth muscle cells with interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced NO synthesis and also significantly increased the level of HO-1 protein. The cytokine-stimulated production of both NO and HO-1 protein in smooth muscle cells was blocked by the NO synthase inhibitor methyl-L-arginine. These results demonstrate that exogenously administered or endogenously released NO stimulates HO-1 gene expression and CO production in vascular smooth muscle cells. The ability of NO to induce HO-catalyzed CO release from vascular smooth muscle cells provides a novel mechanism by which NO might modulate soluble guanylate cyclase and, thereby, vascular smooth muscle cell and platelet function.
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PMID:Nitric oxide induces heme oxygenase-1 gene expression and carbon monoxide production in vascular smooth muscle cells. 911 87

This study investigated whether endogenous nitric oxide (NO) limits cytokine-induced damage to the murine lung epithelial cell line LA-4. NO production was assessed as nitrite using the Griess reaction, and cell damage was assessed using ethidium homodimer-1. Cytotoxicity was first detected after a 24-h incubation with a combination of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, and interferon-gamma (cytomix). Nitrite production increased to 78.0 +/- 0.5 nmol/10(6) cells at 24 h. Coincubation of LA-4 with cytomix and NO synthase inhibitors, aminoguanidine (3-1,000 microM) and N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (10-1,000 microM), but not N(G)-monomethyl-D-arginine, or a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, 1H-[1,2,4] oxadiazole [4,3-a] quinoxalin-1-one, reduced cytomix-induced nitrite production and increased cytotoxicity up to twofold (24 h). Removal of L-arginine from the medium increased damage; reintroduction of 1,000 microM L-arginine, but not D-arginine, reversed this. In aminoguanidine-treated cells, replacement of NO with an NO donor, S-nitrosoglutathione (30 microM), reversed, in part, the cell damage observed in aminoguanidine/cytomix-treated cells. These results suggest that endogenous NO limits cytokine-induced lung epithelial damage.
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PMID:Endogenous nitric oxide limits cytokine-induced damage of murine lung epithelial cells. 914 45

Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by pulmonary hypertension. Although the pathophysiology of ALI is complex, cytokine production, especially tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), is known to mediate histologic lung injury. Pentoxifylline (PTX) is known to inhibit the expression of many cytokines, including TNF-alpha. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of PTX treatment on endotoxin-induced impairment of endothelium-dependent mechanisms of pulmonary vasorelaxation. Mechanisms of endothelium-dependent relaxation were studied with the muscarinic receptor agonist, acetylcholine (ACh), and the receptor-independent calcium ionophore, A23187. Endothelium-independent pulmonary vasorelaxation was examined by direct stimulation of smooth muscle guanylate cyclase with the nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Five rats received PTX (50 mg/kg) and endotoxin (20 mg/kg), endotoxin alone, or saline ip. After 6 hr, dose-response curves to ACh, A23187, and SNP were determined in isolated pulmonary artery rings preconstricted with phenylephrine (PE). PTX attenuated but did not eliminate endotoxin-induced impairment of endothelium-dependent and -independent pulmonary vasorelaxation. These data suggest that PTX may offer a therapeutic modality for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in ALI.
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PMID:Pentoxifylline treatment attenuates pulmonary vasomotor dysfunction in acute lung injury. 929 83

We previously reported that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)/cachectin suppresses lipoprotein lipase activity and its gene expression in brown adipocytes differentiated in culture. Recent evidence suggests that the effect of TNF-alpha over various cells is related to the enhanced production of nitric oxide (NO). The present study examined whether the suppressive effect of TNF-alpha on lipoprotein lipase activity is mediated by production of NO in the brown adipocytes. A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay revealed that TNF-alpha caused a concentration- and time-dependent expression of inducible NO synthase in brown adipocytes. Increasing concentrations of TNF-alpha (0.5-50 ng/ml) for 24 h resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease in lipoprotein lipase activity with reciprocal increase in nitrite production in the medium. The suppressive effect of TNF-alpha on lipoprotein lipase activity was significantly prevented by NO synthase inhibitors, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and aminoguanidine, but not by D-NAME, an inactive isomer. Furthermore, 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, cell permeant cGMP, suppressed lipoprotein lipase activity and 1 H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one, a selective inhibitor for soluble guanylate cyclase, restored the TNF-alpha-suppressed lipoprotein lipase activity. These results suggest that TNF-alpha stimulates brown adipocytes to express inducible NO synthase, followed by production of NO, which in turn mediates the suppressive effect of TNF-alpha on lipoprotein lipase activity. The effect of NO is mediated, at least partly, through production of cGMP.
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PMID:Nitric oxide mediates down regulation of lipoprotein lipase activity induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha in brown adipocytes. 936 79

Gonadotropin secretion by the pituitary gland is under the control of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) and the putative follicle-stimulating hormone-releasing factor (FSHRF). Lamprey III LHRH is a potent FSHRF in the rat and appears to be resident in the FSH controlling area of the rat hypothalamus. It is an analog of mammalian LHRH and may be the long-sought FSHRF. Gonadal steroids feedback at hypothalamic and pituitary levels to either inhibit or stimulate the release of LH and FSH, which is also affected by inhibin and activin secreted by the gonads. Important control is exercised by acetylcholine, norepinephrine (NE), dopamine, serotonin, melatonin and glutamic acid (GA). Furthermore, LH and FSH also act at the hypothalamic level to alter secretion of gonadotropins. More recently, growth factors have been shown to have an important role. Many peptides act to inhibit or increase release of LH, and the sign of their action is often reversed by estrogen. A number of cytokines act at the hypothalamic level to suppress acutely the release of LH but not FSH. NE, GA and oxytocin stimulate LHRH release by activation of neural nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). The pathway is as follows: oxytocin and/or GA activate NE neurons in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) that activate NOergic neurons by alpha1 receptors. The NO released diffuses into LHRH terminals and induces LHRH release by activation of guanylate cyclase (GC) and cyclooxygenase. NO not only controls release of LHRH bound for the pituitary, but also that which induces mating by actions in the brain stem. An exciting recent development has been the discovery of the adipocyte hormone, leptin, a cytokine related to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). In the male rat, leptin exhibits a high potency to stimulate FSH and LH release from hemipituitaries incubated in vitro, and increases the release of LHRH from MBH explants by stimulating the release of NO. LHRH and leptin release LH by activation of NOS in the gonadotropes. The NO released activates GC that releases cyclic GMP which induces LH release. Leptin induces LH release in conscious, ovariectomized estrogen-primed female rats, presumably by stimulating LHRH release. At the effective dose of estrogen to activate LH release, FSH release is inhibited. Leptin may play an important role in induction of puberty and control of LHRH release in the adult as well.
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PMID:Hypothalamic control of FSH and LH by FSH-RF, LHRH, cytokines, leptin and nitric oxide. 973 Jun 86

Gonadotropin secretion by the pituitary gland is under the control of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) and the putative follicle stimulating hormone-releasing factor (FSHRF). Lamprey III LHRH is a potent FSHRF in the rat and seems to be resident in the FSH controlling area of the rat hypothalamus. It is an analog of mammalian LHRH and may be the long sought FSHRF. Gonadal steroids feedback at hypothalamic and pituitary levels to either inhibit or stimulate the release of LH and FSH, which is also affected by inhibin and activin secreted by the gonads. Important control is exercised by acetylcholine, norepinephrine (NE), dopamine, serotonin, melatonin, and glutamic acid (GA). Furthermore, LH and FSH also act at the hypothalamic level to alter secretion of gonadotropins. More recently, growth factors have been shown to have an important role. Many peptides act to inhibit or increase release of LH and the sign of their action is often reversed by estrogen. A number of cytokines act at the hypothalamic level to suppress acutely the release of LH but not FSH. NE, GA, and oxytocin stimulate LHRH release by activation of neural nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). The pathway is as follows: oxytocin and/or GA activate NE neurons in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) that activate NOergic neurons by alpha, (alpha 1) receptors. The NO released diffuses into LHRH terminals and induces LHRH release by activation of guanylate cyclase (GC) and cyclooxygenase. NO not only controls release of LHRH bound for the pituitary, but also that which induces mating by actions in the brain stem. An exciting recent development has been the discovery of the adipocyte hormone, leptin, a cytokine related to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha. In the male rat, leptin exhibits a high potency to stimulate FSH and LH release from hemipituitaries incubated in vitro, and increases the release of LHRH from MBH explants. LHRH and leptin release LH by activation of NOS in the gonadotropes. The NO released activates GC that releases cyclic GMP, which induces LH release. Leptin induces LH release in conscious, ovariectomized estrogen-primed female rats, presumably by stimulating LHRH release. At the effective dose of estrogen to activate LH release, FSH release is inhibited. Leptin may play an important role in induction of puberty and control of LHRH release in the adult as well.
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PMID:Hypothalamic control of gonadotropin secretion by LHRH, FSHRF, NO, cytokines, and leptin. 978 37

Previous studies have demonstrated the existence of a circulating myocardial depressant substance during human septic shock. We have recently identified this substance as a synergistic combination of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta). This study utilized an in vitro cardiac myocyte assay to evaluate the potential mechanistic role of nitric oxide (NO) and cGMP in depression of myocyte contractility induced by TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha + IL-1beta (at low concentrations), and human septic shock serum (HSS). TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha + IL-1beta, and each of 5 sera from patients with acute septic shock caused depression of both maximum extent and peak velocity of cardiac myocyte shortening and an increase in intracellular cGMP concentration during 30 min of exposure (minimum P < 0.01). NO synthetase (NOS) and guanylate cyclase inhibitors such as N-methyl-L-arginine (L-NMA) and methylene blue prevented these effects; an excess of L-arginine with L-NMA restored them (minimum P < 0.01). In contrast, D-arginine failed to reestablish cytokine-induced myocyte depression and cGMP accumulation prevented by L-NMA. Exposure of myocytes to TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, or TNF-alpha + IL-1beta produced a concentration-dependent increase in intracellular cGMP that paralleled the depression of cardiac myocyte contractility (minimum P < 0.001). In addition, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha + IL-1beta, or HSS application to cardiac myocytes resulted in increased NO gas generation, which was inhibited by L-NMA (minimum P < 0.01). Furthermore, unstimulated cardiac myocytes were shown to harbor constitutive but not inducible NOS activity. These data suggest that the sequential generation of NO by a constitutive NOS and cGMP by guanylate cyclase represents an important mechanism of cardiac myocyte depression by TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha + IL-1beta, and the myocardial depressant substance(s) of septic shock.
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PMID:Role of nitric oxide and cGMP in human septic serum-induced depression of cardiac myocyte contractility. 988 5

Treatment of streptozotocin (ST), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) resulted in destroying insulin-secreting beta-cells of pancreatic islets and impairment of islet glucose oxidation and glucose-induced insulin secretion. IL-1beta and TNF-alpha inhibited insulin release and glucose utilization and oxidation. It was shown that the inhibitory effects of ST, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha were due to impaired glucokinase activity. Glucokinase activity was severely impaired by ST, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha treatments, as confirmed by assaying enzymes and nucleotides associated with glycolysis and glucose oxidation. On the other hand, nitric oxide was a factor of the deleterious effects of IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and ST on pancreatic islets. Incubation of mouse pancreatic islets with ST at various concentrations of impairing insulin secretion resulted in generation of nitrite, stimulation of islet guanylyl cyclase and accumulation of cGMP, and inhibition of pancreatic islet mitochondrial aconitase activity to degree similar to those raised by IL-1beta and TNF-alpha. When the effects of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha on the gene expression of pancreatic GLUT2 and glucokinase were examined, the level of GLUT2 and glucokinase mRNA in pancreatic islets was significantly decreased. This suggested that IL-1beta and TNF-alpha downregulate gene expression of GLUT2 and glucokinase in pancreatic beta-cells.
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PMID:Inhibitory effects of streptozotocin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-1beta on glucokinase activity in pancreatic islets and gene expression of GLUT2 and glucokinase. 998 30


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