ceramide as a second messenger is a key regulator in apoptosis and cytotoxicity. ceramide-metabolizing enzymes are ideal target in cancer chemo-preventive studies. neutral sphingomyelinase (nsmase), acid ceramidase (acdase) and glucosyl ceramide synthase (gcs) are the main enzymes in ceramide metabolism. silymarin flavonolignans are potent apoptosis inducers and silibinin is the most active com...

Nitric oxide is generated by the NO synthases, a family of isoenzymes expressed in a wide range of mammalian cells. In the vascular and nervous systems distinct isoforms generate NO to act as a signal transduction mechanism. The isoform induced by cytokines, on the other hand, provides a sustained release of NO which mediates some cytotoxic and cytostatic effects of the immune system. Solid tum...

Nitric oxide (NO) is a powerful vasoactive product of endothelial origin, and one of its major effects is vasodilation, leading to hypotension. The role of NO in some complications of uremia is still debated. This study evaluated whether endothelial NO synthase activity could be modulated by the exposure of healthy blood to hemodialysis materials. In vitro hemodialysis sessions were performed w...

A common polymorphism of the endothelial NO synthase gene that predicts a Glu298Asp amino acid substitution in the mature protein has been associated with cardiovascular disorders in which NO bioactivity is impaired. However, the influence of this polymorphism on endothelial function is unknown. Healthy pregnancy is associated with enhanced endothelium-dependent, flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of...

Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent mediator involved in many biological functions including inflammation and non-specific immunity. Murine macrophages possess the prototype of high-output NO synthase which is not constitutively expressed but induced within a few hours by immunological stimuli. In this study, we explored the possibility of controlling the activity of the inducible NO synthase by inte...

Nitric oxide (NO) is a messenger molecule of vascular endothelial cells, macrophages, and neurons. Here, we demonstrate that the activity of NO synthase increases transiently but dramatically in chick embryonic myoblasts that are competent for fusion. This activity requires Ca2+, calmodulin, and NADPH. In addition, the increase in NO synthase activity coincides with an increase in cellular cGMP...