Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS I) is a Ca(2+)/calmodulin-binding enzyme that generates nitric oxide (NO*) and L-citrulline from the oxidation of L-arginine, and superoxide (O(2)*(-)) from the one-electron reduction of oxygen (O(2)). Nitric oxide in particular has been implicated in many physiological processes, including vasodilator tone, hypertension, and the development and properties of...

Isotopic techniques were used to test the hypothesis that exercise and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition have distinct effects on tissue-specific fatty acid and glucose uptakes in a conscious, chronically catheterized mouse model. Uptakes were measured using the radioactive tracers (125)I-labeled beta-methyl-p-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) and deoxy-[2-(3)H]glucose (DG) during tread...

Brophy, Colleen M., Louis Knoepp, Jingdong Xin, and Jennifer S. Pollock. Functional expression of NOS 1 in vascular smooth muscle. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 278: H991–H997, 2000.—Substances that increase intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca]i), such as serotonin, are known to induce vascular smooth muscle (VSM) contraction. However, increases in [Ca]i also activate Ca21/calmoduli...

Muscle satellite cells are quiescent precursors interposed between myofibers and a sheath of external lamina. Although their activation and recruitment to cycle enable muscle repair and adaptation, the activation signal is not known. Evidence is presented that nitric oxide (NO) mediates satellite cell activation, including morphological hypertrophy and decreased adhesion in the fiber-lamina com...

Nitric oxide (NO), a key regulator of cardiovascular function, is synthesized from L-arginine and oxygen by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). This reaction requires tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) as a cofactor. BH4 is synthesized from guanosine triphosphate (GTP) by GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH) and recycled from 7,8-dihydrobiopterin (BH2) by dihydrofolate reductase. Under conditions of low BH4...

Nitric oxide synthesized from l-arginine by nitric oxide synthase isoforms (NOS-I-III) is physiologically important but also can be deleterious when overproduced. Selective NOS inhibitors are of clinical interest, given their differing pathophysiological roles. Here we describe our approach to target the unique NOS (6R,1'R,2'S)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (H(4)Bip) binding site. By a combinatio...

Endotoxin including lipopolysaccharide (LPS) confers organ tolerance against subsequent challenge by ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) insult. The mechanisms underlying this powerful adaptive defense remain to be defined. Therefore, in this study we attempted to determine whether nitric oxide (NO) and its associated enzymes, inducible NOS (iNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS, a constitutive NOS), are ...

Under high sodium intake renal dopamine (DA) increases while NOS I expression in macula densa cells (MD) decreases. To explore whether renal DA and NOS I, linked to natriuresis and to the stability of the tubuloglomerular feedback, respectively, act in concert to regulate renal plasma flow (RPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Male Wistar rats were studied under a normal sodium intake (NS...

Substances that increase intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)), such as serotonin, are known to induce vascular smooth muscle (VSM) contraction. However, increases in [Ca(2+)](i) also activate Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent nitric oxide synthases (NOS), which leads to increases in cGMP and activation of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). One recently identified substrate protein of P...

MRL-I/r/I/r mice spontaneously develop various manifestations of autoimmunity indnding an inflammatory arthropathy and immune complex glomerulonephritis. This study examines the role of nitric oxide, a molecule with proinfhmmatory actions, in the pathogenesis of MRL1/r/I/r autoimmune disease. MRL-I/r/I/r mice excreted more urinary nitrite/nitrate (an in vivo marker of nitric oxide production) t...