Effect of berberine on the mRNA expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in rat corpus cavernosum

Author(s):  
Tan Yan ◽  
Ming Zhangyin ◽  
Tang Qiang ◽  
Jiang Zhaojian ◽  
Hu Benrong ◽  
...  
2016 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 408-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyuan Han ◽  
Sonali Shaligram ◽  
Rui Zhang ◽  
Leigh Anderson ◽  
Roshanak Rahimian

Hyperglycemia affects male and female vascular beds differently. We have previously shown that 1 week after the induction of diabetes with streptozotocin (STZ), male and female rats exhibit differences in aortic endothelial function. To examine this phenomenon further, aortic responses were studied in male and female rats 8 weeks after the induction of diabetes (intermediate stage). Endothelium-dependent vasodilation (EDV) to acetylcholine (ACh) was measured in phenylephrine (PE) pre-contracted rat aortic rings. Concentration response curves to PE were generated before and after L-NAME, a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor. Furthermore, mRNA expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and NADPH oxidase subunit (Nox1) were determined. At 8 weeks, diabetes impaired EDV to a greater extent in female than male aortae. Furthermore, the responsiveness to PE was significantly enhanced only in female diabetic rats, and basal NO, as indicated by the potentiation of the response to PE after L-NAME, was reduced in female diabetic rat aortae to the same levels as in males. In addition, eNOS mRNA expression was decreased, while the Nox1 expression was significantly enhanced in diabetic female rats. These results suggest that aortic function in female diabetic rats after 8 weeks exhibits a more prominent impairment and that NO may be involved.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Fangjun Chen ◽  
Yifei Xu ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Xufeng Yang ◽  
Hongying Cao ◽  
...  

In this study, we investigated the relaxation effect and mechanisms of patchouli alcohol (PA) on rat corpus cavernosum. Corpus cavernosum strips were used in organ baths for isometric tension studies. The results showed that PA demonstrated concentration-dependent relaxation effect on rat corpus cavernosum. The relaxant response to PA was not influenced by tetrodotoxin and atropine while it was significantly inhibited by removal of endothelium. L-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor) or 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor) significantly inhibited relaxation response to PA, whereas indomethacin (COX inhibitor) had no effect on PA-induced relaxation. The treatment of endothelium-deprived corpus cavernosum with several potassium channel blockers including tetraethylammonium (TEA), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), and glibenclamide had no effect on PA-induced relaxation. Endothelium-deprived corpus cavernosal contractions induced by cumulative addition of Ca2+ to high KCl solution without CaCl2 were significantly inhibited by PA. Also, PA improved relaxant capacity of sildenafil in rat corpus cavernosum. In addition, the perfusion with PA significantly increased the levels of cGMP and expression of mRNA and protein of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Furthermore, intracavernous injection of PA enhanced the rise in intracavernous pressure in rats during cavernosal nerve electric stimulation. In conclusion, PA relaxed the rat corpus cavernosum attributed to both endothelium-dependent and -independent properties. While the former component was mostly involved in nitric oxide signaling pathway, the endothelium-independent mechanism involved in PA-induced relaxation was probably linked to calcium antagonism.


2006 ◽  
Vol 291 (3) ◽  
pp. F567-F577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Mei Chen ◽  
Cindy Wang ◽  
Mengqian Chen ◽  
Matthew R. Marcello ◽  
Julie Chao ◽  
...  

Prostasin is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored serine protease, with epithelial sodium channel activation and tumor invasion suppression activities. We identified the bladder as an expression site of prostasin. In the mouse, prostasin mRNA expression was detected by reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction in the bladder, and the prostasin protein was localized by immunohistochemistry in the urothelial cells. In mice injected intraperitoneally with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), bladder prostasin mRNA expression was downregulated, whereas the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 was upregulated. Viral promoter-driven expression of the human prostasin homolog in the bladder of transgenic mice attenuated the LPS induction of iNOS but did not abolish the induction. LPS induction of COX-2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 expression, however, was not reduced by prostasin transgene expression. Liposome-mediated delivery of prostasin-expressing plasmid into mouse bladder produced similar attenuation effects on LPS-induced iNOS expression, while not affecting COX-2 or cytokine induction. Mice receiving plasmid expressing a catalytic mutant prostasin did not manifest the iNOS induction attenuation phenotype. We propose a proteolytic mechanism for prostasin to intercept cytokine signaling during LPS-induced bladder inflammation.


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