scholarly journals Modulatory role of nitric oxide in cardiac performance

2014 ◽  
Vol 67 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 345-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Smiljic ◽  
Vojkan Nestorovic ◽  
Sladjana Savic
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Free Radical ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Cardiac Insufficiency ◽  
Cellular Respiration ◽  
Oxide Synthase

Nitric oxide is produced by almost all cardiac cells, endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes and nerve fibers. It is synthesized by an enzyme, a nitric oxide synthase, which occurs in endothelial, neural and inducible form. The distribution of nitric oxide synthase in the heart is characterized by a pronounced non-uniformity. Nitric oxide exerts its effects in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. The physiological effects of low concentrations of nitric oxide, which is released in the normal conditions under the influence of constituent enzymes, occur via cyclic guanosine monophosphate. The synthesized nitric oxide exhibits its effect in the cells where it is produced, in an autocrine manner, or by diffusing into the neighboring cells, in a paracrine manner. Nitric oxide acts by regulating the coronary vessel tonus, affecting the contractility of cardiomyocytes, generating an inotropic effect in a dose-dependent manner and controlling the cellular respiration. Other effects of nitric oxide in the cardiovascular system include the hyperpolarization of the smooth muscle cells in blood vessels, the inhibition of the monocyte adhesion, the inhibition of platelet migration, adhesion and aggregation and the proliferation of smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. The anti-atherosclerotic effects of nitric oxide are based on these effects. Nitric oxide is a weak free radical in gaseous state, and the cytotoxic and/or the cytoprotective effects of the higher concentrations of nitric oxide are related to the chemical structure of nitric oxide as a free radical. The excessive production of nitric oxide by the activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase can lead to major irregularities in the function of cardiomyocytes and cardiac insufficiency. Understanding the nitric oxide molecular mechanisms of signaling pathways in the heart can provide a new strategic approach to prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Induction and cDNA sequence of inducible nitric oxide synthase from canine aortic smooth muscle cells

1998 ◽  
Vol 275 (4) ◽  
pp. H1122-H1129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofang Wang ◽  
Christopher G. A. McGregor ◽  
Virginia M. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Allograft Rejection ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Type Ii ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Aortic Smooth Muscle ◽  
Oxide Synthase

An inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (type II, iNOS) is expressed in cardiac and vascular smooth muscle in response to inflammatory cytokines. The dog is an important large animal used for cardiovascular research including effects of exercise, heart failure, and allograft rejection. However, molecular probes for iNOS developed in other mammals have not been reliable for the study of iNOS induction in canine vascular smooth muscle. Experiments were designed to develop a molecular probe for canine iNOS. Smooth muscle cells were isolated from canine aortas. The cells ( passages 3–10) were incubated for 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, or 72 h in the absence and presence of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce iNOS. Total RNA was isolated from the cells using standard techniques. RT-PCR with primers against conserved regions of all known iNOS enzyme was used to clone the iNOS cDNA. RT-PCR showed a single band only from cells treated with LPS. Cloned cDNA from cultured canine aortic smooth muscle cells has 84% homology to human, 81% to rat, and 81% to mouse iNOS gene. Identification of the cDNA for canine iNOS will be useful in the study of differential, transcriptional regulation of inducible (type II) compared with constitutive endothelial (type III) NOS in canine studies of allograft rejection and cardiovascular disease.

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