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An assessment of udp-glucuronosyltransferase induction using primary human hepatocytes.

Uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) catalyze the glucuronidation of a wide range of xenobiotics and endogenous substrates. However, there is a lack of information concerning the response of human UGTs to inducers, and this observation prompted the current investigation. The glucuronidation of estradiol (3- and 17-positions), naphthol, propofol, and morphine (3- and 6-positions) was assessed against a battery of recombinant human UGTs to determine selective glucuronidation reactions for induction studies. The potential induction of the glucuronidation of estradiol at the 3-position, naphthol, propofol, and morphine at the 3-position was subsequently investigated in cultured primary human hepatocytes against a range of prototypic inducers including dexamethasone, 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC), phenobarbital, rifampicin, and omeprazole. Treatment with 3-MC induced estradiol-3-glucuronidation (up to 2.5-fold) in four of five donors investigated. Statistically significant increases in naphthol glucuronidation (up to 1.7-fold) were observed following treatment with carbamazepine. UGT1A9-mediated propofol glucuronidation was induced by phenobarbital (up to 2.2-fold) and rifampicin (up to 1.7-fold). However, treatment with alpha-naphthoflavone and tangeretin resulted in a decrease in propofol glucuronidation (30% of control values). Statistically significant induction of morphine-3-glucuronidation was observed in at least three donors following treatment with phenobarbital, rifampicin, and carbamazepine. Each UGT isoform investigated displayed a distinct induction profile. Although statistically significant increases in glucuronidation were observed for each reaction studied, the level of induction was less than that observed for CYP1A2 or CYP3A4 and exhibited a large interdonor variability. The clinical relevance of the induction responses obtained in this study is unclear.

Adolescent↗

Induction of human CYP2C9 by rifampicin, hyperforin, and phenobarbital is mediated by the pregnane X receptor.

Human CYP2C9 is important in the metabolism of numerous clinically used drugs such as the anticoagulant warfarin, the anticonvulsant phenytoin, antidiabetic drugs such as tolbutamide and glipizide, the hypertensive agent losartan, and numerous nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Several studies have reported that certain drugs such as rifampicin and phenobarbital induce CYP2C9, but the molecular basis for this induction remains unknown. In the present study, we demonstrate that the human pregnane X receptor (hPXR) mediates induction of CYP2C9 by the prototype drugs rifampicin, hyperforin (found in St. John's Wart), and phenobarbital. Deletion and mutagenesis studies with luciferase reporter constructs showed that a functional PXR-responsive element located -1839/-1824 base pairs upstream from the translation start site was the primary binding site mediating the rifampicin induction of CYP2C9. This site was previously described as a constitutive androstane receptor-responsive element (CAR-RE). Mutational analysis of 3- and 12-kilobase CYP2C9 promoter fragments indicated that this proximal binding site was essential for rifampicin inducibility, although a cooperative effect could be attributed to a second CAR-RE located at -2899/-2883. In summary, we have demonstrated rifampicin induction of CYP2C9 promoter constructs that is consistent with the magnitude of induction of CYP2C9 protein and mRNA reported in vivo and in primary human hepatocytes, and we have identified the cis-element essential for this response. This is the first report to demonstrate that the nuclear receptor PXR mediates induction of CYP2C9 with rifampicin, phenobarbital, and hyperforin.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Transcriptional induction of heme oxygenase-1 gene expression by okadaic acid in primary rat hepatocyte cultures.

Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes the rate-limiting enzymatic step of heme degradation and regulates the cellular heme content. The gene expression of the inducible isoform of HO, HO-1, is up-regulated in response to various agents causing oxidative stress. To investigate the regulatory role of protein phosphatases in the hepatic regulation of HO-1 gene expression, primary cultures of rat hepatocytes were treated with okadaic acid (OA), which specifically inhibits the serine threonine protein phosphatases 1 and 2A. Both protein synthesis and mRNA expression of HO-1 were induced by OA in cultured hepatocytes, but not in cultured tissue macrophages of rat liver. The HO-1 mRNA induction by OA occurred in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Simultaneous treatment with OA plus dibutyryl cAMP caused a synergistic up-regulation of steady-state levels of HO-1 mRNA, and the specific protein kinase A inhibitor KT5720 markedly reduced the OA-dependent HO-1 mRNA induction. In contrast, the dibutyryl cAMP-dependent induction of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA expression and enzyme activity was inhibited by simultaneous treatment with OA in hepatocytes. The induction of the HO-1 gene expression by OA was transcriptional as determined by studies with actinomycin D, nuclear run-off assay, and measurement of the half-life of HO-1 mRNA. Luciferase reporter constructs containing DNA sequences of the rat HO-1 promoter 5'-flanking region were up-regulated by OA in transiently transfected hepatocytes. Mutation of the cAMP response element/activator protein-1 (-665/-654) site obliterated the OA-dependent induction, suggesting that this element is involved in the transcriptional induction of the rat HO-1 gene by OA.

Animals↗

Repression of phenobarbital-dependent CYP2B1 mRNA induction by reactive oxygen species in primary rat hepatocyte cultures.

Xenobiotic-metabolizing cytochrome P-450 (P-450) enzymes not only play a pivotal role in elimination of foreign compounds but also contribute to generation of toxic intermediates, including reactive oxygen species, that may elicit cellular damage if produced excessively. Expression of several xenobiotic-metabolizing P-450 enzymes is induced by phenobarbital (PB). Pronounced induction is observed for the rat CYP2B1 isoform. A primary rat hepatocyte culture system was used to investigate whether reactive oxygen species might modulate PB-dependent CYP2B1 induction. In cells cultivated for 3 days with 1.5 mM PB, substantial CYP2B1 mRNA induction was observed (100%). Addition of H(2)O(2) or of the catalase inhibitor 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (AT) to the medium repressed induction to approximately 30% (at 1 mM H(2)O(2) and 2 mM AT, respectively). Accordingly, treatment of hepatocytes with PB and the glutathione precursor N-acetylcysteine (NAC) led to enhanced PB-dependent induction (to over 1000% at 10 mM NAC). In primary hepatocyte cultures transfected with a CYP2B1 promoter-luciferase construct containing approximately 2.7 kilobase pairs of the native CYP2B1 promoter sequence, PB-dependent reporter gene activation was repressed by AT and stimulated by N-acetylcysteine. Furthermore, a 263-base pair CYP2B1 promoter fragment encompassing the phenobarbital-responsive enhancer module conferred suppression of PB-dependent luciferase expression by AT and activation by NAC in a heterologous SV40-promoter construct. In summary, these data demonstrate a regulatory mechanism that is dependent on the cellular redox status, which modulates CYP2B1 mRNA induction by PB on the transcriptional level, thus representing a feedback mechanism preventing further P-450-dependent production of reactive oxygen intermediates under oxidative stress.

Acetylcysteine↗

Lectins mimic insulin in the induction of tyrosine aminotransferase.

Various lectins were found to induce tyrosine aminotransferase in H-35 rat hepatoma cells grown in monolayer culture. Wheat germ agglutinin gave a maximal induction of tyrosine aminotransferase 6 hours after its addition. The induction time course was similar to that elicited by insulin. Fourteen micrograms of wheat germ agglutinin per milliliter gave half-maximal enzyme induction and 50 micrograms per milliliter gave the maximal response. The induction of tyrosine aminotransferase by wheat germ agglutinin was additive with the induction by either dexamethasone or dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate, but was not additive with the tyrosine amino transferase induction by insulin. Wheat germ agglutinin also mimicked insulin in the inhibition of cellular protein degradation in the absence of serum. The insulin-like effects of lectins should be considered in lectin-mediated manipulations such as agglutination.

Animals↗

Rapid induction of alpha-amylase by nongrowing mycelia of Aspergillus oryzae.

A rapid induction system for synthesis of alpha-amylase by the funga Aspergillus oryzae M-13 was established. The mycelia were prepared from 20-h cultures grown on a peptone-glycerol medium and starved for 5 h; maltose was the optimum inducer tested. During h 1 of induction, formation of both intra- and extracellular alpha-amylases occurred at an almost identical rate (70 to 80 microgram/g of cells-h) without a detectable lag period. After a 1-h induction period, a remarkable increase in the extracellular concentration of the enzyme occurred, and a maximum rate (330 microgram/g of cells-h) was reached after 1.5 h of induction. During h 2 of induction, no significant change in mycelial weight was observed. Purified samples of intra- and extracellular enzymes formed in the induction system showed identical properties as examined by behavior in diethylaminoethyl-cellulose column chromatography, gel filtration, discontinuous gel electrophoresis, electrofocusing, optimal conditions for the reaction, heat stability, and molecular weight.

Amylases↗

Cytokine-mediated indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase induction in response to Chlamydia infection in human macrophage cultures.

The purpose of this study was to characterize further the events leading to the metabolic degradation of tryptophan in Chlamydia-infected cultures in the absence of added interferon (IFN). Macrophages on coverslips were infected with Chlamydia psittaci, and tryptophan decyclization was determined 24 h later by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Tryptophan metabolites cochromatographed with kynurenine and N-formylkynurenine, the end products of tryptophan decyclization by the IFN-inducible enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). Although chloramphenicol pretreatment completely inhibited chlamydial replication, IDO was stimulated to an extent similar to that in untreated, infected cells. No IDO induction was observed in cells pretreated with cycloheximide even though chlamydial growth was slightly greater than in untreated cells. These results indicate that enhanced tryptophan decyclization was due to induction of IDO. IDO induction was dependent on the size of the chlamydial inoculum. Heat- or UV-inactivated chlamydiae induced significantly less IDO activity than viable chlamydiae. Culture supernatants from Chlamydia-infected macrophages induced IDO activity in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that a secreted product of infected cells was responsible for IDO induction. A combination of neutralizing antibodies to IFN-alpha and IFN-beta inhibited induction of IDO activity by infected cell culture supernatants. Furthermore, IL-1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results indicated the accumulation of IL-1 beta in the culture medium. Thus, induction of IDO in Chlamydia-infected macrophages reflects the production of cytokines in response to infection and may represent a normal host cell response to control intracellular infection.

Adult↗

Localization of phosphoglucose isomerase in Escherichia coli and its relation to the induction of the hexose phosphate transport system.

The localization of phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) was studied in relation to the induction of hexose phosphate uptake in Escherichia coli. The uptake system is induced only by extracellular glucose-6-phosphate (G6P); there is no induction by intracellular G6P. Fructose-6-phosphate (F6P) is an indirect inducer, and isomerization of F6P to G6P must occur before induction. PGI has been considered to be an internal enzyme; therefore, uptake of F6P by noninduced cells and leakage of the G6P formed would be required for induction. In this study, it was concluded that part of the PGI activity is located in the cell surface because: (i) uninduced, intact cells are able to convert F6P to G6P, whereas the activity of G6P dehydrogenase is not detectable; (ii) when cells are subjected to osmotic shock, about 10% of the PGI activity is found in the shock fluid; and (iii) sorbitol-6-phosphate (S6P) inhibits both PGI activity of whole cells and the induction of hexose phosphate transport system by F6P. S6P was not taken by intact cells. The data indicate that the isomerization of F6P to G6P can take place on the cell surface, and this explains the indirect induction of hexose phosphate transport by F6P.

Biological Transport↗

Induction of beta-glucosidases in Neurospora crassa.

The induction of beta-glucosidases (EC 3.2.1.21) was studied in Neurospora crassa. Cellobiase was induced by cellobiose, but other inducers had little effect on this enzyme. Cellobiase activity was very low in all stages of the vegetative life cycle in the absence of di-beta-glucoside inducer. Aryl-beta-glucosidase was semiconstitutive at late stages of culture growth prior to conidiation. At early stages, aryl-beta-glucosidase was induced by cellobiose, laminaribiose, and gentiobiose, and weakly induced by galactose, amino sugars, and aryl-beta-glucosides. The induction properties of the beta-glucosidases are compared with those of the other disaccharidases of Neurospora. The induction of beta-glucosidases was inhibited by glucose, 2-deoxy-d-glucose, and sodium acetate. Sodium phosphate concentrations between 0.01 and 0.1 M stimulated induction of both enzymes, while concentrations above 0.1 M were inhibitory. The optimal condition for induction of both beta-glucosidases was pH 6.0. Cellobiase induction was relatively more inhibited than aryl-beta-glucosidase in the range of pH 6.0 to 8.0.

Cell-Free System↗

Analysis of the regulatory sequences needed for induction of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene cat-86 by chloramphenicol and amicetin.

Induction of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene cat-86 in Bacillus subtilis results from the activation of translation of cat-86 mRNA. The inducers, chloramphenicol and amicetin, are thought to enable ribosomes to destabilize a stem-loop structure in cat-86 mRNA that sequesters the ribosome binding site for the cat-86 coding sequence, designated RBS-3. The region of cat-86 mRNA which is 5' to the stem-loop contained two additional ribosome binding sites, RBS-1 and RBS-2, located 84 and 56 nucleotides, respectively, upstream from RBS-3. RBS-1 and RBS-2 were each followed by a potential translation initiation codon and a short open reading frame. Bal 31-generated deletions into the 5' end of the regulatory region that removed RBS-1 but did not enter RBS-2 caused a fourfold decrease in the uninduced and chloramphenicol-induced level of cat-86 expression and a more than 10-fold reduction in the amicetin-induced level of expression. Deletions that removed both RBS-1 and RBS-2 but did not enter the stem-loop abolished both chloramphenicol- and amicetin-inducible expression. These data indicate that RBS-2 and sequences 3' to RBS-2 are minimally essential to chloramphenicol induction. However, the presence of RBS-1 in the mRNA elevated the maximum level of expression obtained during chloramphenicol induction. These studies also demonstrate that induction of cat-86 by amicetin is highly dependent on RBS-1. To determine whether a correlation existed between RBS-1 and amicetin inducibility, we examined the sequence of the regulatory regions for two natural variants of cat-86, cat-66 and cat-57, which are chloramphenicol inducible but are very poorly induced by amicetin. Both contained nucleotide sequence differences from cat-86 in the vicinity of RBS-1 that would prevent translation of the leader peptide associated with RBS-1 in cat-86. In contrast, the regulatory regions got the three genes were virtually identical in the vicinity of RBS-2. These data indicate that efficient induction by amicetin requires sequences that are not essential for induction by chloramphenicol.

Acetyltransferases↗

Induction of cat-86 by chloramphenicol and amino acid starvation in relaxed mutants of Bacillus subtilis.

The chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene cat-86 is induced through a mechanism that is a variation of classical attenuation. Induction results from the destabilization of an RNA stem-loop that normally sequesters the cat-86 ribosome-binding site. Destabilization of the stem-loop is due to the stalling of a ribosome in the leader region of cat-86 mRNA at a position that places the A site of the stalled ribosome at leader codon 6. Two events can stall ribosomes at the correct location to induce cat-86 translation: addition of chloramphenicol to cells and starvation of cells for the amino acid specified by leader codon 6. Induction by amino acid starvation is an anomaly because translation of the cat-86 coding sequence requires all 20 amino acids. To explain this apparent contradiction we postulated that amino acid starvation triggers intracellular proteolysis, thereby providing levels of the deprived amino acid sufficient for cat-86 translation. Here we show that a mutation in relA, the structural gene for stringent factor, blocks intracellular proteolysis that is normally triggered by amino acid starvation. The relA mutation also blocks induction of cat-86 by amino acid starvation, but the mutation does not interfere with chloramphenicol induction. Induction by amino acid starvation can be demonstrated in relA mutant cells if the depleted amino acid is restored at very low levels (e.g., 2 micrograms/ml). A mutation in relC, which may be the gene for ribosomal protein L11, blocks induction of cat-86 by either chloramphenicol or amino acid starvation. We believe this effect is due to a structural alteration of the ribosome resulting from the relC mutation and not to the relaxed phenotype of the cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Effects of sigmaS and the transcriptional activator AppY on induction of the Escherichia coli hya and cbdAB-appA operons in response to carbon and phosphate starvation.

The transcriptional regulation of two energy metabolism operons, hya and cbdAB-appA, has been investigated during carbon and phosphate starvation. The hya operon encodes hydrogenase 1, and the cbdAB-appA operon encodes cytochrome bd-II oxidase and acid phosphatase, pH 2.5. Both operons are targets for the transcriptional activator AppY. In exponential growth, expression of the hya and cbd operons was reduced in an rpoS mutant lacking the RNA polymerase sigmaS factor, and the induction of the two operons by entry into stationary phase in rich medium was strongly dependent on sigmaS. Both operons were induced by carbon starvation, but only induction of the hya operon was dependent on sigmaS, whereas that of the cbd promoter was dependent on AppY. The appY gene also showed sigmaS-dependent induction by carbon starvation. The cbd and hya operons were also found to exhibit a sigmaS-dependent transient twofold induction by osmotic upshift. Like the cbd operon, the hya operon was highly induced by phosphate starvation. For both operons the induction was strongly dependent on AppY. The induction ratio of the two operons was the same in rpoS+ and rpoS mutant strains, indicating that the phosphate starvation-induced increase in sigmaS concentration is not involved in the phosphate regulation of these operons.

Anaerobiosis↗

Induction of beta-lactamase influences the course of development in Myxococcus xanthus.

Myxococcus xanthus is a gram-negative bacterium that develops in response to starvation on a solid surface. The cells assemble into multicellular aggregates in which they differentiate from rod-shaped cells into spherical, environmentally resistant spores. Previously, we have shown that the induction of beta-lactamase is associated with starvation-independent sporulation in liquid culture (K. A. O'Connor and D. R. Zusman, Mol. Microbiol. 24:839-850, 1997). In this paper, we show that the chromosomally encoded beta-lactamase of M. xanthus is autogenously induced during development. The specific activity of the enzyme begins to increase during aggregation, before spores are detectable. The addition of inducers of beta-lactamase in M. xanthus, such as ampicillin, D-cycloserine, and phosphomycin, accelerates the onset of aggregation and sporulation in developing populations of cells. In addition, the exogenous induction of beta-lactamase allows M. xanthus to fruit on media containing concentrations of nutrients that are normally too high to support development. We propose that the induction of beta-lactamase is an integral step in the development of M. xanthus and that this induction is likely to play a role in aggregation and in the restructuring of peptidoglycan which occurs during the differentiation of spores. In support of this hypothesis, we show that exogenous induction of beta-lactamase can rescue aggregation and sporulation of certain mutants. Fruiting body spores from a rescued mutant are indistinguishable from wild-type fruiting body spores when examined by transmission electron microscopy. These results show that the signal transduction pathway leading to the induction of beta-lactamase plays an important role in aggregation and sporulation in M. xanthus.

Ampicillin↗

Induction of urokinase-type plasminogen activator by UV light in human fetal fibroblasts is mediated through a UV-induced secreted protein.

Plasminogen activator was previously shown to be induced by UV light in human cells with low capacity to repair UV-induced DNA lesions. We now show that in human fetal fibroblasts UV light enhanced the two mRNA species coding for the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and the tissue-type plasminogen activator, but immunological analysis revealed exclusively uPA activity. Several independent and complementary experiments indicated that induction of uPA was mediated, apparently entirely, through a UV-induced, secreted protein (UVIS) in the growth medium of irradiated cells. First, elevation of uPA mRNA after irradiation was severely blocked by cycloheximide. Second, replacement of conditioned medium in irradiated cells while the rate of plasminogen activator induction was maximal rapidly and completely stopped any further increase in uPA activity. Third, addition of the same removed conditioned medium to nonirradiated cells mimicked UV light in enhancing the level of uPA activity as well as that of uPA mRNA. Fourth, UVIS activity was completely lost by treating the conditioned medium with trypsin but not with nucleases. Kinetic measurements indicated that the accumulation of UVIS rather than the induction of uPA by UVIS conferred the rate-limiting step in the overall process of uPA induction. Both UV light and UVIS acted synergistically with inhibitors of DNA repair for uPA induction. Based on these results, a model is proposed implicating relaxation of DNA torsional stress of an as yet undefined DNA sequence(s) in the induction of UVIS, which is then responsible for activation of the uPA gene.

Cells, Cultured↗

DNA damage induction of ribonucleotide reductase.

RNR2 encodes the small subunit of ribonucleotide reductase, the enzyme that catalyzes the first step in the pathway for the production of deoxyribonucleotides needed for DNA synthesis. RNR2 is a member of a group of genes whose activities are cell cycle regulated and that are transcriptionally induced in response to the stress of DNA damage. An RNR2-lacZ fusion was used to further characterize the regulation of RNR2 and the pathway responsible for its response to DNA damage. beta-Galactosidase activity in yeast strains containing the RNR2-lacZ fusion was inducible in response to DNA-damaging agents (UV light, 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide [4-NQO], and methyl methanesulfonate [MMS]) and agents that block DNA replication (hydroxyurea [HU] and methotrexate) but not heat shock. When MATa cells were arrested in G1 by alpha-factor, RNR2 mRNA was still inducible by DNA damage, indicating that the observed induction can occur outside of S phase. In addition, RNR2 induction was not blocked by the presence of cycloheximide and is therefore likely to be independent of protein synthesis. A mutation, rnr2-314, was found to confer hypersensitivity to HU and increased sensitivity to MMS. In rnr2-314 mutant strains, the DNA damage stress response was found to be partially constitutive as well as hypersensitive to induction by HU but not MMS. The induction properties of RNR2 were examined in a rad4-2 mutant background; in this genetic background, RNR2 was hypersensitive to induction by 4-NQO but not MMS. Induction of the RNR2-lacZ fusion in a RAD(+) strain in response to 4-NQO was not enhanced by the presence of an equal number of rad4-2 cells that lacked the fusion, implying that the DNA damage stress response in cell autonomous.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗

Intrahepatic glucose: a requirement for neonatal ODC induction by specific hormones.

We have shown previously that short-term nutritional deprivation causes a tissue-specific loss of liver ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) induction after isoproterenol, phenylephrine, or glucagon administration in rat pups. To examine the role of nutrition in the regulation of hepatic ODC, we tested the ability of intragastric nutrient administration to reverse nutritionally related deficits in the ODC response to hormonal challenge. Intragastric whole milk was effective in restoring ODC induction and accumulation of its immediate product, putrescine, in response to isoproterenol administration. Glucose was shown to mediate this effect by the ability of intragastric skimmed milk, lactose, galactose, or D-glucose to return ODC induction, and the inability of casein, sucrose, fructose, L-glucose, or pyruvate plus lactate to do so. D-Glucose also reestablished ODC induction by phenylephrine and glucagon. Parenteral administration of D-glucose produced results comparable to those obtained after intragastric administration. Isoproterenol induction of ODC was prevented when hepatic glucose uptake was blocked by phlorizin but not by blockade of central nervous system glucose uptake with 2-deoxyglucose. We conclude that intrahepatic glucose is an absolute requirement for hepatic ODC induction by isoproterenol, phenylephrine, or glucagon in preweanling rats.

Animals↗

Protein tyrosine kinase activity regulates nitric oxide synthase induction in rat hepatocytes.

Regulation of induced nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in isolated rat hepatocytes is poorly understood. The specific protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein was used to determine if NOS induction is dependent on protein tyrosine kinase activation. Genistein inhibited tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-stimulated induction of NOS activity and NOS protein in a dose-dependent manner. Genistein also impaired TNF-alpha-induced NOS mRNA accumulation, suggesting protein tyrosine kinase regulation of NOS induction occurred at the level of transcription-translation. Like TNF-alpha, genistein inhibited induction of NOS protein by a second proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1beta, suggesting similar activation mechanisms by proinflammatory cytokines. NOS induction by other stimuli, including phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and the superoxide-generating system xanthine/xanthine oxidase, was also inhibited by genistein. Finally, cytokine-stimulated protein tyrosine kinase activity in hepatocytes was demonstrated by increased tyrosine phosphorylation of five high molecular mass protein bands. Genistein inhibited this cytokine-induced phosphotyrosine increase. The commonality of genistein inhibition suggests that protein tyrosine kinase activity is critical for NOS induction by a variety of stimuli.

Animals↗

Induction of nitric oxide synthase in rat gastric smooth muscle preparations.

The induction in vitro of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in intact gastric circular (CM) and longitudinal (LM) smooth muscle preparations was evaluated 1) pharmacologically, by the appearance of 1 mM L-arginine (L-Arg)-induced relaxation in a precontracted tissue; 2) biochemically, according to the appearance of iNOS mRNA using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction; and 3) immunohistochemically, using an iNOS-specific antibody. Functionally, iNOS induction affected the contractile properties of the CM but not the LM preparation. The time course of iNOS induction monitored pharmacologically paralleled exactly the appearance of iNOS mRNA. The relaxant response to L-Arg in iNOS-induced CM tissues was blocked by the iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine and by the guanylyl cyclase inhibitor LY-83583. The addition of oxyhemoglobin to the organ bath also attenuated the relaxant response, but tetrodotoxin had no effect. The transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D completely blocked iNOS induction as assessed by both pharmacological and biochemical criteria. In iNOS-induced preparations the iNOS immunoreactivity was not detected in the smooth muscle elements but was localized in a layer of macrophage-related cells that were in apposition to the CM smooth muscle elements. We conclude that the spontaneous induction of iNOS in rat gastric tissue can affect the pharmacomechanical reactivity of the CM elements and that this regulation of the CM contractility is due to the induction of iNOS in a set of macrophage-related cells that are closely apposed to the CM elements so that they selectively affect only the contractility of the CM preparation.

Animals↗