Overexpression of the enzyme iNOS induces apoptotic cellular death by increasing indices of pro-inflammation and oxidative stress. Aerobic physical activity has been known to have anti- inflammatory benefits and reduce oxidative stress. Purpose: Therefore, this study aimed to examine the impact of aerobic fitness on LPS-induced iNOS mRNA expression and the relationship of this expression with indices of oxidative stress, pro-inflammation and apoptosis in isolated leukocytes. Methods: Whole blood samples from aerobically fit and unfit males were stimulated with and without LPS. Thereafter, iNOS mRNA expression and MDA, TNF-α and p53 concentrations were analyzed. Results: iNOS mRNA expression levels following LPS stimulation were not increased in both groups, and correlational analyses were not consistent with mechanistic predictions. Discussion: Numerous factors including timing of sample quantification, the high level of health of the subject population, and alternative intracellular mechanisms impacting biomarkers analyzed, may have influenced leukocyte iNOS mRNA expression levels.

Diverses études épidémiologiques ont mis en évidence une relation étroite entre pollution urbaine au monoxyde de carbone (CO) et mortalité cardiovasculaire. Récemment il a été mis en évidence, chez le rat, qu'une exposition prolongée à ce polluant urbain avait pour conséquence le développement d'un phénotype cellulaire pathologique, pouvant influencer la vulnérabilité du coeur à un stress aigu. L'objectif de nos travaux était donc i) d'évaluer l'impact de la pollution au CO, sur la sensibilité du myocarde de rats au syndrome d'ischémie-reperfusion (IR) ; et ii) d'évaluer les effets potentiellement cardioprotecteurs d'un exercice pratiqué régulièrement à intensité modérée, sur le remodelage phénotypique cellulaire myocardique. Pour cela, 187 rats Wistar ont été séparés en 3 groupes : des rats contrôles, des rats exposés pendant 4 semaines au CO (30-100 ppm), et des rats entraînés en endurance avant d'être exposés au CO. La sensibilité à l'IR était évaluée par ischémie régionale réalisée sur modèle de coeur isolé perfusé de Langendorff. La fonction et les mouvements calciques de cardiomyocytes isolés était évalués en condition basale et consécutivement à un protocole d'anoxie-réoxygénation. Les résultats de ce travail confirment l'apparition d'un phénotype pathologique chez les rats exposés de façon prolongée au CO. Ce phénotype pathologique caractérisé dans notre travail par une altération de l'homéostasie calcique et du statut redox cellulaire ainsi qu'une expression tissulaire de iNOS apparait comme à l'origine de la plus grande vulnérabilité du coeur à un stress d'IR. Un autre résultat majeur de ce travail est qu'une stratégie de cardioprotection par un exercice d'intensité modérée pratiqué de manière régulière, permet de prévenir le remodelage pathologique cardiomyocytaire et ainsi l'augmentation de la sensibilité du myocarde à l'IR

Despite very extensive studies on molecular mechanisms of learning and memory formation it is little known about individual variation in the learning skills within a random animal population and about the differences in the brain biochemistry behind this variation. In the present study, we have focused on the expression and distribution of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), one of the molecules implemented in activity-dependent neuroplasticity, in the rat hippocampus, the structure critical for episodic memory in humans and animals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the differences in expression of three different NOS isoforms: neural (n), epithelial (e), and inducible (i), in four hippocampal subregions (CA1, CA3, DG, and hilus) between Wistar rats classified on the basis of their performance in partially baited 12-arm radial maze as &ldquo / good&rdquo / and &ldquo / poor&rdquo / learners. The NOS isoforms were visualized on coronal hippocampal sections using fluorescent immunohistochemistry technique and n- and eNOS images were processed using ImageJ software, while iNOS immunoreactivity (IR) was assessed by counting immunoreactive cells. In this study, overall hippocampal levels of nNOS were significantly higher than those of eNOS and iNOS. The level of n and eNOS was higher in CA1 compared to DG/hilus areas, but lower than that in CA3 region. The expression of iNOS was the highest in CA1 and the lowest in hilus region. nNOS IR was significantly higher in &ldquo / poor&rdquo / than in &ldquo / good&rdquo / learners but only in CA1 region. No significant between-group differences were found in eNOS expression. iNOS expression was higher in &ldquo / poor&rdquo / learners but it did not reach the required significance level.

<p>Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element and metalloid involved in several key metabolic activities: protection against oxidative damage, regulation of immune and thyroid function, and fertility. Several recent lines of evidence from epidemiology, genetic, and transgenic animal studies suggest that Se may play a protective role in Osteoarthritis (OA). However, the exact protective mechanism of Se is still unclear. </p><p>In this study, we hypothesized that Se exerts its chondroprotective benefit via an anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effect mediated by specific selenoproteins that neutralize cytokine-induced inflammatory responses in chondrocytes. We established an in vitro system for studying the effect of Se in the chondrosarcoma cell line SW-1353 and in human primary chondrocytes. Selenomethionine (SeMet) induced gene expression and enzyme activity of both antioxidative enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and thioredoxin reductase (TR) in SW-1353 cells. Our data suggest that Se may be protective against oxidative stress through regulation of the activity of these antioxidative enzymes.</p><p>As IL-1&beta; is one of the primary pro-inflammatory cytokines contributing to the progression in OA, we next investigated the effect of Se on the gene expression induced by physiological doses of IL-1&beta;. SeMet inhibited IL-1&beta; induced catabolic gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1) and MMP13 as well as total MMP activity in chondrocytes. Similarly, SeMet inhibited chondrocyte gene expression of IL-1&beta; induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX2) with corresponding reductions in nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. In addition, SeMet pretreatment attenuated the IL-1&beta; induced activation of p38 MAPK but not the ERK, JNK or NFkB pathways. Taken together, our results suggest that Se inhibits IL-1&beta; induced expression of inflammatory and catabolic genes, partly through inhibition of IL-1&beta; cell signaling. </p><p>Since Se may function through selenoproteins, we evaluated the role of three specific major selenoproteins, GPX1, TR1 and DIO2, in modifying the inflammatory response stimulated by IL-1&beta; in chondrocytes by RNA interference. Based on RNA interference results, DIO2 and TR1 mediated the inhibitory effect of SeMet on IL-1&beta; induced COX2 gene expression, while GPX1 did not show a significant inhibitory effect on Se. Depletion of DIO2 increased the IL-1&beta; induced COX2 gene expression. This suggests that DIO2 may negatively modulate the IL-1&beta; response. Our data also suggest that part of this inhibitory effect of DIO2 could be through regulation of IL-1&beta; gene expression itself. These results highlight a potential new role of DIO2 in modulating the inflammatory response in chondrocytes </p><p>In summary, the result of this study suggests that Se may exert its chondroprotective effect through specific selenoproteins which neutralize oxidative stress and modify the inflammatory response in chondrocytes.</p> / Dissertation

Existem evidências de que o estresse exerce papel importante na piora dos sintomas da asma, mas os exatos mecanismos que os interligam ainda não estão elucidados, principalmente no parênquima distal. Recentemente tem sido enfatizada a importância do parênquima pulmonar na modulação das alterações funcionais, inflamatórias e de remodelamento que caracterizam os quadros asmáticos. Cabe ressaltar, que tais alterações tem sido observadas tanto em humanos quanto em modelos de inflamação pulmonar alérgica crônica. Objetivos: Nossos objetivos foram avaliar se a mecânica de tecido pulmonar periférico, a ativação de vias de estresse oxidativo, a expressão celular de citocinas, o recrutamento eosinofílico e o processo de remodelamento da matriz extracelular podem ser modulados pelo estresse físico repetido, induzido pela natação forçada, em cobaias com inflamação alérgica crônica pulmonar. Métodos: Os animais foram expostos a sete inalações com doses crescentes de ovoalbumina (1~5mg/ml) ou soro fisiológico por quatro semanas (grupos OVA e SAL). Após 24 horas da quarta inalação os animais foram submetidos ao protocolo de natação forçada, considerado um modelo de indução de estresse gerado por esforço pela sobrevivência com dificuldade de escapar (grupos SAL-E e OVA-E). Os animais foram expostos ao protocolo de estresse por dois períodos de cinco dias, intercalados por dois dias após os cinco primeiros dias. Após 72 horas da sétima inalação os animais foram anestesiados, exsanguinados e fatias de tecido pulmonar periférico foram retiradas e submetidas à avaliação de mecânica oscilatória. Foram avaliadas a resistência (Rt), a elastância (Et) e a histerisividade (h) em condições basais e após desafio com ovoalbumina e acetilcolina. Os resultados de Rt e Et foram expressos em % de aumento em relação aos valores basais. As fatias de tecido pulmonar periférico foram então submetidas à avaliação histopatológica e imunohistoquímica para quantificação do número de eosinófilos, do conteúdo de colágeno, actina e de 8-iso-PGF2a e do número de células positivas para IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IFN-g e iNOS. As duas glândulas adrenais foram retiradas, pesadas e seu peso foi corrigido pelo peso total do animal. Os níveis séricos de catecolaminas (adrenalina, noradrenalina e dopamina) e do cortisol também foram obtidos. Resultados: Houve aumento na %Rt, %Et tanto após o desafio antigênico bem como após o contato com o agonista constritor, no número de eosinófilos, no conteúdo de 8-iso-PGF2a, de fibras colágenas e de actina, no número de células positivas para IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 e iNOS no septo alveolar dos animais expostos à ovoalbumina (grupos OVA e OVA-E) quando comparados aos animais expostos ao soro fisiológico (grupos SAL, p<0,05 para todas as comparações). As cobaias sensibilizadas e submetidas ao protocolo de estresse (grupo OVA-E) apresentaram aumento na %Rt e %Et após o desafio antigênico quando comparadas ao grupo OVA (p<0,05). Em relação à avaliação de mecânica pulmonar periférica após o desafio com acetilcolina, observamos aumento apenas na %Et no grupo OVA-E comparativamente ao grupo OVA (p<0,05). Houve aumento no numero de células IL-4 positivas, no conteúdo de 8-iso-PGF2a e de actina nos animais OVA-E comparativamente aos animais do grupo OVA (p<0,05). Considerando o grupo SAL-E houve aumento da %Rt e %Et após desafio com o agonista constritor, no número de células positivas para iNOS, IFN-g, IL-2, IL-5 e IL-13, bem como no conteúdo de 8-iso-PGF2a comparativamente ao grupo SAL (p<0,05). Finalmente, o peso relativo das adrenais e os níveis de cortisol sérico foram maiores nos grupos submetidos ao estresse físico (grupos SAL-E e OVA-E) quando comparados aos grupos não estressados (grupos SAL e OVA, p<0,004). Não houve diferença nos níveis séricos das catecolaminas entre os quatro grupos experimentais. Conclusões: A natação forçada repetida como modelo de estresse foi capaz de causar alterações funcionais como a constrição do parênquima pulmonar bem como aumento da expressão de citocinas e da produção de 8-iso-PGF2a, marcador da ativação de vias do estresse oxidativo. Além disso, neste modelo de inflamação crônica pulmonar, a exposição repetida à natação forçada foi capaz de potencializar a constrição do parênquima pulmonar. Esta alteração funcional associou-se ao aumento do conteúdo de actina e de 8-iso-PGF2a e do número de células IL-4 positivas no septo alveolar. Estes resultados sugerem que tanto a ativação inflamatória quanto o estresse oxidativo estão envolvidos na modulação da resposta inflamatória crônica pulmonar pelo estresse físico repetido. / There are evidences showing that stress can worsen asthma symptoms, but the exact mechanisms that link them are not clarified, especially in the distal lung parenchyma. Recently, the importance of the lung parenchyma has been emphasized in the modulations of the functional alterations, inflammatory and remodeling that characterizes asthma. These alterations have been observed in humans as well as experimental models of chronic allergic pulmonary inflammation. Objectives: Our goals were to evaluate if lung tissue mechanics, activation of oxidative stress pathways, cytokines cellular expressions, eosinophil recruitment and the remodeling process of the extracellular matrix can be modulated by repeated physical stress, induced by forced swimming, in guinea pigs with chronic allergic pulmonary inflammation. Methods: Animals were exposed to seven inhalations with ovalbumin increased doses (1~5mg/ml) or saline solution during four weeks (OVA and SAL groups). Twenty-four hours after the fourth inhalation animals were submitted to forced swimming protocol, that is a type of an unavoidable stress that induces an effort for survival with an escape deficit (SAL-E and OVA-E groups). Animals were exposed to the stress protocol for two periods of five days, intercalated by two days. Seventy-two hours after the seventh inhalation animals were anesthetized, lung strips were removed and submitted to oscillatory mechanic evaluation. Resistance (Rt), elastance (Et) and hysteresivity were evaluated at base line and after OVA and acetylcholine challenge in bath. Rt and Et results were expressed as a % of baseline values. The pulmonary tissue strips were then submitted to histological and Immunohistochemistry analysis, to quantify the number of eosinophils, collagen, actin, 8-iso-PGF2a content and the number of positive cells for IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IFN-g and iNOS. Both adrenal glands were removed and weighted. The weight of the adrenal glands was corrected by the animals total weight. The serum levels of catecholamine (epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine) and cortisol were also obtained. Results: There was an increase in Rt%, Et% after the antigenic challenge as well as after the acetylcholine challenge, in the number of eosinophils, 8-iso-PGF2a content, collagen and actin fibers and in the number of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and iNOS positive cells in the alveolar septum of the animals exposed to ovalbumin (OVA and OVA-E groups) when compared to the animals exposed to saline solution (SAL, p<0.05 for all comparisons). The sensitized guinea pigs submitted to the stress protocol (OVA-E group) presented an increase in Rt% and Et% after the OVA challenge when compared to the OVA group (p<0.05). Due to the acetylcholine challenge, we observed an increase only in the Et% in OVA-E group compared the OVA group (p<0.05). There was an increase in the IL-4 positive cells, in the 8-iso-PGF2a and actin content in OVA-E animals compared to OVA group (p<0.05). Considering the SAL-E group there was an increase in Rt% and Et% after acetylcholine challenge, in the number of iNOS, IFN-g, IL-2, IL-5, and IL-13 positive cells, as well as in the 8-iso-PGF2a content compared to SAL group (p<0.05). Finally, the relative adrenal weight and the serum cortisol levels were greater in the groups submitted to physical stress (SAL-E e OVA-E groups) when compared to the non-stressed groups (SAL and OVA groups, p<0.05). There was no difference in the catecholamine serum levels among the four experimental groups. Conclusion: The repeated forced swimming, as a stress model was capable of causing functional alterations like lung tissue constriction and increase in cytokines expression and 8-iso-PGF2a production. Besides that, in this chronic pulmonary inflammation, the repeated exposure to forced swimming was capable of empowering lung tissue constriction. This functional alteration was associated with an augmentation in actin and 8-iso-PGF2a content and in the number of IL-4 positive cells in the alveolar septum. These results suggest that activation of inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways were involved in the modulation of stress responses in this animal model of chronic lung inflammation.

abstract: According to the World Health Organization, obesity has nearly tripled since 1975 and forty-one million children under the age of 5 are overweight or obese (World Health Organization, 2018). Exercise is a potential intervention to prevent obesity-induced cardiovascular complications as exercise training has been shown to aid nitric oxide (NO) production as well as preserving endothelial function in obese mice (Silva et al., 2016). A soil-derived organic mineral compound (OMC) has been shown to lower blood sugar in diabetic mice (Deneau et al., 2011). Prior research has shown that, while OMC did not prevent high fat diet (HFD)-induced increases in body fat in male Sprague-Dawley rats, it was effective at preventing HFD-induced impaired vasodilation (M. S. Crawford et al., 2019). Six-weeks of HFD has been shown to impair vasodilation through oxidative-stress mediated scavenging of NO as well as upregulation of inflammatory pathways including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (Karen L. Sweazea et al., 2010). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine whether OMC alters protein expression of iNOS and endothelial NOS (eNOS) in the vasculature of rats fed a control or HFD with and without OMC supplementation. Six-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a standard chow diet (CHOW) or a HFD composed of 60% kcal from fat for 10 weeks. The rats were administered OMC at doses of 0 mg/mL (control), 0.6 mg/mL, or 3.0 mg/mL added to their drinking water. Following euthanasia with sodium pentobarbital (200 mg/kg, i.p.), mesenteric arteries and the surrounding perivascular adipose tissue were isolated and prepared for Western Blot analyses. Mesenteric arteries from HFD rats had more uncoupled eNOS (p = 0.006) and iNOS protein expression (p = 0.027) than rats fed the control diet. OMC was not effective at preventing the uncoupling of eNOS or increase in iNOS induced by HFD. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) showed no significant difference in iNOS protein expression between diet or OMC treatment groups. These findings suggest that OMC is not likely working through the iNOS or eNOS pathways to improve vasodilation in these rats, but rather, appears to be working through another mechanism. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Biology 2020

Statine sind ein häufig verordnetes Medikament gegen Hyperlipidämie und werden zur Sekundärprophylaxe kardiovaskulärer Erkrankungen wie z.B. Myokardinfarkt oder ischämischer Schlaganfall angewendet. Sie wirken über die Hemmung des Enzyms HMG-CoA-Reduktase inhibitorisch auf die Cholesterinbiosynthese. Als Hauptnebenwirkung neben der Transaminasenerhöhung treten bei Patienten muskuläre Symptome auf, z.B. Muskelkrämpfe, Muskelschmerzen oder im schwersten Fall Rhabdomyolse. Zur Untersuchung dieser Statin-assoziierten Myotoxizität wurde ein Skelettmuskelmodell aus Rattenmyoblasten verwendet (ESM). Nach der Behandlung mit Cerivastatin zeigten sich ein konzentrationsabhängiger Kraftverlust sowie eine iNOS-Induktion auf Protein- und RNA-Ebene in den ESM. Der Kraftverlust war durch gleichzeitige Behandlung mit Cholesterinvorläufermolekülen vollständig reversibel, weshalb von einer HMG-CoA-Reduktase-Abhängigkeit der Statinmyotoxizität ausgegangen werden kann. Um die Rolle der iNOS in der Statinmyotoxizität untersuchen zu können, wurden u.a. iNOS-Inhibitoren (L-NAME, 1400W) verwendet, die zu keiner Besserung der Kraftentwicklung führten. ESM nach gleichzeitiger Behandlung mit dem NO-Donor Sodium Nitroprussid und Cerivastatin zeigten jedoch eine signifikant höhere Kraft sowie ein in der Tendenz niedrigeres iNOS-Niveau auf Proteinebene als die nur mit Cerivastatin behandelten ESM. Somit kann zusammenfassend davon ausgegangen werden, dass die iNOS zwar nicht direkt ursächlich für die Statin-assoziierte Myotoxizität ist, jedoch möglicherweise zum Ausgleich eines relativen NO-Mangels induziert wird oder als Stressensor fungiert.

Nitric oxide (NO) has been proved to reduce parasite burden in vertebrates infected with Schistosoma, Fasciola, Brugia or Taenia. NO negatively influences parasite growth and development, which then leads to smaller parasite-caused damage to the liver during schistosomosis and stimulates healing processes in muscles infected with Toxocara canis. Peroxynitrite, formed from NO and superoxide, significantly reduces the viability of F. hepatica adults. In case of T. regenti, the neuropathogenic schistosome, the cells capable of NO production (macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils, microglia and astrocytes) migrate to the site of the infection suggesting that NO might affect T. regenti infection as well. Therefore, the production of NO and its effect on the course of the infection was examined in vivo and the effect of peroxynitrite on T. regenti schistosomula was examined in vitro to assess the role of reactive nitrogen species during the infection. Our results from in vivo experiments demonstrate that although the infection did not significantly elevate nitrite/nitrate results in the sera, NO is locally produced in the early stages of the infection in both the skin and the spinal cord as shown by immunohistochemical detection of inducible NO synthase. Diminishing NO production by aminoguanidine...

The effects of oxidatively modified low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) on atherogenesis may be partly mediated by alterations in the production of nitric oxide (NO) by vascular cells. Lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) and lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) are the major primary products of LDL oxidation. The purpose of this study was to characterize the effects of oxLDL, LOOH and lysoPC on NO production and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated macrophages. LDL was oxidized using an azo-initiator 2,2'-azobis (2- amidinopropane) HCl (ABAP) and octadecadienoic acid was oxidized by lipoxygenase to generate 13-hydroperoxyl octadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE). Our study showed that oxLDL markedly decreased the production of NO, the levels of iNOS protein and iNOS mRNA in LPS stimulated macrophages. The inhibition potential of oxLDL on NO production and iNOS gene expression depended on the levels of LOOH formed in oxLDL and was not due to oxLDL cytotoxicity. Furthermore, 13-HPODE markedly reduced NO production and iNOS protein levels, whereas lysoPC showed only slight reduction. The effects of 13-HPODE and lysoPC did not require an acetylated LDL carrier. Our results suggest that 13-HPODE is a much more potent inhibitor of NO production and iNOS gene expression than lysoPC in LPS stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.

No description available.