American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology
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Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. · Dec 2007
Mitochondrial arginase II constrains endothelial NOS-3 activity.
Emerging evidence supports the idea that arginase, expressed in the vascular endothelial cells of humans and other species, modulates endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase-3 (NOS-3) activity by regulating intracellular L-arginine bioavailability. Arginase II is thought to be expressed in the mitochondria of a variety of nonendothelial cells, whereas arginase I is known to be confined to the cytosol of hepatic and other cells. The isoforms that regulate NOS-3 and their subcellular distribution, however, remain incompletely characterized. ⋯ Vascular stiffness, as assessed by pulse wave velocity (PWV), was significantly decreased in ArgII(-/-) compared with WT mice. On the other hand, 14 days of oral L-NAME treatment significantly increased PWV in both WT and ArgII(-/-) mice, such that they were not significantly different from one another. These data suggest that arginase II is predominantly confined to the mitochondria and that this mitochondrial arginase II regulates NO production, vascular endothelial function, and vascular stiffness by modulating NOS-3 activity.
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Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. · Nov 2007
Lysozyme, a mediator of sepsis, impairs the cardiac neural adrenergic response by nonendothelial release of NO and inhibitory G protein signaling.
We previously showed that lysozyme (Lzm-S), derived from leukocytes, caused myocardial depression in canine sepsis by binding to the endocardial endothelium to release nitric oxide (NO). NO then diffuses to adjacent myocytes to activate the cGMP pathway. In a canine right ventricular trabecular (RVT) preparation, Lzm-S also decreased the inotropic response to field stimulation (FSR) during which the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves were simulated to measure the adrenergic response. ⋯ Atropine prevented the Lzm-S-induced decline in FSR, whereas beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptor function was not impaired by Lzm-S. These results indicate that the Lzm-S-induced decrease in FSR results from a nonendothelial release of NO. NO then acts through inhibitory G protein to enhance parasympathetic signaling.
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Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. · Oct 2007
A canine model of septic shock: balancing animal welfare and scientific relevance.
A shock canine pneumonia model that permitted relief of discomfort with the use of objective criteria was developed and validated. After intrabronchial Staphylococcus aureus challenge, mechanical ventilation, antibiotics, fluids, vasopressors, sedatives, and analgesics were titrated based on algorithms for 96 h. Increasing S. aureus (1 to 8 x 10(9) colony-forming units/kg) produced decreasing survival rates (P = 0.04). ⋯ Importantly, these changes were not attributable to dosages of sedation, which decreased in nonsurvivors [survivors vs. nonsurvivors: 5.0 +/- 1.0 vs. 3.8 +/- 0.7 ml x h(-1) x (fentanyl/midazolam/ medetomidine)(-1); P = 0.02]. In this model, the pain control regimen did not mask changes in metabolic function and lung injury or the need for more hemodynamic and pulmonary support related to increasing severity of sepsis. The integration into this model of both specific and supportive titrated therapies routinely used in septic patients may provide a more realistic setting to evaluate therapies for sepsis.
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Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. · Oct 2007
ReviewRole of spatial dispersion of repolarization in inherited and acquired sudden cardiac death syndromes.
This review examines the role of spatial electrical heterogeneity within the ventricular myocardium on the function of the heart in health and disease. The cellular basis for transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR) is reviewed, and the hypothesis that amplification of spatial dispersion of repolarization underlies the development of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias associated with inherited ion channelopathies is evaluated. The role of TDR in long QT, short QT, and Brugada syndromes, as well as catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT), is critically examined. ⋯ Preferential abbreviation of APD of the endocardium or epicardium appears to be responsible for the amplification of TDR in short QT syndrome. In catecholaminergic polymorphic VT, reversal of the direction of activation of the ventricular wall is responsible for the increase in TDR. In conclusion, long QT, short QT, Brugada, and catecholaminergic polymorphic VT syndromes are pathologies with very different phenotypes and etiologies, but they share a common final pathway in causing sudden cardiac death.
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Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. · Sep 2007
The role of nitric oxide synthase-derived reactive oxygen species in the altered relaxation of pulmonary arteries from lambs with increased pulmonary blood flow.
Congenital cardiac defects associated with increased pulmonary blood flow (Q(p)) produce pulmonary hypertension. We have previously reported attenuated endothelium-dependent relaxations in pulmonary arteries (PA) isolated from lambs with increased Q(p) and pulmonary hypertension. To better characterize the vascular alterations in the nitric oxide-superoxide system, 12 fetal lambs underwent in utero placement of an aortopulmonary vascular graft (shunt). ⋯ We conclude that NOS catalyzes the production of superoxide anions in shunt PA. PEG-SOD relaxes shunt PA by converting these anions to H(2)O(2), a pulmonary vasodilator. The redox environment, influenced by the balance between production and scavenging of ROS, may have important consequences on pulmonary vascular reactivity in the setting of increased Q(p).