? Previous studies have shown that the NO -cGMP pathway may be functionally relevant in the nodose ganglion and at afferent terminations of the vagus nerve. The technique of unilateral vagal ligations, using double ligatures, was combined with the techniques of NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry, as an index of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity, and autoradiography using the radioligands 3 3 [ ...

Conditions of oxidative stress may lead to cataract formation. Reaction of certain flavoproteins, the NADH: oxidoreductases, with different quinones is well known to form hydrogen-peroxide. This reaction was investigated to get more information on cataract induction by naphthalene and its quinone metabolites. Protein extracts from bovine lens cortex exhibit "diaphorase" activity, indicated as d...

DT-diaphorase [NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase; EC 1.6.99.2] catalysed the two-electron reduction of the anti-tumour quinone 2,5-bis-(1-aziridinyl)-3,6-bis(ethoxycarbonylamino)-1,4-benzoquino ne (AZQ) to the hydroquinone form (AZQH2). Although DT-diaphorase catalysis of AZQ was not significantly affected by pH, the hydroquinone product was effectively stabilized by protonation at pH values below...

The evolution of neuroendocrine mechanisms governing sex-typical behaviour is poorly understood. An outstanding animal model is the whiptail lizard (Cnemidophorus) because both the ancestral and descendent species still exist. The ancestral little striped whiptail, Cnemidophorus inornatus, consists of males and females, which exhibit sex-specific mating behaviours. The descendent desert grassla...

it has already been reported that muscle necrosis induced by various phenylenediamine derivatives are correlated with their autoxidation rate. now in a more detailed investigation of the cytotoxic mechanism using a model system of isolated hepatocytes and ring-methylated structural isomer durenediamine (dd) we have shown that under aerobic conditions, phenylenediamine induced cytotoxicity and r...

Major and minor ascorbate free radical (AFR) reductases, with diaphorase activity, and three other diaphorases were separated from the human lens soluble fraction by DEAE-cellulose ion-exchange column chromatography. They were characterized for adsorptivity to ion-exchange and 5'AMP-Sepharose 4B affinity columns, kinetic properties, and substrate specificity. The latter diaphorases were closely...