BACKGROUND Inducible or neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene deletion increases or decreases anxiety-like behavior in mice, respectively. Since nitric oxide and endocannabinoids interact to modulate defensive behavior, the former effect could involve a compensatory increase in basal brain nitric oxide synthase activity and/or changes in the endocannabinoid system. Thus, we investigated the expre...

Nitric oxide (NO) plays pivotal roles in controlling physiological functions, participates in pathophysiological intervention, and is involved in mechanisms underlying beneficial or untoward actions of therapeutic agents. Endogenous nitric oxide is formed by three isoforms of nitric oxide synthase: endothelial, neurogenic and inducible. The former two are constitutively present mainly in the en...

Estrogen is implicated in many autoimmune diseases and is a robust immunomodulator. For example, it regulates interferon (IFN)-gamma, a cytokine believed to up-regulate inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). A notable gap in the literature is a lack of information on the regulation of nitric oxide in immune tissues by estrogen. We now show that activation of splenocytes with T cell stimulants ...

Neuropathic pain is a complication of inflammation, infection or some diseases such as diabetes. Opioids are used as a salvage therapy for neuropathic pain but tolerance restricts their use. In our previous study we have observed an increase of Nitric Oxide in diabetes and in morphine tolerance. This study was performed to clarify the role of inducible nitric oxide synthase, iNOS, and cationic ...

Cerebral ischaemia results in the activation of three isoforms of NOS (nitric oxide synthase) that contribute to the development of and recovery from stroke pathology. This review discusses, in particular, the role of the transcriptionally activated NOS-2 (inducible NOS) isoform and summarizes the outcomes of experimental stroke studies with regard to the therapeutic utility of nitric oxide don...

Mice lacking inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) or treated with iNOS inhibitors resolved chlamydial genital tract infections. Additionally, treatment of primary murine cell cultures with gamma interferon restricted chlamydial growth in the absence of nitric oxide. From these results, iNOS activity is unnecessary for the resolution of chlamydial genital tract infections in mice and inhibitio...