One of the many biological functions of nitric oxide is the ability to protect cells from oxidative stress. To investigate the potential contribution of low steady state levels of nitric oxide generated by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and the mechanisms of protection against H(2)O(2), spontaneously transformed human ECV304 cells, which normally do not express eNOS, were stably trans...

BACKGROUND Nitric oxide (NO*) plays a pivotal role as a leishmanicidal agent in mouse macrophages. NO* resistant Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been associated with a severe outcome of these diseases. METHODS In this study we evaluated the in vitro toxicity of nitric oxide for the promastigote stages of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Leishmania (Leishmania) amazon...

Nitric oxide-containing neurons are widely distributed within the CNS, including regions involved in the control of reproduction and sexual behavior. The expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase is influenced by testosterone in male rat, and by estrogens in female. Moreover, nitric oxide synthase may co-localize with gonadal hormones' receptors. Gonadal hormones may influence nitric oxide s...

Nitric oxide has been regarded as a marker of oxidative stress in various diseases. There is a lot of controversy regarding levels of nitric oxide in thyroid disorders. The present study included 50 diagnosed hypothyroid, 50 hyperthyroid and 50 healthy controls. The nitric oxide levels were estimated by Griess reaction. The results were compared statistically. Nitric oxide concentration was fou...

BACKGROUND: In cirrhotic livers, the balance of vasoactive substances is in favour of vasoconstrictors with relatively insufficient nitric oxide. Endothelial dysfunction has been documented in cirrhotic rat livers leading to a lower activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase but this might not be sufficient to explain the low nitric oxide presence. We compared the amount of all nitric oxide ...

Nitric oxide is a crucial mediator of gastrointestinal mucosal defense, but, paradoxically, it also contributes to mucosal injury in several situations. Inhibitors of nitric oxide synthesis and compounds that release nitric oxide have been useful pharmacological tools for evaluating the role of nitric oxide in gastrointestinal physiology and pathophysiology. Newer inhibitors with selectivity fo...

Nitric oxide has been proposed to be transported by hemoglobin as a third respiratory gas and to elicit vasodilation by an oxygen-linked (allosteric) mechanism. For hemoglobin to transport nitric oxide bioactivity it must capture nitric oxide as iron nitrosyl hemoglobin rather than destroy it by dioxygenation. Once bound to the heme iron, nitric oxide has been reported to migrate reversibly fro...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Nitric oxide-mediated cerebral vasodilation is altered in spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats. Stroke predisposition in this strain could be related to a genetic defect of brain nitric oxide synthase, the enzyme responsible for nitric oxide production. We tested the hypothesis that brain nitric oxide synthase activity is altered in spontaneously hypertensive stro...

Nitric oxide and superoxide are free radicals that appear to contribute to the pathogenesis of a number of brain disorders, and cerebral endothelial cells are a potential target of these agents. Because of the capacity for these two agents to combine, it has been suggested that nitric oxide might either enhance or inhibit the toxic effects of superoxide. To establish the effect of the generatio...