Nitric oxide (NO) is continuously produced and released in human airways, but the biological significance of this process is unknown. In this study, we have used Calu-3 cells to investigate the effects of NO on transepithelial anion secretion. An inhibitor of NO synthase, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, reduced short- circuit current (I(sc)), whereas an NO donor, S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), ...

It is well established that signal transduction in sensory neurons of the rat olfactory epithelium involves a cAMP-signaling pathway. However, a small number of olfactory neurons specifically express cGMP-signaling components, namely a guanylyl cyclase (GC-D) and a cGMP-stimulated phosphodiesterase (PDE2). Here, we show that this subset of olfactory neurons expressing GC-D and PDE2 does also ex...

Glutathione depletion occurs in several forms of apoptosis and is associated with Parkinson's disease and HIV toxicity. The neurotransmitter glutamate kills immature cortical neurons and a hippocampal nerve cell line via an oxidative pathway associated with glutathione depletion. It is shown here that soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) activity is required for nerve cell death caused by glutathione...

The interaction between nitric oxide (NO) and renin is controversial. cAMP is a stimulating messenger for renin, which is degraded by phosphodiesterase (PDE)-3. PDE-3 is inhibited by cGMP, whereas PDE-5 degrades cGMP. We hypothesized that if endogenous cGMP was increased by inhibiting PDE-5, it could inhibit PDE-3, increasing endogenous cAMP, and thereby stimulate renin. We used the selective P...

A monoclonal antibody that blocks the light-activated cyclic GMP (cGMP) pathway in frog photoreceptor outer segments (ROS) has been obtained. The antibody (4A) inhibits guanine nucleotide binding to G-protein, the intermediate that links rhodopsin excitation to cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE), inhibiting light-induced PDE activity as a consequence. Antibody inhibition of the light-activated cGMP p...

There is evidence that nitric oxide (NO) is required for the normal increases in skeletal muscle glucose uptake during contraction, but the mechanisms involved have not been elucidated. We examined whether NO regulates glucose uptake during skeletal muscle contractions via cGMP-dependent or cGMP-independent pathways. Isolated extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles from mice were stimulated to ...

Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in retinal signal processing, but its cellular actions are only partly understood. An established source of retinal NO are NOACs, a group of nNOS-expressing amacrine cells which signal onto bipolar, other amacrine and ganglion cells in the inner plexiform layer. Here, we report that NO regulates glutamate responses in morphologically and electrophysiologically iden...

Nitric oxide (NO) is a widespread biological messenger that has many physiological and pathophysiological roles. Most of the physiological actions of NO are mediated through the activation of sGC (soluble guanylate cyclase) and the subsequent production of cGMP. NO also binds to the binuclear centre of COX (cytochrome c oxidase) and inhibits mitochondrial respiration in competition with oxygen ...