BRL34915 (BRL) is a vasodilator with a novel structure. Its mechanism of action, its effects on depolarization-induced and receptor-mediated blood vessel contraction, and its hemodynamic effects were investigated. In the rat portal vein, BRL inhibited spontaneous mechanical activity [IC50 0.013 +/- 0.001 microM (mean +/- SEM) for (-)-BRL], the initial effect being a reduced frequency of contrac...

The sympathetic nervous system plays a central role in lipolysis and the production of leptin in white adipose tissue (WAT). In this study, we have examined whether nerve growth factor (NGF), a target-derived neurotropin that is a key signal in the development and survival of sympathetic neurons, is expressed and secreted by white adipocytes. NGF mRNA was detected by RT-PCR in the major WAT dep...

To examine if acclimation of rats to cold led to alterations in the coupling between different β-receptor subtypes and thermogenesis in brown fat cells, we investigated the adrenergic response patterns in brown fat cells isolated from warm-acclimated (28°C) and cold-acclimated (4°C) rats. In the cells from warm-acclimated rats, the relative affinities (EC50) for different agonists (isoprenaline...

The present study was designed to test the efficacy, as assessed by blastocyst production, of culturing slaughterhouse-derived bovine oocytes in Ménézo's B2 (B2) medium with or without serum and with or without buffalo rat cell (BRL) coculture. In addition, OPU-derived oocytes were cultured in B2-BRL coculture with or without serum for the first 72 h or TCM 199-BRL coculture with serum and the ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Kappa-opioid receptors (KOR) have been implicated in neuroprotection from ischemic neuronal injury. We tested the effects of a selective and specific KOR agonist, BRL 52537 hydrochloride [(+/-)-1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)acetyl-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl) methylpiperidine], on infarct volume and nitric oxide production after transient focal ischemia in the rat. METHODS With the use o...

At the cell surface, βARs and endothelin receptors can regulate nitric oxide (NO) production. β-adrenergic receptors (βARs) and type B endothelin receptors (ETB) are present in cardiac nuclear membranes and regulate transcription. The present study investigated the role of the NO pathway in the regulation of gene transcription by these nuclear G protein-coupled receptors. Nitric oxide productio...

Sequential conversion of estradiol-17β to its biologically active catecholestradiols, 2-hydroxyestradiol (OHE(2)) and 4-OHE(2), contributes importantly to its angiogenic effects on uterine artery endothelial cells (UAECs) derived from pregnant, but not nonpregnant ewes via an estrogen receptor-independent mechanism. Because catecholestradiols and catecholamines exhibit structural similarities a...

PURPOSE β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) regulate angiogenesis in proliferative retinopathies. We studied the effects of β1/2-AR deletion in a model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) to confirm the role of β1- and/or β2-ARs in regulating angiogenesis and to get insights into the role of β3-ARs. METHODS Mice with β1/2-AR deletion (KO) were used. Levels of norepinephrine (NE), β3-ARs, transcrip...

Gu Q, Lin Y-S, Lee L-Y. Epinephrine enhances the sensitivity of rat vagal chemosensitive neurons: role of 3-adrenoceptor. J Appl Physiol 102: 1545–1555, 2007. First published December 14, 2006; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01010.2006.—This study was carried out to determine whether epinephrine alters the sensitivity of rat vagal sensory neurons. In anesthetized rats, inhalation of epinephrine aeros...