The Human Cytochrome P450 (CYP) Allele Nomenclature Database, a critical resource for the pharmacogenetics and genomics communities, has transitioned to the Pharmacogene Variation (PharmVar) Consortium. In this report we provide a summary of the current database, provide an overview of the PharmVar consortium, and highlight the PharmVar database which will serve as the new home for pharmacogene...

AIMS As cardiovascular disease is characterized by reduced nitric oxide bioavailability, our aim was to determine the impact of this change on the mechanism underlying vascular tone of pressurized arteries in vitro and in vivo. METHODS AND RESULTS We used pressurized cerebral and mesenteric arteries in vitro and skeletal muscle arterioles in vivo to study the contribution of L-type (1 µmol/L ...

OBJECTIVE We evaluated the effect of hyperhomocystinemia and angiotensin (Ang) II on vascular function and structure in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase knockout mice (Mthfr+/-). METHODS AND RESULTS Mthfr+/- and controls (Mthfr+/+) received Ang II (400 ng/kg per min SC) or saline (14 days). Blood pressure, similar in Mthfr+/- and Mthfr+/+, was increased by Ang II. Acetylcholine- and bradyk...

our previous studies have shown that median and ulnar nerve lesion induced calbindin (cb) immunoreactivity in some injured motoneurons in developing rats. motoneuron death induced by sciatic nerve transection in neonatal rats has been related to induction of neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nnos). the present study investigated whether expression of cb and nicotinomid adenin dinucleot...

The photoreceptors of Drosophila express a nitric oxide-sensitive guanylate cyclase during the first half of metamorphosis, when postsynaptic elements in the optic lobe are being selected. Throughout this period, the optic lobes show NADPH-diaphorase activity and stain with an antibody to nitric oxide synthase (NOS). The NOS inhibitor L-NAME, the NO scavenger PTIO, the sGC inhibitor ODQ, and me...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Nitric oxide may influence pathophysiology of brain ischemia in a complex way depending on the sources of its production either from neurons or endothelial cells. We investigated whether inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis affects postischemic neuronal death in hippocampus. Moreover, we evaluated whether the presence of nitric oxide synthase activity in specific neurons ...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent vascular endothelial cell-specific mitogen that modulates endothelial cell function. In the present study, we show that VEGF induces manganese-superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) mRNA and protein in human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) and pulmonary artery endothelial cells. VEGF-mediated induction of MnSOD mRNA was inhibited by pretreat...

Recent data suggest that diabetes is a risk factor for pulmonary hypertension. The aim of the present study was to analyze whether diabetes induces endothelial dysfunction in pulmonary arteries and the mechanisms involved. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control (saline) and a diabetic group (70 mg/kg(-1) streptozotocin). After 6 wk, intrapulmonary arteries were mounted fo...

OBJECTIVE Because Nox2-containing NADPH oxidase is a major source of ROS in the vasculature, we investigated its potential role for the modulation of ischemia-induced neovascularization in conditions of increased oxidative stress. METHODS AND RESULTS To mimic a clinical situation of increased oxidative stress, mice were exposed to cigarette smoke before and after the surgical induction of hin...

Several studies demonstrated an inverse association between polyphenol intake and cardiovascular events. Platelet recruitment is an important phase of platelet activation at the site of vascular injury, but it has never been investigated whether polyphenols influence platelet recruitment. The aim of the study was to analyze in vitro whether two polyphenols, quercetin and catechin, were able to ...