Background: Defective sperm quality is a significant cause of infertility in men. It is known that nitric oxide (NO) is a highly reactive free radical gas which has a dual function, being both a cytotoxic and necessary molecule for normal sperm production. Materials and Methods: To investigate correlation between NO levels with sperm parameters, a case-control study were designed with total of ...

PPCM (previously designated sulfuric acid-modified mandelic acid [SAMMA]) is a contraceptive microbicide in preclinical development. Its contraceptive activity is attributable in part to its ability to promote premature acrosomal loss. Prior studies showed that PPCM-induced human acrosomal loss (PAL) is Ca(2+)-dependent. This study was carried out to determine transduction elements downstream f...

BACKGROUND Nitric oxide synthase activity is increased in the stomach in association with Helicobacter pylori infection and portal hypertension, but the mechanism by which nitric oxide contributes to mucosal damage remains unclear. AIM To examine whether nitric oxide injures gastric mucosal cells and whether cellular glutathione affects nitric oxide-induced cytotoxicity. METHODS A confluent...

PURPOSE This study was designed to investigate the effect of nitric oxide (NO) donors on isolated bovine retinal and ciliary arteries. METHODS Bovine retinal and short posterior ciliary arteries were mounted on a dual-wire myograph for isometric tension recordings. The relaxation induced by increasing concentrations of the following NO donors was compared: 0.1 nM to 10 microM nitroglycerin, 0...

BACKGROUND Diabetes is characterized by a nitric oxide deficiency at the wound site. This study investigated whether exogenous nitric oxide supplementation with the nitric oxide donor molsidomine (N-ethoxycarbomyl-3-morpholinyl-sidnonimine) could reverse the impaired healing in diabetes. METHODS Wound healing was studied by creating a dorsal skin incision with subcutaneous polyvinyl alcohol s...

This study investigated the effect of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) on endothelial glucocorticoid receptor (GR) function. The NO donor diethylenetriamine NONOate (DETA, 50-500microM) caused concentration dependent nuclear localization of transfected chimeric green fluorescent protein GFP-GR and elevated expression of secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) from a glucocorticoid response element (GRE...

Nitric oxide has been implicated in many physiologic processes that influence both acute and long-term control of kidney function. Its net effect in the kidney is to promote natriuresis and diuresis, contributing to adaptation to variations of dietary salt intake and maintenance of normal blood pressure. A pretreatment with nitric oxide donors or L-arginine may prevent the ischemic acute renal ...