The first and rate-limiting step of steroidogenesis is catalyzed by the mitochondrial cholesterol side chain cleavage system that is dependent on NADPH. The pathways of NADPH generation in steroidogenic mitochondria include three major routes catalyzed by: 1. NADP-linked malic enzyme, 2. NADP-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase, and 3. nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase. The main route may di...

In the present study we have used electron microscopical NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry as a visualization procedure for nitric oxide synthase (NOS) to examine patterns of activity in the subcellular distribution of NADPH-d in the rat striatal astroglia. Electron microscopical examination revealed deposition of the NADPH-d reaction product in a nuclear envelope, fragments of endoplas...

NADPH oxidase is a crucial enzyme in antimicrobial host defense and in regulating inflammation. Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited disorder of NADPH oxidase in which phagocytes are defective in generation of reactive oxidant intermediates. Aspergillus species are ubiquitous, filamentous fungi, which can cause invasive aspergillosis, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in C...

Production of superoxide (O(2)(·-)) by NADPH oxidases contributes to the development of hypertension and atherosclerosis. Factors responsible for activation of NADPH oxidases are not well understood; interestingly, cardiovascular disease is associated with both altered NADPH oxidase activity and age-associated mitochondrial dysfunction. We hypothesized that mitochondrial dysfunction may contrib...

Several studies have demonstrated a controversial involvement of NO in epileptogenesis. The aim of this study is to compare the NADPH diaphorase (NADPH-d) reactivity in the temporal cortex between surgical specimens of patients with intractable epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis and autopsy controls. Brain samples of patients and postmortem controls were stained with the NADPH-d technique. Spro...

Nitrogen (N) deficiency affects plant growth and crop yield. In this study, we investigated the role of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) in response to N availability three soybean cultivars, JINDOU 19 (JD19), LONGHUANG 3 (LH3), LONGDOU 2 (LD2), that have different tolerances low-N stress. The results showed leaf area primary root length JD19 LH3 were greater than LD2 under stress, sug...

E. coli NADPH-sulfite reductase, depleted of FMN but retaining its FAD, has been prepared by photoirradiation of native enzyme in 30% — saturated ammonium sulfate. FMN-depleted enzyme loses its ability to reduce (using NADPH) ferricyanide, cytochrome c, sulfite, or the enzyme's own heme-like chromophore. However, the FAD remains rapidly reducible by NADPH, and the FMN-depleted enzyme retains NA...

Enzymatic oxidation of apocynin, which may mimic in vivo metabolism, affords a large number of oligomers (apocynin oxidation products, AOP) that inhibit vascular NADPH oxidase. In vitro studies of NADPH oxidase activity were performed to identify active inhibitors, resulting in a trimer hydroxylated quinone (IIIHyQ) that inhibited NADPH oxidase with an IC(50)=31nM. Apocynin itself possessed min...

Catalase (H2O2:H2O2 oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.6) is of historical interest for having been the subject of some of the earliest investigations of enzymes. A feature of catalase that has been poorly understood for several decades, however, is the mechanism by which catalase remains active in the presence of its own substrate, hydrogen peroxide. We reported recently that catalase contains tightly ...