Mechanism of prejunctional muscarinic receptor-mediated inhibition of neurogenic vasodilation in cerebral arteries

Nitric oxide (NO) is a major transmitter in mediating cerebral neurogenic vasodilation in several species. Recent findings have suggested that acetylcholine, which is costored with NO in cerebral perivascular nerves, plays a role in modulating NO release, presumably by acting on muscarinic (M) receptors on nitric oxidergic nerve terminals. The present study was designed using an in vitro tissue bath technique to pharmacologically characterize the presynaptic muscarinic-receptor subtype(s) that mediate modulation of NO release and therefore neurogenic vasodilation and to investigate further the possible mechanisms involved in this presynaptic modulation in porcine basilar arteries. Transmural nerve stimulation (TNS) elicited a frequency-dependent, tetrodotoxin-sensitive relaxation. The relaxation was abolished by nitro-L-arginine (30 microM) and was completely reversed by L-arginine and L-citrulline, but not by their D-enantiomers. Atropine (0.01-1 microM), pirenzepine (an M1-receptor antagonist, 0. 01-1 microM), and methoctramine (an M2-receptor antagonist, 0.01-1 microM), but not 4-DAMP (an M3-receptor antagonist) or tropicamide (an M4-receptor antagonist) at concentrations as high as 10 mM, significantly increased the TNS-elicited relaxation. This relaxation, on the other hand, was significantly attenuated by arecaidine but-2-ynyl ester tosylate (an M2-receptor agonist, 0.1 microM) but was not affected by McN-A-343 (an M1-receptor agonist, 1 microM). Double-labeling immunohistochemical study demonstrated that perivascular M2 receptor-immunoreactive fibers were completely coincident with NADPH diaphorase fibers. Furthermore, the muscarinic receptor-mediated modulation of TNS-elicited relaxation was completely prevented by omega-conotoxin GVIA (0.1 microM), a specific N-type Ca2+ channel inhibitor, but was still observed in the presence of tetraethylammonium (1 mM), 8-bromo-cAMP (0.5 mM), and pertussis toxin. It is concluded that the presynaptic M2 receptors on porcine cerebral perivascular nitric oxidergic nerves mediate inhibition of NO release. The inhibition is due primarily to a decreased Ca2+ influx through N-type Ca2+ channels.

Segregation of VIPergic-nitric oxidergic and cholinergic-nitric oxidergic innervation in porcine middle cerebral arteries

The distribution of nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-immunoreactivities, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPHd)-reactivities in the sphenopalatine ganglia (SPG), and perivascular nerves in middle cerebral arteries of the pig was investigated by double-staining techniques using combined immunofluorescence and histochemistry methods. In the SPG, almost all ganglionic cells were NOS-immunoreactive (I) and NADPHd-positive, and both NOS immunoreactivities and NADPHd reactivities were completely co-localized. ChAT-I ganglionic cells accounted for 75%, while VIP-I ganglionic cells represented 42% of all ganglionic cells. Almost all VIP immunoreactivities were co-localized with ChAT immunoreactivities, and all ganglionic cells that were VIP-I and/or ChAT-I were NOS-I and NADPHd-reactive. None of the ganglionic cells in the SPG were immunoreactive to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). CGRP immunoreactivities, however, were found to surround some ganglionic cells. In middle cerebral arteries, all adventitial NOS-I bundles and fine fibers were coincident with NADPHd fibers. Almost all adventitial ChAT-I bundles and thin fibers, and VIP-I mesh-like fibers stained positively for NADPHd, while the mesh-like NADPHd fine fibers were not ChAT-I. Simultaneous labeling using antibodies against VIP and ChAT further indicated that VIP-I fibers were closer than ChAT-I fibers to the smooth muscle. In rare occasions, perivascular fibers were found to be stained for both ChAT and VIP, showing that most ChAT-I and VIP-I fibers were not coincident. These results suggest that ChAT and VIP are rarely co-localized in perivascular nerves in middle cerebral arteries, and point out that the neurotransmitter and the modulator that are co-localized within the same nerve cell body may distribute totally independently and differently at the terminal level. The present results also indicate that in cerebral perivascular nerves, the combination of nitric oxide (NO) and acetylcholine (ACh), as well as the combination of NO and VIP, are localized in the same nerve with different axons containing either NO plus ACh, or NO plus VIP. These findings support the hypothesis that ACh and VIP may act as modulators in regulating presynaptic release of NO, and therefore, cerebral neurogenic vasodilation, from their respective perivascular cholinergic-nitric oxidergic and VIPergic-nitric oxidergic nerves.

A novel repeat sequence specific to Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and its implications

Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of Korean clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using a 245 bp fragment of IS6110 revealed a conserved 3.5 kb Pvull fragment. Attempts to clone this 3.5 kb fragment resulted in the serendipitous discovery of a novel repeat sequence present within a separate 3.5 kb Pvull genomic fragment. Nucleotide sequencing of a 823 bp region containing the putative repeat sequence revealed the presence of three small direct repeats, three palindromes and a 453 bp region that was analogous to 455 bp of a M. tuberculosis sequence previously reported. The presence of this 453 bp repeat sequence was demonstrated in standard mycobacterial strains belonging to the M. tuberculosis complex, including the H37Rv, H37Ra, Erdman, and Canetti strains and M. bovis and M. bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG). Other mycobacterial species (M. kansasii, M. smegmatis, M. simiae, M. fortuitum, M. scrofulaceum, M. intracellulare, M. avium, and M. haemophilum) did not contain this sequence, suggesting that the 453 bp repeat sequence was specific to the M. tuberculosis complex. Of the 13 Korean and 12 other clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis tested, all contained three to four copies of the repeat sequence. The Southern blot patterns of the various M. tuberculosis strains allowed classification into five different groups. The most frequent pattern was the 'BCG-type' (4.7, 3.5, and 2.4 kb bands); the second most frequent pattern was the '4-band-type' (13, 4.7, 3.5, and 2.4 kb), observed only in the Korean clinical isolates, and the third most common pattern was the M. tuberculosis H37Rv/H37Ra/M. bovis-type (13, 4.7, and 3.5 kb bands). Upstream sequences indicate proximity to the rhamnose biosynthesis (rfb) cluster of M. tuberculosis. Our results indicate that the repeat sequence may be useful for the design of probe and polymerase chain reaction primers for the identification and epidemiological testing of members of the M. tuberculosis complex.

Mechanism of nicotine-induced relaxation in the porcine basilar artery

The present experiment was designed to examine possible influence of adrenergic nerves on nicotine-induced neurogenic vasodilation in porcine basilar arteries denuded of endothelium. Nicotine and transmural nerve stimulation (TNS) induced relaxation of basilar arteries. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) abolished the relaxation elicited by TNS, but only partially blocked that induced by nicotine. Relaxation induced by both nicotine and TNS was abolished by N-nitro-L-arginine. The N-nitro-L-arginine inhibition of both TNS- and nicotine-induced relaxation was reversed by L-arginine but not by D-arginine. Hexamethonium abolished the relaxation induced by nicotine, but did not affect that elicited by TNS. Relaxation induced by nicotine was diminished by guanethidine, which did not affect the relaxation induced by TNS, suggesting that guanethidine blockade of nicotine-induced relaxation is not due to its local anesthetic effect. Results from histochemical studies indicated that catecholamine fluorescence and NADPH-diaphorase fibers were not appreciably affected by guanethidine. Following incubation with 6-hydroxydopamine for 1 hr, the catecholamine fluorescence fibers in the basilar arteries completely disappeared, although the NADPH-diaphorase fibers were not affected. In these adrenergically denervated arteries, nicotine-induced relaxation was abolished, while the TNS-elicited relaxation was not affected. Furthermore, norepinephrine-induced relaxation in basilar arteries was blocked by N-nitro-L-arginine, but was not affected by N-nitro-D-arginine or hexamethonium. These results suggest that in porcine cerebral arteries nicotine-induced nitric oxide-mediated relaxation is dependent on an intact adrenergic innervation. Nicotine appears to act on nicotinic receptors on the presynaptic adrenergic nerve terminals to release norepinephrine or a related substance, which then stimulates release of nitric oxide from the neighboring nitric oxidergic nerves. The TNS-elicited nitric oxide-mediated relaxation, however, is resulted from direct depolarization of nitric oxidergic nerves.

Extracts of Ginkgo biloba and ginsenosides exert cerebral vasorelaxation via a nitric oxide pathway

1. Extracts from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba (EGb) and ginsenosides (GS) have been reported to be effective at increasing vascular relaxation. In the present study, the actions of EGb and GS on the vascular functions of porcine basilar arteries were investigated in vitro using tissue bath techniques. 2. Both EGb and GS relaxed the basilar artery in a concentration-dependent and partly endothelium-dependent manner. However, EGb appeared to be more potent than GS. Relaxation induced by transmural nerve stimulation (TNS) was significantly enhanced by EGb (7.5, 15 and 30 micrograms/mL) and GS (20, 40 and 80 micrograms/mL) in both endothelium-intact and -denuded basilar arteries. Enhanced TNS-induced relaxations were abolished by 0.3 mmol/L N-L-arginine. 3. The present study demonstrates that nitric oxide plays a primary role in TNS-induced relaxation as well as in EGb- and GS-enhanced relaxation within the cerebral vasculature. In addition, our data support the potential of these compounds as therapeutic strategies in cerebral ischaemia and other related vascular dysfunctions.

L-citrulline conversion to L-arginine in sphenopalatine ganglia and cerebral perivascular nerves in the pig

The presence of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS), and argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) and their coexistence with NADPH-diaphorase (NADPHd), a marker for NOS, in the porcine sphenopalatine ganglia (SPG), pial veins, and the anterior cerebral arteries was examined using immunohistochemical and histochemical staining techniques. NOS-immunoreactive (I), ASS-I, and ASL-I fibers were found in pial veins and the anterior cerebral arteries. NOS, ASS, and ASL immunoreactivities were also found in neuronal cell bodies in the SPG. Almost all neuronal cell bodies in the SPG and nerve fibers in pial veins and the anterior cerebral arteries that were reactive to ASS, ASL, and NOS were also stained positively with NADPHd, suggesting that ASS, ASL, and NOS were colocalized in the same neurons in the SPG and perivascular nerves. With the use of in vitro tissue bath techniques, L-citrulline but not D-citrulline reversed inhibition of neurogenic vasodilation in isolated porcine pial veins produced by NOS inhibitors such as NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. In the presence of L-aspartate, L-arginine was synthesized from L-citrulline in homogenates of SPG and endothelium-denuded cerebral arteries and pial veins. These results provide evidence indicating that perivascular nerves in pial veins like cerebral arteries can convert L-citrulline to L-arginine for synthesizing nitric oxide. The conversion is most likely via an argininosuccinate pathway.

Cholinergic, nitric oxidergic innervation in cerebral arteries of the cat

Using immunoperoxidase labeling (IPL) and immunofluorescence labeling (IFL) methods, and each followed by NADPH diaphorase (NADPHd) histochemical staining in the same specimen, colocalization of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and NADPHd, indicative of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), in cerebral pial arteries and the sphenopalatine ganglia (SPG) of the cat was examined. In addition, retrograde axonal tracing using true blue was performed to determine if cerebral perivascular nerves containing ChAT and NADPHd originate in the SPG. Consistent results were obtained from IPL and IFL methods, indicating that the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and the circle of Willis received dense ChAT-immunoreactive (I) and NADPHd bundles and fine fibers. Almost all ChAT-I fibers and NADPHd fibers were found to be coincident in the arteries examined. A few fine fibers exhibited only NADPHd staining. In the SPG, approximately half of the ganglionic cells were both ChAT-I and NADPHd positive, while the remaining cells were positively only for NADPHd staining. One week after application of true blue on the middle cerebral arteries (MCA), the fluorescent true blue was found in the ganglionic cells of the SPG. Some of the true blue-positive cells contained both ChAT-immunoreactivity and NADPHd staining. These results provide morphological evidence indicating that all ChAT-I fibers in the MCA and the circle of Willis contain NOS, and that these fibers originate in the SPG, although not all NOS-I ganglionic cells in the SPG send fibers to pial vessels. These results also support the hypothesis that acetylcholine (ACh) and nitric oxide (NO) are synthesized and co-released in the same neurons in cerebral perivascular nerves. Based on the reported findings that NO mediates a major component of neurogenic vasodilation, and that ACh acts as a modulator, the present results demonstrate the presence of a cholinergic, nitric oxidergic innervation in cerebral arteries of the cat.

Prediction of enzyme classification from protein sequence without the use of sequence similarity

We describe a novel approach for predicting the function of a protein from its amino-acid sequence. Given features that can be computed from the amino-acid sequence in a straightforward fashion (such as pI, molecular weight, and amino-acid composition), the technique allows us to answer questions such as: Is the protein an enzyme? If so, in which Enzyme Commission (EC) class does it belong? Our approach uses machine learning (ML) techniques to induce classifiers that predict the EC class of an enzyme from features extracted from its primary sequence. We report on a variety of experiments in which we explored the use of three different ML techniques in conjunction with training datasets derived from PDB and from Swiss-Prot. We also explored the use of several different feature sets. Our method is able to predict the first EC number of an enzyme with 74% accuracy (thereby assigning the enzyme to one of six broad categories of enzyme function), and to predict the second EC number of an enzyme with 68% accuracy (thereby assigning the enzyme to one of 57 subcategories of enzyme function). This technique could be a valuable complement to sequence-similarity searches and to pathway-analysis methods.

Dopamine constricts porcine pial veins

Dopamine has been shown to induce pial arterial relaxation and constriction in several species. Its mode of action on pial veins, however, remains unclarified. The vasomotor effect of dopamine on porcine pial veins was, therefore, examined using an in vitro tissue bath technique. The results indicated that dopamine constricted exclusively isolated ring segments of pial veins in the presence or absence of active muscle tone. The constriction induced by dopamine was not affected by N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, 2 x 10(-5) M) or indomethacin (10(-5) M). Only in few preparations was the constriction induced by maximum concentration of dopamine potentiated by L-NNA, suggesting that dopamine at high concentrations may release NO or a NO-related substance. In the presence of L-NNA (2 x 10(-5) M), dopamine-induced constriction was inhibited by phentolamine and yohimbine (but not prazosin) in a concentration-dependent manner with maximum inhibition at 10(-6) M. SKF38393 and 6-bromo-APB (selective dopamine D1 receptor agonists) and LY171555 (a selective dopamine D2 receptor agonist) also induced pial venous constriction exclusively in the presence of L-NNA. The constriction was not affected by phentolamine (10(-6) M). The order of potency for these agonists in the presence of phentolamine, propranolol, guanethidine and L-NNA was: 6-bromo-APB > SKF38393 > dopamine > LY171555. The dopamine-induced constriction in the presence of phentolamine was further inhibited by both SCH23390 (a selective dopamine D1 receptor antagonist) and sulpiride (a selective dopamine D2 receptor antagonist), but was not affected by dopamine D3 or D4 receptor antagonists. These results indicate that dopamine at low and high concentrations induces exclusively constriction of isolated porcine pial veins. The constriction is mediated by postsynaptic alpha2-adrenoceptors, and dopamine D1 and D2 receptors.

Morphologic evidence for L-citrulline conversion to L-arginine via the argininosuccinate pathway in porcine cerebral perivascular nerves

Results from biochemical and pharmacologic studies suggest that Lcitrulline is taken up by cerebral perivascular nerves and is converted to Larginine for synthesizing nitric oxide (NO). The current study was designed using morphologic techniques to determine whether Lcitrulline is taken up into axoplasm of perivascular nerves and to explore the possibility that conversion of Lcitrulline to Larginine in these nerves is through the argininosuccinate pathway in porcine cerebral arteries. Results from light and electron microscopic autoradiographic studies indicated that dense silver grains representing L-[3H] citrulline uptake were found in cytoplasm of perivascular nerves, smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells. The neuronal silver grains were significantly decreased in arteries pretreated with glutamine, which has been shown biochemically to block neuronal uptake of Lcitrulline. Results from light and electron microscopic immunohistochemical and histochemical studies indicate that dense nitric oxide synthase-immunoreactive (NOS-I), argininosuccinate synthetase-immunoreactive (ASS-I), and argininosuccinate lyase-immunoreactive (ASL-I) fibers were found in the adventitia of cerebral arteries. NOS-, ASS-, and ASL-immunoreactivities fibers were found in the axoplasm and in the endothelium. In whole-mount preparations, the NOS-I, ASS-I, and ASL-I fibers were completely coincident with NADPH diaphorase fibers, suggesting that axoplasmic ASS, ASL, and NOS were co-localized in the same neurons. These studies provide the first morphologic evidence indicating that Lcitrulline is taken up into cytoplasm of cerebral perivascular nerves and that the axoplasmic enzymes catalyzing the conversion of Lcitrulline to Larginine (for synthesizing NO) by argininosuccinate pathway always are co-localized in same neurons. These results support the hypothesis that Lcitrulline, the by-product of NO synthesis, is recycled to form Larginine for synthesizing NO in perivascular nerves to mediate cerebral neurogenic vasodilation. Results of the current morphologic studies also support the presence of Lcitrulline-Larginine cycle in cerebral vascular endothelium.

Dorsal dislocation of the four ulnar metacarpals

A patient presented to the emergency department (ED) with hand pain after striking a wall with a partially clenched fist. X-rays showed small dorsal carpal avulsion fractures and a dorsal dislocation of the ulnar four metacarpals. Closed reduction maneuvers reduced all but the second metacarpal. The patient underwent open reduction, internal fixation of this joint, and was healed within 6 weeks. Although typically associated with significant amounts of kinetic energy, the particular position of the hand and wrist during this injury may have allowed this dislocation pattern to occur with relatively minor trauma. A discussion of this injury, the carpometacarpal joint, and important radiographic features is presented.

Endoscopic sinus surgery for the treatment of frontoethmoidal mucocele complicated with orbital abscess: a case report

Mucoceles may develop after several decades following sinus surgery. They can progressively expand over many years and destroy the surrounding bones, which may result in severe complications such as orbital infection or intracranial lesions. A 68-year-old woman was hospitalized with the chief complaints of exacerbated right orbital swelling and progressive visual loss for one week in May 1995. Under the impression of the right frontoethmoidal mucocele complicated with orbital abscess, she underwent endoscopic sinus surgery for marsupialization and wide drainage of the mucocele. The symptoms subsided one week post-operatively without ophthalmological sequelae. There has been no recurrence one-year post-operatively. Endoscopic sinus surgery is an effective treatment for frontoethmoidal mucocele.

Nitric oxide-dependent and -independent norepinephrine release in rat mesenteric arteries

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in endogenous norepinephrine (NE) release in the perfused isolated rat mesenteric vasculature was examined. NE overflow elicited by electrical field stimulation (EFS) at various frequencies was significantly smaller at 24 than at 37 degrees C. The pressor response upon EFS at 8 and 10 Hz, however, was higher at 24 than at 37 degrees C. When production of NO was blocked by N omega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), NE overflow upon EFS at each frequency of stimulation was diminished by 50% at 37 degrees C but remained unchanged at 24 degrees C, whereas the pressor response elicited by EFS became greater at 37 than at 24 degrees C. These effects of L-NNA were reversed by L-arginine, but not by its D-enantiomer. Sodium nitroprusside, an NO donor, increased EFS-elicited NE overflow at 24 degrees C but had no effect at 37 degrees C. These results demonstrate that NE release is NO dependent and NO independent. The NO-dependent mechanism is more sensitive to cooling than the NO-independent mechanism. The increase in EFS-elicited perfusion pressure at 24 degrees C may be due to reduction in synthesis of NO (a potent vasodilator), thus unmasking the effect of NE and other noncatecholamine vasoconstrictors.

Congenital quadrigeminal lipoma with osteocartilagenous element. A case report

A case of congenital tectal lipoma found incidentally at an autopsy is reported. This female fetus was a product of pregnancy termination at 24 weeks of gestational age after sonographic detection of hydrocephalus. Autopsy revealed a small mass in the periaqueductal portion. The mass was composed of adipose tissue, cartilage, and mature bony tissue with hematopoiesis. The resultant diagnosis was tectal lipoma with osteocartilagenous element. It is uncertain whether the lesion represents a teratoma or hamartoma or mesenchymal metaplasia. The osteocartilagenous component suggests the latter.

Norepinephrine attenuates serotonin inhibition of pial venous tone

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) has been shown to inhibit the rhythmic constrictions, accompanied by an increase in cAMP synthesis, in porcine pial veins. Since porcine pial veins contain predominant postsynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors which are coupled to Gi-protein, the possibility that the inhibitory effect of 5-HT is antagonized by norepinephrine was examined pharmacologically, using tissue bath techniques. The results indicated that norepinephrine (0.1-1 microM) attenuated 5-HT-induced inhibition of rhythmic constriction. This effect of norepinephrine was mimicked by clonidine (an alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist), but not by methoxamine (an alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist). Furthermore, the effect of norepinephrine was prevented by yohimbine (an alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist) and pertussis toxin, but was not prevented by prazosin (an alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist). In parallel studies, the basal concentration of cAMP and that induced by 5-HT in the pial veins were inhibited by norepinephrine (0.3 microM). These results are consistent with the previous findings that 5-HT-induced inhibition of rhythmic constriction in the porcine pial veins is associated with an increase in vascular cAMP synthesis and suggest that norepinephrine attenuates 5-HT-induced inhibition of rhythmic constriction in part by negatively coupling to adenylate cyclase via alpha 2-adrenoceptors.

Inhibition of cerebral neurogenic vasodilation by L-glutamine and nitric oxide synthase inhibitors and its reversal by L-citrulline

The possibility that L-citrulline is able to reverse inhibition of neurogenic vasodilation in isolated porcine cerebral arteries produced by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors and Gln was examined by using in vitro tissue bath techniques. The results indicated that transmural nerve stimulation elicited a frequency-dependent and tetrodotoxin-sensitive vasodilation in isolated ring segments of arteries with or without endothelial cells. The dilation was abolished by L-N-omega-nitro-L-Arg and L-N-omega-L-Arg methyl ester and was completely reversed by L-citrulline, but not by D-citrulline. In parallel studies, the transmural nerve stimulation-induced relaxation was blocked in part by Gln. The blockade was completely reversed by L-citrulline and L-Arg, but not by their D-enantiomers. The time courses of relaxation after L-citrulline reversal of inhibition of vasodilation produced by Gln and NOS inhibitors were identical to that of relaxation in the control. The residual relaxation after L-citrulline reversal was abolished by L-NNA and L-N-omega-nitro-L-Arg. At 1 mM, L-glutamate, tau-aminobutyric acid or NH4Cl did not block transmural nerve stimulation-induced relaxation, nor did Gln inhibit sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxation or neuronal NOS activity. These results provide pharmacological evidence that cerebral perivascular nerves can recycle L-citrulline to L-Arg for synthesizing nitric oxide to induce neurogenic vasodilation. Although the exact mechanism of action of Gln in inhibiting nitric oxidergic neurovascular transmission remains undetermined, Gln does not seem to act by releasing ammonium ions, inhibiting NOS or modifying the nitric oxide-cyclic GMP pathway. Cerebral metabolism of Gln may play an important role in regulating nitric oxidergic neurogenic vasodilation.

Inhibition of alpha1-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions in isolated tail arteries and aorta of the rat by alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists

The effects of alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists, clonidine, tizanidine and UK-14304 on alpha1-adrenoceptor-mediated contractile responses were studied in isolated tail arteries and thoracic aorta of the rat. When applied during sustained contractile responses to almost maximum concentration (10 microM) of phenylephrine, clonidine (0.3 microM to 100 microM) produced concentration-dependent relaxations in both tissues. The maximum relaxation was smaller in tail arteries than in thoracic aorta. Clonidine up to 100 microM failed to relax both tissues precontracted with KCl (60 microM) or U-46619 (1 microM), a thromboxane mimetic. The clonidine-induced relaxation in tail arteries, was reversed by alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonists, yohimbine and idazoxane. Effects of the alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonists were concentration-dependent (0.1 microM to 1 microM), but not in a competitive manner. On the other hand, the relaxation in thoracic aorta was not significantly antagonized by these alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonists. Tizanidine and UK-14304 also relaxed both tail arteries and thoracic aorta precontracted with phenylephrine. The characteristics of the relaxation and their antagonism by yohimbine in both arteries were similar to those induce by clonidine. In tail arteries, NG-nitro-L-arginine, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, at a concentration that completely inhibited acetylcholine-induced relaxations did not significantly affect the relaxation induced by clonidine. In contrast, the relaxation of thoracic aorta in response to clonidine was partly reduced in the presence of NG-nitro-L-arginine. These results indicate that the alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists selectively inhibit the contractions induced by phenylephrine in both tissues. Regional differences in the modes of the inhibition by the alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists exist.

Microform cleft lip associated with a complete cleft palate

Clefting of the lip with or without an associated cleft palate may be present in varying degrees of severity. The so-called microform cleft lip or forme fruste has been characteristically described as having the appearance of a repaired cleft lip. The following case describes a patient with microform cleft lip and a complete cleft of the hard and soft palates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of such an association.

Effect of insulin-like growth factor type 1 on critical-size defects in diabetic rats

A number of investigators have reported on the clinically significant relationship between diabetes mellitus and impaired wound healing. Diabetic patients have an increased frequency of infection, delayed scar formation, and poor bony union. Investigations completed in our laboratory have demonstrated that insulin-like growth factor type 1 (IGF-1), a somatomedin C, has shown promise for accelerating bony repair. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of recombinant IGF-1 on standardized, critical-size calvarial defects in 25 adult, male streptozocin-induced diabetic rats. From our study, it appears that IGF-1 exerts a potentiating effect on the repair of bony defects in diabetes-induced rats.

Ginsenosides-induced nitric oxide-mediated relaxation of the rabbit corpus cavernosum

1. Ginsenosides, the active ingredients extracted from Panax ginseng, have been shown to promote nitric oxide (NO) release in bovine aortic endothelial cells. Since the endothelial cells and the perivascular nerves in penile corpus cavernosum contain NO synthase and an NO-like substance has been shown to be released from these cells which relaxes corpus cavernosum, the possibility that ginsenosides may relax corpus cavernosum by releasing endogenous NO was examined. 2. With an in vitro tissue superfusion technique, ginsenosides (250, 500 and 750 micrograms ml-1) relaxed corpus cavernosum, concentration-dependently. 3. Using an in vitro tissue bath technique, acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxations were increased in the presence of ginsenosides (250 micrograms ml-1). 4. Ginsenosides at 100 micrograms ml-1 significantly enhanced the tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive relaxation of corpus cavernosum elicited by transmural nerve stimulation. 5. The ginsenosides-induced, ACh-induced and ginsenosides-enhanced transmural nerve stimulation-elicited relaxations were significantly attenuated by NG-nitro-L-arginine (100 microM) and oxyhaemoglobin (oxyHb; 5-10 microM), and were enhanced by superoxide dismutase (SOD; 50 u ml-1). 6. The relaxations and their attenuation by NG-nitro-L-arginine and TTX were associated with increase and decrease in tissue cyclic GMP levels, respectively. 7. It is concluded that ginsenosides may release NO from endothelial cells, and enhance NO release from endothelial cells elicited by other vasoactive substances and from perivascular nitrergic nerves in the corpus cavernosum. These endothelial and neurogenic effects of ginsenosides in inducing relaxation of the corpus cavernosum may account for the aphrodisiac effect of Panax ginseng.

Arginine synthesis from citrulline in perivascular nerves of cerebral artery

Cerebral neurogenic vasodilation is mediated predominantly by nitric oxide (NO). Thus, NO was suggested to be a vasodilator transmitter. In the present study, the possibility that cerebral perivascular nerves can convert citrulline to arginine was examined to ascertain that NO is derived directly from these perivascular nerves. To investigate the uptake of citrulline and its conversion to arginine, both fresh and cold storage-denervated porcine cerebral arteries with or without endothelial cells were incubated at 37 degrees C for 2 hr in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer containing 0.5 mM purified [14C]ureido-citrulline. The formation of [14C]arginine was measured as 14CO2 by a coupled enzymatic assay involving arginase and urease. The abolishment of nitric oxidergic nerves was verified by NADPH-diaphorase (constitutive NO synthases) histochemical staining method. The results indicated that there was an active conversion of [14C]arginine from [14C]citrulline in nerve-intact arteries denuded of endothelial cells. The conversion was significantly decreased in denervated arteries, accompanied by a significantly reduced citrulline uptake into these denervated arteries. L-Glutamine, but not L-glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid, or nitro-L-arginine significantly inhibited the uptake of [14C]citrulline into cerebral perivascular nerves. These data suggest that porcine cerebral vasodilator nerves are nitric oxidergic in nature and citrulline, co-produced with NO by NO synthases from arginine, can be recycled to form arginine in these nerves. The existence of a functional arginine-citrulline cycle may contribute to a constant supply of L-arginine and suggests a neuronal source of NO for inducing cerebral vasodilation.

A novel 5-HT1-like receptor subtype mediates cAMP synthesis in porcine pial vein

The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor subtype mediating 5-HT inhibition of spontaneous rhythmic contractions (SRC) in the porcine pial vein was characterized. Results from pharmacological studies using in vitro tissue bath techniques indicated that the inhibitory effects of 5-HT on SRC were qualitatively and quantitatively mimicked by 5-HT1-like agonists 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MT) and 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT). 5-HT-, 5-MT-, and 5-CT-induced inhibitions of SRC were attenuated in a concentration-dependent manner by methysergide, which yielded similar pA2 values against these three agonists, suggesting that 5-HT, 5-MT, and 5-CT act on the same 5-HT1-like receptors. 5-MT inhibition of SRC was not affected by blocking 5-HT2 (with ketanserin and spiperone), 5-HT3 (with MDL-72222 and ICS-205-930), or 5-HT4 (with ICS-205-930) receptors. Neither was 5-MT inhibition of SRC affected by blocking 5-HT1A (with propranolol and spiperone), 5-HT1B (with propranolol), or 5-HT1C (with ketanserin) receptors. Furthermore, 5-HT and 5-MT inhibitions of SRC were enhanced by cilostazol [a selective adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) phosphodiesterase inhibitor] and were diminished by KT-5720 (a cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor) but were not affected by M&B-22948 [a selective guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) phosphodiesterase inhibitor] or KT-5823 (a cGMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor). Biochemical studies further demonstrated that 5-HT inhibition of SRC in porcine pial veins was accompanied by an increase in cAMP, but not cGMP, synthesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)