The pilot trial of the prevention of the increase in electrical taste thresholds by zinc containing fluid infusion during chemotherapy to treat primary lung cancer

It is well known that there are various adverse effects during chemotherapy for cancer treatment. A taste disorder is also seen in 35-70% of patients. It has been reported that a zinc deficiency is associated with the development of these alterations in taste sensation. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether the zinc including infusion had the effect on taste disorder in patients with lung cancer. Taste disorder was evaluated as the increase in electrical taste thresholds using an electrogustometer. The plasma zinc concentration was also measured. Although there was no significant correlation, the increase in taste thresholds was detected in many patients who had a low zinc concentration even before receiving chemotherapy. Moreover, after 2 weeks of chemotherapy, almost all patients who did not have a zinc containing infusion showed development of taste disorder (5/5, 100% at chorda tympani area; 4/5, 80% at glossopharyngeal area), whereas no development of taste disorder was observed in those patients receiving a zinc containing infusion. These results suggest the possibility that the administration of zinc during chemotherapy could be a useful supportive therapy for preventing taste disorder and to help maintain a better quality of life.

Downregulation of ENaC activity and expression by TNF-alpha in alveolar epithelial cells

Sodium absorption by an amiloride-sensitive channel is the main driving force of lung liquid clearance at birth and lung edema clearance in adulthood. In this study, we tested whether tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a proinflammatory cytokine involved in several lung pathologies, could modulate sodium absorption in cultured alveolar epithelial cells. We found that TNF-alpha decreased the expression of the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-subunits of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) mRNA to 36, 43, and 16% of the controls after 24-h treatment and reduced to 50% the amount of alpha-ENaC protein in these cells. There was no impact, however, on alpha(1) and beta(1) Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase mRNA expression. Amiloride-sensitive current and ouabain-sensitive Rb(+) uptake were reduced, respectively, to 28 and 39% of the controls. A strong correlation was found at different TNF-alpha concentrations between the decrease of amiloride-sensitive current and alpha-ENaC mRNA expression. All these data show that TNF-alpha, a proinflammatory cytokine present during lung infection, has a profound influence on the capacity of alveolar epithelial cells to transport sodium.

Effects of liposteroid on the hemophagocytic syndrome in systemic lupus erythematosus

Hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) is a life-threatening disorder characterized by pancytopenia and activation of macrophages. Recently, corticosteroid incorporated in lipid microspheres (liposteroid) has been reported to be taken up by macrophages and to suppress their functions. Here we present a case of systemic lupus erythematosus complicated by HPS that was successfully treated with liposteroid in addition to an oral corticosteroid and intravenous high-dose cyclophosphamide therapy. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and ferritin that have been reported to be associated with activity of macrophages remarkably reduced after liposteroid administration. This case suggests that liposteroid is useful for the treatment of HPS.

[Emergency pleuropneumonectomy via anterior approach to treat chronic hemorrhagic empyema due to massive hemoptysis]

A 67-year-old man with a history of surgical resection of the superior lobe of the left lung and thoracoplasty due to pulmonary tuberculosis occurring approximately 40 years previously, was admitted to the hospital due to recurrent hemoptysis. X-ray films and computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest showed the left thoracic cavity to be filled with empyema, compressing the inferior lobe downward. Since three unsuccessful attempts were made at bronchial artery embolization for hemostasis, yielding hemoptysis of approximately 1,000 ml, emergency surgery was performed. To prevent massive intra-operative hemoptysis, the left pulmonary artery was blocked by median sternotomy. A transverse incision was then made, and thus pleuropneumonectomy could be safely performed. Since it allows early blocking of blood vessels surrounding the hilum of the lung and the main bronchus, anterior approach is useful in treating hemorrhagic empyema and wet pleurisy with internal fistula.

Excitation and decay of the isovector giant monopole resonances via the 208Pb(3He,t p) reaction at 410 MeV

The excitation and subsequent proton decay of the isovector spin-flip giant monopole resonance (IVSGMR) is studied via the 208Pb(3He,t) reaction at 410 MeV. In the inclusive spectrum (60+/-5)% of the non-energy-weighted sum-rule strength for this 2 variant Planck's over 2h omega resonance was found in the region 29<Ex(208Bi)<51 MeV. The central excitation energy and width of the IVSGMR are 37+/-1 MeV and 14+/-3 MeV, respectively. It is found that the branching ratio for proton decay is (52+/-12)% and that the deep neutron-hole states in 207Pb are strongly fed.

[A case of pulmonary actinomycosis with recurrent hemoptysis]

A 68-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of hemoptysis in September 1999. Chest CT scans showed a nodular shadow with infiltration in the right S 7. Bronchial arteriography showed vascularization in the right S 7, and bronchial artery embolization was performed. However, in April and October 2000 hemoptysis recurred, and bronchial arteriography showed recurrence of vascularization in the same area, so embolization was performed again. Then, the patient was admitted in March 2001 because of recurrent hemoptysis. CT scans showed growth of the nodular shadow. Right lower lobectomy was performed, and the microscopic findings in the tissue from the resected lobe showed branching filamentous bacteria, and pulmonary actinomycosis was diagnosed. We concluded that pulmonary actinomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nodular shadows with recurrent hemoptysis.

The impact of phorbol ester on the regulation of amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel in alveolar type ii epithelial cells

Amiloride-sensitive sodium channel (ENaC) plays an important role in recovery from pulmonary edema. Recently, it has been shown that an activation of protein kinase C (PKC) could affect the mRNA expression of ENaC in rat parotid gland cells and A6 distal nephron epithelial cells. To determine whether an activation of PKC would regulate the mRNA expression or the function of ENaC, we stimulated rat alveolar type II epithelial cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a potent PKC activator, at a concentration of 100 nM. The mRNA expression of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-ENaC subunits and amiloride-sensitive current were measured. PMA inhibited the mRNA expression of all 3 ENaC subunits (alpha-ENaC: 56.0% +/- 12.1%; beta-ENaC: 62.6% +/- 15.9%; gamma-ENaC: 68.5% +/- 10.6%, respectively) and amiloride-sensitive current (control = 7.0 +/- 1.5 microA/cm(2); PMA = 1.7 +/- 0.9 microA/cm(2)) significantly at 24 hours. On the other hand, 4alpha-phorbol didecanoate 4alpha-PDD, inactive form of PMA, had no inhibitory effect on alpha- and gamma-ENaC expression or amiloride-sensitive current. However, no significant difference was seen in beta-ENaC expression between PMA and 4alpha-PDD. GF 109203X, a wide-range PKC inhibitor, blocked the inhibitory effect of PMA on all ENaC subunits mRNA expression. These results suggest that an activation of PKC may play an important role in the regulation of ENaC mRNA expression and function.

Simultaneous detection and removal of organomercurial compounds by using the genetic expression system of an organomercury lyase from the transposon Tn MERI1

Using a newly identified organomercury lyase gene (merB3) expression system from Tn MERI1, the mercury resistance transposon first found in Gram-positive bacteria, a dual-purpose system to detect and remove organomercurial contamination was developed. A plasmid was constructed by fusing the promoterless luxAB genes as bioluminescence reporter genes downstream of the merB3 gene and its operator/promoter region. Another plasmid, encoding mer operon genes from merR1 to merA, was also constructed to generate an expression regulatory protein, MerR1, and a mercury reductase enzyme, MerA. These two plasmids were transformed into Escherichia coli cells to produce a biological system that can detect and remove environmental organomercury contamination. Organomercurial compounds, such as neurotoxic methylmercury at nanomolar levels, were detected using the biomonitoring system within a few minutes and were removed during the next few hours.

Severe gustatory disorder caused by cisplatin and etoposide

A 48-year-old woman with small-cell lung cancer received combined chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin (CDDP) and etoposide (Vp-16). Although the gustatory threshold in the glossopharyngeal nerve area was normal (14 dB) before chemotherapy, it rose to 22 dB on day 8 of chemotherapy, and it could not be measured, because of severe gustatory disorder, from day 15 to day 29. In the chorda tympani nerve area, the threshold was normal until day 15, but it could not be measured on day 29. This gustatory disorder continued for 2 more months, until the time of the patient's discharge. Although gustatory disorder caused by anticancer drugs has been reported as a rare side effect, this may be because it has been reported as appetite loss, and it may happen more frequently than reported cases would suggest. As gustatory disorder reduces the patient's quality of life, the presence of this side effect should be given more serious consideration.

Tetrahydrobiopterin restores endothelial function of coronary arteries in patients with hypercholesterolaemia

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), an essential cofactor for nitric oxide synthase, on coronary artery endothelial function in hypercholesterolaemic patients.

DESIGN

Quantitative coronary angiography and Doppler flowmetry were used to examine the effects of intracoronary infusion of BH4 on vascular response to acetylcholine (ACh).

SETTING

Tertiary cardiology centre.

PATIENTS

18 patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries, of whom nine had hypercholesterolaemia and nine had noromocholesterolaemia.

INTERVENTIONS

ACh (3 and 30 microg/min) was infused for two minutes into the left coronary ostium. ACh was then simultaneously infused with BH4 (1 mg/min) before and after infusion of L-N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) (40 micromol/min for five minutes).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Diameter of the epicardial coronary arteries and coronary blood flow.

RESULTS

In hypercholesterolaemic patients, BH4 attenuated the ACh induced decrease in coronary diameter (p < 0.05) and restored the ACh induced increase in coronary blood flow (p < 0.05). In normocholesterolaemic patients, BH4 did not affect the ACh induced changes in coronary diameter or coronary blood flow. In both groups, L-NMMA decreased the baseline coronary diameter (p < 0.05) and baseline coronary blood flow (p < 0.05). In hypercholesterolaemic patients, L-NMMA inhibited both the BH4 mediated attenuation of the ACh induced decrease in coronary diameter (p < 0.05) and the BH4 mediated enhancement of the ACh induced increase in coronary blood flow (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Intracoronary infusion of BH4 restores coronary endothelial function by improving the bioavailability of endothelium derived nitric oxide in hypercholesterolaemic patients.

Bio-affecting mercury detection using mercury resistance gene module fused with bioluminescence reporter genes

Bioluminescence sensor systems were developed for monitoring environmental mercury contamination. The biological mercury measurement sensor systems were constructed by DNA recombination technique. A bacterial mercury-resistant operon (meroperon) from Pseudomonas sp. K-6y4 and a bacterial bioluminescence operon (lux operon) from an ocean bacterium Vibrio fischeri were fused in avector plasmid. The resulting recombinant plasmids were cloned in Escherichia coli cells. The bioluminescence sensor systems responded to mercury chloride of 0.1 nM to 100 nM. The mercury bioluminescence sensor developed in this study can be used for monitoring of the bio-affecting mercury instead of total mercury that is measured by conventional analytical equipment. The fundamental feature of the bioluminescence sensor system is attractive for use as a monitoring system for bio-affecting environmental mercury contamination.

Notch1 inhibits differentiation of hematopoietic cells by sustaining GATA-2 expression

Notch signaling is involved in cell fate decisions in many systems including hematopoiesis. It has been shown that expression of an activated form of Notch1 (aNotch1) in 32D mouse myeloid progenitor cells inhibits the granulocytic differentiation induced by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). Results of the current study show that aNotch1, when expressed in F5-5 mouse erythroleukemia cells, also inhibits erythroid differentiation. Comparison of the expression levels of several transcription factors after stimulation for myeloid and erythroid differentiation, in the presence or absence of aNotch1, revealed that aNotch1 did not change its regulation pattern with any of the transcription factors examined, except for GATA-2, despite its inhibitory effect on differentiation. GATA-2 was down-regulated when the parental 32D and F5-5 were induced to differentiate into granulocytic and erythroid lineages, respectively. In these induction procedures, however, the level of GATA-2 expression was sustained when aNotch1 was expressed. To ascertain whether maintenance of GATA-2 is required for the Notch-induced inhibition of differentiation, the dominant-negative form of GATA-3 (DN-GATA), which acted also against GATA-2, or transcription factor PU.1, which was recently shown to be the repressor of GATA-2, was introduced into aNotch1-expressing 32D (32D/aNotch1) cells that do not express GATA family proteins other than GATA2. Both DN-GATA and PU.1 reversed the phenotype of 32D/aNotch1 inducing its differentiation when G-CSF was added. Furthermore, enforced expression of HES-1, which is involved in Notch signaling, delayed differentiation of 32D, and again this phenotype was neutralized by DN-GATA. These results indicate that GATA-2 activity is necessary for the Notch signaling in hematopoietic cells.

Endothelial dysfunction is an independent factor responsible for vasospastic angina

In order to evaluate peripheral endothelial function in patients with vasospastic angina (VSA), we measured flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery in patients with VSA and compared it with FMD in patients without VSA. Endothelial dysfunction is considered one of the mechanisms underlying VSA. However, its exact role remains to be clarified. The study included 30 patients with positive spasm-provocational test results without evidence of significant coronary stenosis (VSA group) and 30 patients with negative spasm-provocational test results without evidence of significant coronary stenosis (control group). In each patient, brachial artery diameter responses to hyperemic flow and glyceryl trinitrate spray were measured using high-resolution ultrasound. The carotid intima-media thickness was also measured as a marker of systemic atherosclerosis. FMD was lower in the VSA group (4.8+/-0.5%) compared with the control group (9.4+/-0.7%, P<0.0001). In the VSA group, FMD was not affected by coronary risk factors or the presence of atherosclerotic changes on coronary angiography. Glyceryl trinitrate-induced dilation did not differ between the two groups. The intima-media thickness was comparable between the VSA (0.85+/-0.04 mm) and control groups (0.81+/-0.05 mm). These findings indicated that peripheral endothelial function is impaired only in the VSA group, whereas the atherosclerotic changes were similar in the two groups. We conclude that endothelial dysfunction may be an independent factor responsible for the development of VSA.

[Tension pneumothorax after simultaneous bilateral lung resection]

A 72-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of an abnormal shadow on chest X-ray film. Chest CT showed a mass 6 cm in diameter in left S1 + 2, and a small round mass in right S2. Left side mass was diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma by transbronchial biopsy, but right side mass was unidentified. We performed partial resection for a right S2 mass with VATS, and then left upper lobe lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection simultaneously. Pathological examination revealed the right mass was hamartoma. He discharged on 16 postoperative days uneventfully. But 3 days after he was sent to our hospital on emergency because dyspnea and unconscious. Chest X-ray revealed right side tension pneumothorax, then he was recovered by chest tube insertion. At re-thoracotomy we confirmed air leakage was occurred from a ruptured bulla that was leaved at first operation.

Usefulness of flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery and/or the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery in predicting coronary narrowing in patients suspected of having coronary artery disease

It has been reported that flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery and the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), markers of atherosclerosis, are altered in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), but it is still not known if the presence of CAD can be detected using these markers. We examined whether the presence of CAD can be detected by FMD of the brachial artery and/or IMT. Eighty-one patients who underwent coronary angiography for the first time were enrolled. In each patient, brachial artery diameter responses to FMD and the administration of nitroglycerin spray, and carotid IMT were measured using high-resolution ultrasound (10 MHz) before coronary angiography. CAD was defined as >50% stenosis of a major coronary artery. Fifty-six patients had CAD. FMD was lower and IMT was greater in patients with CAD (FMD, 2.9 +/- 0.2% vs 9.4 +/- 0.5%; IMT, 1.09 +/- 0.05 vs 0.79 +/- 0.04 mm, both p <0.0001). Nitroglycerin-induced dilation did not differ in the 2 groups. Multivariate analysis showed that FMD was the only predictor of the presence of CAD (p = 0.0026). Receiver-operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that a cutoff value for FMD for detecting the presence of CAD was 6%, with a sensitivity of 0.93 (52 of 56) and a specificity of 0.88 (22 of 25). These findings suggest that FMD but not IMT may be used to detect the presence of CAD in patients with suspected CAD.

Ganglioside GD1a inhibits HGF-induced motility and scattering of cancer cells through suppression of tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Met

We previously reported that ganglioside GD1a, which is highly expressed in poorly metastatic FBJ-S1 cells, inhibits the serum-induced motility of FBJ-LL cells and that the metastatic potential of FBJ-LL cells is completely suppressed by enforced GD1a expression (Hyuga et al., Int J Cancer 1999;83:685-91). We recently discovered that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) induces FBJ-LL cell motility. In the present study, the HGF-induced motility of FBJ-S1 cells was found to be one-thirtieth that of FBJ-LL cells. This motility of GD1a-expressing transfectants, which were produced by transfection of FBJ-LL cells with GM2/GD2 synthase cDNA, decreased with increases in their GD1a expression and HGF induced almost no motility in GD1a-pretreated FBJ-LL cells, indicating that GD1a inhibits the HGF-induced motility of FBJ-LL cells. The expression of the HGF receptor c-Met on FBJ-S1 cells, FBJ-LL cells, transfectants and a mock-transfectant was almost the same. The level of tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Met after HGF stimulation in FBJ-S1 cells, GD1a-pretreated FBJ-LL cells and a GD1a-expressing transfectant was significantly lower than in FBJ-LL cells and a mock-transfectant. These findings suggested that GD1a inhibits the HGF-induced motility of FBJ-LL cells through suppression of tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Met. HepG2 cells, a human hepatoma cell line, were used to investigate whether GD1a interferes with other cancer cells expressing c-Met. HepG2 cells did not express GD1a. HGF induced cell scattering of HepG2 cells and the scattering was inhibited by pretreating the cells with GD1a. The c-Met in the cells was autophosphorylated by stimulation with HGF, but after treating the cells with GD1a, the HGF-induced autophosphorylation of c-Met was suppressed. These results suggest that GD1a acts as a negative regulator of c-Met in cancer cells.

Multiple pathogenic and benign genomic rearrangements occur at a 35 kb duplication involving the NEMO and LAGE2 genes

The X-linked dominant and male-lethal disorder incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is caused by mutations in a gene called NEMO (IKK-gamma). We recently reported the structure of NEMO and demonstrated that most IP patients carry an identical deletion that arises due to misalignment between repeats. Affected male abortuses with the IP deletion had provided clues that a second, incomplete copy of NEMO was present in the genome. We have now identified clones containing this truncated copy (Delta NEMO) and incorporated them into a previously constructed physical contig in distal Xq28. Delta NEMO maps 22 kb distal to NEMO and only contains exons 3-10, confirming our proposed model. A sequence of 26 kb 3' of the NEMO coding sequence is also present in the same position relative to the Delta NEMO locus, bringing the total length of the duplication to 35.5 kb. The LAGE2 gene is also located within this duplicated region, and a similar but unique LAGE1 gene is located just distal to the duplicated loci. Mapping and sequence information indicated that the duplicated regions are in opposite orientation. Analysis of the great apes suggested that the NEMO/LAGE2 duplication occurred after divergence of the lineage leading to present day humans, chimpanzees and gorillas, approximately 10-15 million years ago. Intriguingly, despite this substantial evolutionary history, only 22 single nucleotide differences exist between the two copies over the entire 35.5 kb, making the duplications >99% identical. This high sequence identity and the inverted orientations of the two copies, along with duplications of smaller internal sections within each copy, predispose this region to various genomic alterations. We detected four rearrangements that involved NEMO, Delta NEMO or LAGE1 and LAGE2. The high sequence similarity between the two NEMO/LAGE2 copies may be due to frequent gene conversion, as we have detected evidence of sequence transfer between them. Together, these data describe an unusual and complex genomic region that is susceptible to various types of pathogenic and polymorphic rearrangements, including the recurrent lethal deletion associated with IP.

Dipole excitation of alpha clusters in (6)Li and (7)Li

Dipole excitations in highly excited energy regions of (6)He and (7)He nuclei were investigated via the ((7)Li,(7)Be) reaction with an incident energy of 65A MeV at forward scattering angles. The resonances at Q approximately equal to -30 MeV observed commonly for both (6)Li and (7)Li targets were found to be excited via both spin-flip and spin-nonflip transitions with DeltaL = 1. Based on the observed excitation energy, width, and cross section of each resonance, the relevant resonances are inferred to be analogs of the dipole resonances of alpha clusters in the (6)Li and (7)Li nuclei.

Occurrence of oligosialic acids on integrin alpha 5 subunit and their involvement in cell adhesion to fibronectin

Integrin alpha(5)beta(1), a major fibronectin receptor, functions in a wide variety of biological phenomena. We have found that alpha 2-8-linked oligosialic acids with 5 < or = degree of polymerization (DP) < or = 7 occur on integrin alpha(5) subunit of the human melanoma cell line G361. The integrin alpha(5) subunit immunoprecipitated with anti-integrin alpha(5) antibody reacted with the monoclonal antibody 12E3, which recognizes oligo/polysialic acid with DP > or = 5 but not with the polyclonal antibody H.46 recognizing oligo/polysialic acid with DP > or = 8. The occurrence of oligosialic acids was further demonstrated by fluorometric C(7)/C(9) analysis on the immunopurified integrin alpha(5) subunit. Oligosialic acids were also found in the alpha(5) subunit of several other human cells such as foreskin fibroblast and chronic erythroleukemia K562 cells. These results suggest the ubiquitous modification with unique oligosialic acids occurs on the alpha(5) subunit of integrin alpha(5)beta(1). The adhesion of human melanoma G361 cells to fibronectin was mainly mediated by integrin alpha(5)beta(1). Treatment of cells with sialidase from Arthrobacter ureafaciens cleaving alpha 2-3-, alpha 2-6-, and alpha 2-8-linked sialic acids inhibited adhesion to fibronectin. On the other hand, N-acetylneuraminidase II, which cleaves alpha 2-3 and alpha 2-6 but not alpha 2-8 linkages, showed no inhibitory activity. After the loss of oligosialic acids, integrin alpha(5)beta(1) failed to bind to fibronectin-conjugated Sepharose, indicating that the oligosialic acid on the alpha(5) subunit of integrin alpha(5)beta(1) plays important roles in cell adhesion to fibronectin.

Highly diastereoselective dihydride formation by activation of methanol with IrCl((S)-binap)(PPh3)

Reaction of [IrCl((S)-binap)(PPh3)] ((S)-3) with methanol gave one of the diastereomers of the cis,mer-dihydride, cis,mer-OC-6-44-A-[IrCl(H2)((S)-binap)(PPh3)] ((S)-4a) stereoselectively, the structure of which was determined crystallographically, whereas the reaction of (S)-3 with H2 produced a 1:1 mixture of the diastereomers of the cis,mer-dihydride, (S)-4a and cis,mer-OC-6-44-C-[IrCl(H2)((S)-binap)(PPh3)] ((S)-4b).

Magnesium causes nitric oxide independent coronary artery vasodilation in humans

OBJECTIVE

To determine how magnesium affects human coronary arteries and whether endothelium derived nitric oxide (EDNO) is involved in the coronary arterial response to magnesium.

DESIGN

Quantitative coronary angiography and Doppler flow velocity measurements were used to determine the effects of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) on magnesium induced dilation of the epicardial and resistance coronary arteries.

SETTING

Hiroshima University Hospital a tertiary cardiology centre.

PATIENTS

17 patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries.

INTERVENTIONS

Magnesium sulfate (MgSO(4)) (0.02 mmol/min and 0.2 mmol/min) was infused for two minutes into the left coronary ostium before and after intracoronary infusion of L-NMMA.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Diameter of the proximal and distal segments of the epicardial coronary arteries and coronary blood flow.

RESULTS

At a dose of 0.02 mmol/min, MgSO(4) did not affect the coronary arteries. At a dose of 0.2 mmol/min, MgSO(4) caused coronary artery dilation (mean (SEM) proximal diameter 3.00 (0.09) to 3.11 (0.09) mm; distal 1.64 (0.06) to 1.77 (0.07) mm) and increased coronary blood flow (79.3 (7.5) to 101.4 (9.9) ml/min, p < 0.001 v baseline for all). MgSO(4) increased the changes in these parameters after the infusion of L-NMMA (p < 0.001 v baseline).

CONCLUSIONS

Magnesium dilates both the epicardial and resistance coronary arteries in humans. Furthermore, the coronary arterial response to magnesium is dose dependent and independent of EDNO.