Extraction-photometric determination of nitrite in fresh and sea water

Interleukin 1beta decreases prostacyclin synthase activity in rat mesangial cells via endogenous peroxynitrite formation

We have reported that peroxynitrite (PON) selectively inactivated prostacyclin synthase (PGIS) by a mechanism of tyrosine nitration at the active site [Zou, Martin and Ullrich (1997) Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler 378, 707-713]. We have now extended our studies on rat mesangial cells (RMC) and show that nitration can occur under the influence of cytokines. Pretreatment of RMC with interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta), which up-regulated cyclo-oxygenase 2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS-2), significantly attenuated the conversion of [14C]prostaglandin H2 (PGH2) into the stable prostacyclin (PGI2) metabolite 6-oxo-prostaglandin F1alpha (6-oxo-PGF1alpha). The presence of superoxide dismutase (SOD, 100 units/ml) or the NOS synthase inhibitor Nomega-monomethyl-l-arginine (100 microM) as well as cycloheximide (10 microM) plus actinomycin (10 microM) abolished IL-1beta-mediated down-regulation of 6-oxo-PGF1alpha from PGH2. At the same time, 6-oxo-PGF1alpha production from arachidonate (AA) increased at the expense of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Neither NO alone generated from different NO donors nor superoxide from xanthine/xanthine oxidase (1-100 m-units/ml) inhibited PGI2 synthesis, either from PGH2 or from AA. Bolus additions of chemically synthesized PON or the PON generator 3-morpholinosydnonimine N-ethylcarbamide (SIN-1) exhibited a potent inhibition of 6-oxo-PGF1alpha release from both PGH2 and AA. In addition, immunoprecipitation of nitrotyrosine-containing proteins from PON- and SIN-1-treated RMC yielded distinct nitrated PGIS bands but also from IL-1beta-pretreated cells alone, compared with a lack of nitrated PGIS in control cells. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that IL-1beta pretreatment of RMC via NOS-2 leads to the production of PON with the consequence of a partial nitration and inhibition of PGIS.

Selective inhibition of cyclooxygenase 2

Cyclooxygenase (COX), a key enzyme in the formation of prostanoids, is known to exist in two isoforms: an inducible enzyme (COX 2) and a constitutive from (COX 1). Both enzymes are inhibited by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), but only marginal selectivity has thus far been reported. In this study, we report on a novel selective inhibitor of COX 2, CGP 28238 (6-(2,4-difluorophenoxy)-5-methyl-sulfonylamino-1-indanon e). Human washed platelets were used as a source of COX 1. For IL-1 stimulated rat mesangial cells we demonstrated the almost exclusive presence of COX 2 in western blot and mRNA analysis. Therefore these two model systems were chosen for selectivity testing. With an IC50 value of 15 nM, CGP 28238 blocked COX 2 activity in a similar concentration range to that of other potent NSAID such as indomethacin and diclofenac (IC50 = 1.17-8.9 nM). However, in contrast to these reference NSAIDs, CGP 28238 was at least 1000-fold less potent in inhibiting COX 1. Using other cell systems reported to express COX 1 or COX 2, we obtained a similar selectivity for COX 2. Thus, on the basis of our findings, CGP 28238 is a novel, highly potent and selective inhibitor of COX 2 and may be a lead compound for a new generation of potent anti-inflammatory drugs with an improved side-effect profile.