Expression of Nitric Oxide Synthase Type 3 in Reflux-Induced Esophageal Lesions

2001 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 442-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh Chandra ◽  
G. Kenneth Haines ◽  
Brandon G. Bentz ◽  
Pinky Shah ◽  
Alan M. Robinson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Squamous Epithelium ◽  
Adenocarcinoma Of The Esophagus ◽  
Squamous Mucosa ◽  
Constitutive Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Type 3 ◽  
Glandular Metaplasia

BACKGROUND: The expression of endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) by squamous dysplasia and carcinomas of the head and neck has previously been described. We sought to compare NOS3 expression in squamous mucosa, glandular metaplasia, and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. METHODS: Forty paraffin-embedded specimens from 20 patients with adenocarcinoma were stained with anti-NOS3 monoclonal antibody. The percentage of cells stained and the intensity of staining were determined for squamous epithelium, metaplasia, and adenocarcinoma. Staining characteristics were statistically analyzed according to clinical variables. RESULTS: NOS3 expression was significantly higher in adenocarcinoma and squamous epithelium compared with glandular metaplasia. Among the carcinomas, larger tumor size (T3/4), nodal positivity, and advanced TNM stage (III/IV) significantly correlated with increased NOS3 expression. CONCLUSIONS: NOS3 is expressed in refluxinduced lesions of the esophagus. Glandular metaplasia shows basal levels of NOS3 that significantly increase with malignant transformation and tumor progression. The role of free radicals in carcinogenesis is being actively studied.

Role of nitric oxide synthase isoforms in glucose-stimulated insulin release

2002 ◽  
Vol 283 (1) ◽  
pp. C296-C304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ragnar Henningsson ◽  
Albert Salehi ◽  
Ingmar Lundquist
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Insulin Release ◽  
Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
No Production ◽  
No Donor ◽  
Nos Inhibitors ◽  
Constitutive Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Oxide Synthase

The role of islet constitutive nitric oxide synthase (cNOS) in insulin-releasing mechanisms is controversial. By measuring enzyme activities and protein expression of NOS isoforms [i.e., cNOS and inducible NOS (iNOS)] in islets of Langerhans cells in relation to insulin secretion, we show that glucose dose-dependently stimulates islet activities of both cNOS and iNOS, that cNOS-derived nitric oxide (NO) strongly inhibits glucose-stimulated insulin release, and that short-term hyperglycemia in mice induces islet iNOS activity. Moreover, addition of NO gas or an NO donor inhibited glucose-stimulated insulin release, and different NOS inhibitors effected a potentiation. These effects were evident also in K+-depolarized islets in the presence of the ATP-sensitive K+ channel opener diazoxide. Furthermore, our results emphasize the necessity of measuring islet NOS activity when using NOS inhibitors, because certain concentrations of certain NOS inhibitors might unexpectedly stimulate islet NO production. This is shown by the observation that 0.5 mmol/l of the NOS inhibitor N G-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMMA) stimulated cNOS activity in parallel with an inhibition of the first phase of glucose-stimulated insulin release in perifused rats islets, whereas 5.0 mmol/l of l-NMMA markedly suppressed cNOS activity concomitant with a great potentiation of the insulin secretory response. The data strongly suggest, but do not definitely prove, that glucose indeed has the ability to stimulate both cNOS and iNOS in the islets and that NO might serve as a negative feedback inhibitor of glucose-stimulated insulin release. The results also suggest that hyperglycemia-evoked islet NOS activity might be one of multiple factors involved in the impairment of glucose-stimulated insulin release in type II diabetes mellitus.

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