title: Increased expression of endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase in rat aorta during pregnancy.
abstract: The mechanisms underlying enhanced vascular reactivity in pregnancy are not yet defined. In this study we have investigated the potential role of endothelium-derived vasodilator nitric oxide (EDNO). EDNO-mediated dilatory responses in vitro were markedly increased in aorta of pregnant as compared with nonpregnant rats. This increase in EDNO-releasability was accompanied by a two-fold increase in mRNA of endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase (NOS-III). Chronically substituted estrogen, but neither progesterone nor testosterone induced an upregulation of NOS-III mRNA in aorta of gonadectomized rats which amounted to about half that induced in aorta of pregnant rats. Thus, increased EDNO-releasability and increased NOS-III mRNA contribute to enhanced vascular reactivity in pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Goetz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Morano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Calovini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Studer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holtz
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000201:enzymology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000201:enzymology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D004958:Estradiol; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases