title: Regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA expression and nitric oxide production by lipopolysaccharide in vivo: the roles of macrophages, endogenous IFN-gamma, and TNF receptor-1-mediated signaling.
abstract: To evaluate potential roles for macrophages, IFN-gamma, and TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) in the regulation of LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression, we used a model of macrophage depletion as well as IFN-gamma (GKO) and TNFR1 (TNFR1 -/-) knockout mice. LPS-induced iNOS mRNA in spleen was ablated in both macrophage-depleted and GKO mice. In livers of macrophage-depleted mice, LPS-induced iNOS mRNA was reduced by 55 to 85%, with the most profound reductions detected 6 and 8 h after LPS injection. In GKO mice, peak iNOS mRNA expression in liver (3 h) was unaffected by the loss of endogenous IFN-gamma. By 6 to 12 h after LPS challenge, however, hepatic LPS-induced iNOS mRNA and serum nitrate/nitrite levels were reduced substantially in GKO mice. Residual LPS-induced iNOS mRNA in livers of GKO mice was nearly ablated by macrophage depletion, indicating that induction of iNOS mRNA in liver requires both endogenous IFN-gamma and either macrophages and/or macrophage-derived factors. TNFR1-mediated signaling was involved in the induction of LPS-induced iNOS mRNA in liver at 3 and 6 h, but not in its maintenance at 8 h. Conversely, induction of iNOS mRNA in spleen by LPS was independent of TNFR1-mediated signaling. Our results indicate that macrophages and/or their secreted products, endogenous IFN-gamma production, and TNFR1-mediated signaling play key roles in the in vivo regulation of iNOS mRNA expression and that the extent of their involvement is both time and organ specific.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Salkowski
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Detore
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McNally
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Rooijen
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Vogel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000172:deficiency / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000172:deficiency*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase