title: Heparin and low molecular weight heparin decrease nitric oxide production by human polymorphonuclear cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heparin and heparin derivatives with low anticoagulant activity exhibit a wide spectrum of biological functions affecting adhesion, activation and trafficking of leukocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the in vitro effect of heparin and a low molecular weight heparin derivative (LMWH) on nitric oxide (NO) production by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN).
  
  
  RESULTS
  N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP)-stimulated NO production was significantly decreased by heparin at doses of 0.5 and 5 micrograms/mL, while LMWH was only effective at doses of 50 and 200 micrograms/mL by means of a mechanism not related to NO synthase (NOS) activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results support the hypothesis that heparin and LMWH derivatives may offer therapeutic benefit for inflammatory diseases where NO plays a protagonic role.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Farmacología, Centro de Química Farmacéutica, La Habana, Cuba. cqf@infomed.sld.cu
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Beltrán
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Concepción
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Manzanares
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Glaria
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rojas
mesh_terms: D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008706:Methemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; D006493:Heparin; D008706:Methemoglobin