Suppression of caspase-3 and nitric-oxide synthase-2 during buccal mucosal ulcer healing: effect of chronic alcohol ingestion.
In this study, we analyzed the effect of chronic alcohol ingestion on the expression of constitutive (cNOS) and inducible (NOS-2) nitric-oxide synthase and the activity of an apoptotic protease, caspase-3, during buccal mucosal ulcer healing in rats maintained for 5 weeks on alcohol-containing or control liquid diet. In comparison with the controls, the ulcer onset in the alcohol group was characterized by a 2.5-fold greater epithelial cells apoptosis, 2.1-fold greater expression of caspase-3 activity, and a 1.4-fold greater enhancement in NOS-2, but expression of cNOS showed a 1.3-fold decrease. In both groups the ulcer healing was accompanied by a gradual decline in apoptosis, caspase-3, and NOS-2 and a recovery in cNOS activity, but the changes were considerably slower in the alcohol diet group, as manifested by a 40%(4 days) delay in ulcer healing. These results suggest that chronic alcohol ingestion interferes with the suppression of NOS-2 and the apoptotic events propagated by caspase-3 and hence affects the efficiency of oral mucosal repair process.
Slomiany
B L
BL
Research Center, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark Dental School 07103-2400, USA. slomiabr@umdnj.edu
Piotrowski
J
J
Slomiany
A
A
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014945:Wound Healing
D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases