title: eNOS and prostanoid enzymes in lungs of newborn piglets with chronic aortopulmonary shunts.
abstract: Our purpose was to determine if abundance of proteins underlying nitric oxide (NO) and prostanoid production is altered in lungs of piglets with aortopulmonary shunts. We also evaluated whether shunted piglets exhibit abnormal pulmonary vascular responses to ACh, an endothelium-dependent agent that mediates dilation in part by NO and prostanoid release. At age 4-5 days, piglets underwent either a sham operation or placement of an aortopulmonary shunt. At age 5-6 wk, pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) and cardiac output by the thermodilution technique were measured in anesthetized piglets. Ppa responses to the endothelium-dependent agent, ACh, and to a non-endothelium-dependent agent, papaverine, were measured in perfused lungs. An immunoblot technique was applied to homogenates of whole lung tissue and two size groups of pulmonary arteries. In shunted piglets, Ppa and cardiac output were elevated, and Ppa responses to papaverine were reduced. ACh responses were not decreased when expressed relative to Ppa dilation with papaverine. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), cyclooxygenase-1, cyclooxygenase-2, prostacyclin synthase, and thromboxane synthase amounts were unaltered in all lung tissue homogenates. Altered abundance of eNOS and/or prostanoid enzymes does not contribute to the blunted dilation and the elevation in Ppa associated with aortopulmonary shunts in newborn piglets.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA. cfike@wfubmc.edu
authors: C D
authors: CD
authors: Fike
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Kaplowitz
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bousamra
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002302:Cardiac Output; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D010208:Papaverine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013552:Swine; D013930:Thromboxane-A Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011453:Prostaglandins; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D010208:Papaverine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; C022461:prostacyclin synthetase; D013930:Thromboxane-A Synthase; D000109:Acetylcholine