title: Regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 by nitric oxide in activated hepatic macrophages during acute endotoxemia.
abstract: Eicosanoids generated via cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nitric oxide produced from inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOSII) have been implicated in endotoxin-induced tissue injury. In the present studies, we characterized COX-2 and NOSII activity in rat hepatic macrophages and their interaction during acute endotoxemia. Kupffer cells from control animals were found to constitutively express COX-2 and NOSII mRNA and protein. Whereas treatment of the cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and/or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) had no major effect on COX-2, NOSII expression increased. Induction of acute endotoxemia resulted in a rapid and transient increase in constitutive COX-2 expression and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production by liver macrophages as well as NOSII expression and nitric oxide release. Cells from endotoxin-treated rats were also sensitized to generate more nitric oxide and express increased NOSII in response to LPS and IFN-gamma. Inhibition of NOSII with aminoguanidine reduced COX-2 mRNA and protein expression as well as PGE2 production by activated macrophages from endotoxemic, but not control animals. In contrast, SC236, a specific COX-2 inhibitor, had no effect on NOSII mRNA or protein levels or on nitric oxide production by hepatic macrophages, even after endotoxin administration. These data suggest that activation of COX-2 may be important in the pathophysiological response of hepatic macrophages to endotoxin. Moreover, nitric oxide is involved in regulating COX-2 in activated liver macrophages during acute endotoxemia.
authors.affiliation: Rutgers University and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
authors.forename: Nosheen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Li C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Marion A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Laskin
authors.forename: Debra L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Laskin
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006146:Guanidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D004731:Endotoxins; D006146:Guanidines; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D015232:Dinoprostone; C004479:pimagedine