title: Increased disease activity in eNOS-deficient mice in experimental colitis.
abstract: Oral dextran sodium sulfate (DSS, 3%) produces experimental colitis with many features of human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), (leukocyte extravasation, cachexia, and histopathology). Previous studies suggest that the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in blood cells or in the endothelium contribute to this injury. However, until now no study has been performed to directly evaluate the role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in IBD. We compared disease activity in wild-type (eNOS+/+) and eNOS-deficient (eNOS-/-) mice in the DSS model of colitis. Administration of DSS induced weight loss, stool blood, and overt histopathology in both mouse strains. Disease activity was dramatically increased in eNOS-/- mice compared to wild types. Histologically, eNOS-deficient mice had greater leukocyte infiltration, gut injury, and expressed higher levels of the mucosal addressin, MAdCAM-1. These results demonstrate that eNOS plays an important role in limiting injury to the intestine during experimental colitis and altered eNOS content and/or activity may contribute to human IBD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bharwani
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Elrod
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Grisham
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lefer
authors.forename: J Steven
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Alexander
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D003092:Colitis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009088:Mucoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D007136:Immunoglobulins; C504265:MADCAM1 protein, human; C489082:Madcam1 protein, mouse; D009088:Mucoproteins; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496315:Nos3 protein, mouse