Increased hepatic expression of nitric oxide synthase type II in cirrhotic rats.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the role and effect of nitric oxide synthase type II (NOSII) in cirrhotic rats.


METHODS
Expression of NOSII mRNA was detected by real time RT-PCR. The activity of nitric oxide synthase and serum levels of NO, systemic and portal hemodynamics and degrees of cirrhosis were measured with high sensitive methods. Chinese traditional medicine tetrandrine was used to treat cirrhotic rats and to evaluate the function of NO. Double-blind method was applied during the experiment.


RESULTS
The concentration of NO and the activity of NOS were increased markedly at all stages of cirrhosis, and iNOSmRNA was greatly expressed. Meanwhile the portal-venous-pressure (PVP), and portal-venous-flow (PVF) were significantly increased. NO, NOS and iNOSmRNA were positively correlated to the quantity of hepatic fibrosis. Tetrandrine significantly inhibited NO production and the expression of iNOSmRNA.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased hepatic expression of NOSII is one of the important causes of hepatic cirrhosis and portal hypertension.
Wang
Hai
H
Liver Center of Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China.
Chen
Xiao-Ping
XP
Qiu
Fa-Zu
FZ
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000470:Alkaloids; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; C009438:tetrandrine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat