title: Short-circuiting autoimmune disease by target-tissue-derived nitric oxide.
abstract: A previous report from this laboratory suggested that expression of skeletal-muscle-derived, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), is associated with resistance to the autoimmune model of myasthenia gravis (MG) demonstrated by Wistar Furth rats following the passive transfer of antibody reactive with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR). The study reported below demonstrates an association between increased expression of iNOS/NO in Wistar Furth rats and the induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis) in both macrophages and CD4+ T cells that attempt to traffic through targeted muscles. It is concluded that production of muscle-derived NO is protective in experimental MG, and in part, dictates the severity of eventual immunopathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78231, USA.
authors.forename: Yvonne R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Krolick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051381:Rats; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat