• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.337-341
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• 2006

The present study was designed to investigate the protein expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and guanylyl cyclase (GC) activity in ischemia/perfusion (I/R) renal injury in rats. Renal I/R injury was experimentally induced by clamping the both renal pedicle for 40 min in Sprague-Dawley male rats. The renal expression of NOS isoforms was determined by Western blot analysis, and the activity of guanylyl cyclase was determined by the amount of guanosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) formed in response to sodium nitroprusside (SNP), NO donor. I/R injury resulted in renal failure associated with decreased urine osmolality. The expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) was increased in I/R injury rats compared with controls, while endothelial NOS (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) expression was decreased. The urinary excretion of NO metabolites was decreased in I/R injury rats. The cGMP production provoked by SNP was decreased in the papilla, but not in glomerulus. These results indicate an altered regulation of NOS expression and guanylyl cyclase activity in I/R-induced nephropathy.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.233-239
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• 1995

To verify the effect of immunosuppressants on the endotoxin-induced increase in iNOS activity, the action of immunosuppressants, dexamethasone (1.5 mg/kg), azathioprine (5 mg/kg/day) and cyclosporine (10 mg/kg), were evaluated in mice pretreated with LPS. The intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (10 mg/kg) increased the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in the brain and liver to maximum at 1 and 3 hours, respectively. The increase in NOS activity was blocked by the treatment with NOS inhibitor, LNAME(300 mg/kg) and aminoguanidine(100 mg/kg); a protein inhibitor, cycloheximide (10 mg/kg); and a transcription inhibitor of inducible NOS(iNOS), dexamethasone(1.5 mg/kg). Immunosuppressants, azathioprine (5 mg/kg) and cyclosporine (10 mg/kg), effectively blocked the increase in NOS activity. These results suggest that iNOS expression plays an important role in LPS-induced the increase in NOS activity and that immunosuppressants can be used as candidate for therapeutic agents in endotoxemia.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.1048-1053
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• 2009

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of chitosan on nitric oxide (NO) content and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity in serum, and relative expression of iNOS mRNA in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of broiler chickens. A total of 240 one-day-old Arbor Acre mixed-sex broiler chickens were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments with five replicates in each treatment and eight chickens in each replicate. The broiler chickens in the six treatments were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 0.05, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 g/kg chitosan. The trial lasted for 42 days. The results showed that dietary chitosan enhanced NO content and iNOS activity in serum as well as iNOS mRNA expression in the duodenum and ileum of broiler chickens in a quadratic dose-dependent manner (p<0.05), and improved jejunum iNOS mRNA expression in a quadratic dose-dependent manner (p<0.10) with increasing addition of chitosan. Chicks fed a diet containing 0.5-1.0 g/kg chitosan had higher NO content and iNOS activity in serum as well as small-intestinal iNOS mRNA expression compared with birds given the control diet, but positive effects of chitosan tended to be suppressed when addition of chitosan in the diet was increased to 2.0 g/kg. These results implied that there was a threshold level of chitosan inclusion beyond which progressive reductions in serum NO content and small intestinal iNOS expression occured, and the regulation of chitosan on immune functions in chickens is probably associated with activated expression of iNOS and NO secretion.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.141-146
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• 2012

Veronica peregrina (Scrophylariaceae) has been widely used as a Korean traditional medicine for the treatment of various pathological conditions including infection, hemorrhage and gastric ulcer. In the current study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of methanolic extracts of V. Peregrina (VPM) on the LPS-mediated nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse (C57BL/6) peritoneal macrophages. NO production was significantly down-regulated by the treatment of VPM dose dependently. To evaluate the mechanism of the inhibitory action of VPM on NO production, we performed iNOS enzyme activity assay and checked the change of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels by Western blotting. Although VPM did not affect iNOS enzyme activity, iNOS protein expression was attenuated by VPM indicating VPM inhibits NO production via suppression of iNOS enzyme expression. In addition, VPM attenuated the expression of another pro-inflammatory mediator such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a dose dependent manner. We also found that VPM can reduce trypsin-induced paw edema in mice. Based on this study, we suggest that V. peregrina may be beneficial in diseases which related to macrophage-mediated inflammatory disorders.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.99-103
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• 2009

The in-vitro immunomodulatory function of murine natural-killer (NK) cells induced by red-ginseng acidic polysaccharide (RGAP) in ovariectomized (OVX) rats was examined in this study. The IL-2-induced NK cell activity was significantly decreased in the OVX rats compared to the sham groups, but the normally induced NK cell activity was not. RGAP, however, increased the NK cell activity in both groups, and this effect involved iNOS expression. The inhibition of iNOS activity did not increase the NK cell cytotoxicity by RGAP in the OVX rats. The data that were obtained also demonstrated that the expression of iNOS was increased in the spleen of the OVX rats. These results indicate that RGAP increases the tumoricidal activity of the NK cell in the OVX rats, which is a primed or activated state of innate immune cells resulting from the changes in cytokine production induced by estrogen-deficient stress. Therefore, RGAP has a synergistic effect on the NK cell activities, which are regulated by the iNOS signals in OVX rats. This suggests that RGAP is useful for potential therapeutic strategies as a nutrient in regulating the NK cells in OVX rats.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.9
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• pp.629-634
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• 2010

Endotoxin including lipopolysaccharide (LPS) confers organ tolerance against subsequent challenge by ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) insult. The mechanisms underlying this powerful adaptive defense remain to be defined. Therefore, in this study we attempted to determine whether nitric oxide (NO) and its associated enzymes, inducible NOS (iNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS, a constitutive NOS), are associated with LPS-induced renal tolerance against I/R injury, using iNOS (iNOS knock-out) or eNOS (eNOS knock-out) gene-deleted mice. A systemic low dose of LPS pretreatment protected kidney against I/R injury. LPS treatment increased the activity and expression of iNOS, but not eNOS, in kidney tissue. LPS pretreatment in iNOS, but not eNOS, knock-out mice did not protect kidney against I/R injury. In conclusion, the kidney tolerance to I/R injury conferred by pretreatment with LPS is mediated by increased expression and activation of iNOS.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.271-277
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• 2010

We tested to determine if Mori Cortex Radicis extract has antioxidant activities and its potential mechanism of action was explored. Anti-oxidative effects were tested by measuring free radical and nitric Oxide (NO) scavenging activity, and reducing power. Since iNOS and COX-2 are important enzymes responsible for the production of free radicals in the cell, Mori Cortex Radicis extract was tested as to whether it could inhibit iNOS and COX-2 expression in LPS stimulated Raw cells. 70% methanolic extract of Mori Cortex Radicis exerted significant DPPH free radical and NO scavenging activities. In addition, the Mori Cortex Radicis extract exerted dramatic reducing power with maximal activity observed at 1 mg/ml (11-fold over control). Production of iNOS induced by LPS was significantly inhibited by the Mori Cortex Radicis extract, suggesting it could inhibit NO production by suppressing iNOS expression. COX-2 induced by LPS was also significantly inhibited by the Mori Cortex Radicis extract. The extract contains well known antioxidant components including phenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanin at the concentration of 0.23 mg/g, 42.97 mg/g and 12.08 mg/g, respectively. These results suggest that 70% methanolic extract of Mori Cortex Radicis exerts significant anti-oxidant activity via inhibiting iNOS and COX-2 induction.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2008

Purpose: The nitric oxide (NO) release by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is the key events in macrophage response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which is suggested to be a crucial mediator for inflammatory and innate immune responses. NO is an important mediator involved in many host defense action and may also lead to a harmful host response to bacterial infection. However, given the importance of iNOS in a variety of pathophysiological conditions, control of its expression and signaling events in response to LPS has been the subject of considerable investigation. Materials and Methods: The Raw264.7 macrophage cell line was used to observe LPS-stimulated iNOS expression. The expression of iNOS is observed by Western blot analysis and real-time RT-PCR. Protein kinase C $(PKC)-{\alpha}$ overexpressing Raw264.7 cells are established to determine the involvement of $PKC-{\alpha}$ in LPS-mediated iNOS expression. $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity is measured by $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation and $NF-{\kappa}B$ luciferase activity assay. Results: We found that various PKC isozymes regulate LPS-induced iNOS expression at the transcriptional and translational levels. The involvement of $PKC-{\alpha}$ in LPS-mediated iNOS induction was further confirmed by increased iNOS expression in $PKC-{\alpha}$ overexpressing cells. $NF-{\kappa}B$ dependent transactivation by LPS was observed and $PKC-{\alpha}$ specific inhibitory peptide abolished this activation, indicating that $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation is dependent on $PKC-{\alpha}$. Conclusion: Our data suggests that $PKC-{\alpha}$ is involved in LPS-mediated iNOS expression and that its downstream target is $NF-{\kappa}B$. Although $PKC-{\alpha}$ is a crucial mediator in the iNOS regulation, other PKC isozymes may contribute LPS-stimulated iNOS expression. This finding is needed to be elucidated in further study.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.113-120
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• 1999

Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical synthesized from L-arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NOS). It is believed that NO is an important mediator in numerous physiological and inflammatory responses. Particularly, a large amount of NO released from the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is mostly associated with inflammatory processes. Overproduction of NO in these processes including sepsis and autoimmune diseases can have deleterious consequences and pathophysiologic relevance. Therefore, for the discovery of new inhibitory agents against iNOS activity, we have evaluated about 100 kinds of natural products after partition into three layers (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and aqueous) from 100% methanol extracts to study inhibitory effects on iNOS activity induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW264.7 cells culture system. As a positive control, curcumin, which is known as an anti-tumor promoter, anti-inflammatory agent as an iNOS inhibitor, was used and showed the dose-dependent inhibitory effect $(IC_{50},\;2.5\;{\mu}g/ml)$. Among tested fractions, the n-hexane fraction of Cimicifuga heracleifolia $(IC_{50}:\;9.65\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Forsythiae fructus $(IC_{50}:\;6.36\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Saposhnikovia divaricata $(IC_{50}:\;5.92\;{\mu}g/ml)$, and the ethyl acetate fraction of Chrysanthemum sibiricum $(IC_{50}:\;2.56\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Gastrodia elata $(IC_{50}:\;3.46\;{\mu}g/ml)$, and the aqueous fraction of Dianthus chinensis $(IC_{50}:\;6.73\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Euonymus alatus $(IC_{50}:\;6.78\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Mechania urticifoloria $(IC_{50}:\;8.01\;{\mu}g/ml)$ showed strong inhibitory activity against LPS-stimulated iNOS. Especially, the ethyl acetate fraction of Chrysanthemum sibiricum $(IC_{50}:\;2.56\;{\mu}g/ml)$, which exhibited the strongest inhibition against iNOS, was fractionated with silica-gel column chromatography. These subfractions exhibited dose-dependent inhibition against iNOS activity in the range of $2.59-5.6\;{\mu}g/ml$ except for fraction No. 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 16. Our study shows that Chrysanthemum sibiricum has the strongest inhibitory effect against iNOS activity and has similar effect to curcumin. Therefore, further studies for the identification of active principles from Chrysanthemum sibiricum and investigation for the mechanism of the inhibition of iNOS by active principles will be performed.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1 s.37
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• pp.151-160
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• 1999

Nitric oxide(NO) is synthesized via the oxidation of L-arginine by a family of nitric oxide synthases(NOS), which are either constitutive(cNOS) or inducible(iNOS). The induction of iNOS in tissues can lead to the sustained production of high concentrations of NO which may exert pro-inflammatory effects including vasodilation. edema, cyototoxicity, and its activity can be mediated by various pro-inflammatory cytokine, including interferon ${\gamma}(INF-{\gamma})$. tumor necrosis factor, IL- 1 and IL-6. The enzyme, iNOS, became a new target for pharmacologcal research with the aim to find new substances for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders. Murine macrophages produce large amounts of NO when activated with $TFN-{\gamma}$ plus LPS. The murine macrophage-like cell line, RAW 264.7, is a suitable cell model on which to perform vitro studies regarding the iNOS system. Semen jugrandis is a fatty walnut seed found in Korea. The walnut have been used in foik medicine to improve virility, to relieved asthma, and to relieve constipation. Sesquiterpenelactones were isolated from this plant. In the course of screening for NO inhibitory activity from medicnial plants, the aqueous extract of this plant was found to have a significant activity. The result are summarized as followings. 1. The viability of cells incubated in the presence of semen jugrandis increased mare than non incubated cells. 2. Semen jugrandis suppressed the production of NO in tissues dependent on density. 3. Semen jugrandis suppressed the induction of iNOS in tissues dependent on density can lead to reduced production of NO. 4. Semen jugrandis suppressed the production of superoxide in tissue depend on density. According to the above mentioned results, semen jugrandis could be applied production of NO and superoxide can lead to reduction of chronic inflammatary. And as a depence matter come into a virus of microbe and tumor cells.