Cat carotid body chemosensory responses to non-hypoxic stimuli are inhibited by sodium nitroprusside in situ and in vitro

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant role of resveratrol on nicotine-induced lung changes in male rats

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Nicotine decreased the antioxidant capacities in male rats.

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The lung of nicotine-treated rats showed severe congestion of the alveolar lung tissues.

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Resveratrol exerts its protective effect by alleviating the extent of oxidative status induced by nicotine.

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Resveratrol improve the enzymatic/non-enzymatic antioxidant defense system in rats treated with combination of nicotine and resveratrol.

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Resveratrol decreases the pathological changes in animals against the lung damage caused by nicotine.

Male albino rats of Wistar strain were injected intraperitoneally with nicotine or/and resveratrol for 4 weeks. Serum Interleukin-2, Interleukin-6, alpha-fetoprotein and tumor necrosis-alpha, as well as plasma 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine of nicotine-treated rats were increased significantly. Myeloperoxidase, xanthine oxidase, nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation and total oxidative status of the lung in nicotine-treated rats were increased significantly, which were brought down to normal in resveratrol co-treated group. Endogenous antioxidant status as the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases were found to be decreased significantly in the lung of the nicotine-treated group, which were significantly raised in resveratrol-administered groups. The non-enzymatic antioxidants as total antioxidant and thiol levels were decreased significantly as the effect of nicotine that was effectively enhanced by resveratrol treatment. The lung of nicotine-treated rats showed severe congestion of the alveolar lung tissues with scattered congestion per bronchiolar and perivascular cells, as well as, inflammatory cells were observed. The data suggested that resveratrol exerts its protective effect by modulating the extent of oxidative status and improving the enzymatic/non-enzymatic antioxidant defense system, moreover, decreases the pathological changes in animals against the lung damage caused by nicotine.

A role for nitric oxide in the control of breathing in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous neurotransmitter, which in adult mammals, modulates the acute hypoxic ventilatory response; its role in the control of breathing in fish during development is unknown. We addressed the interactive effects of developmental age and NO in the control of piscine breathing by measuring the ventilatory response of zebrafish (Danio rerio) adults and larvae to NO donors and by inhibiting endogenous production of NO. In adults, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, inhibited ventilation; the extent of the ventilatory inhibition was related to the pre-existing ventilatory drive, with the greatest inhibition exhibited during exposure to hypoxia (PO2=5.6 kPa). Inhibition of endogenous NO production using L-NAME supressed the hypoventilatory response to hyperoxia, supporting an inhibitory role of NO in adult zebrafish. Neuroepithelial cells, the putative oxygen chemoreceptors of fish, contain neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). In zebrafish larvae at 4 days post fertilization, SNP increased ventilation in a concentration-dependent manner. Inhibition of NOS activity with L-NAME or knockdown of nNOS inhibited the hypoxic (PO2=3.5 kPa) ventilatory response. Immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of nNOS in the NECs of larvae. Taken together, these data suggest that NO plays an inhibitory role in the control ventilation in adult zebrafish, but an excitatory role in larvae.

Peripheral chemoreceptors: function and plasticity of the carotid body

The discovery of the sensory nature of the carotid body dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Following these seminal discoveries, research into carotid body mechanisms moved forward progressively through the 20th century, with many descriptions of the ultrastructure of the organ and stimulus-response measurements at the level of the whole organ. The later part of 20th century witnessed the first descriptions of the cellular responses and electrophysiology of isolated and cultured type I and type II cells, and there now exist a number of testable hypotheses of chemotransduction. The goal of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of current concepts on sensory transduction and transmission of the hypoxic stimulus at the carotid body with an emphasis on integrating cellular mechanisms with the whole organ responses and highlighting the gaps or discrepancies in our knowledge. It is increasingly evident that in addition to hypoxia, the carotid body responds to a wide variety of blood-borne stimuli, including reduced glucose and immune-related cytokines and we therefore also consider the evidence for a polymodal function of the carotid body and its implications. It is clear that the sensory function of the carotid body exhibits considerable plasticity in response to the chronic perturbations in environmental O2 that is associated with many physiological and pathological conditions. The mechanisms and consequences of carotid body plasticity in health and disease are discussed in the final sections of this article.

Autonomic innervation of the carotid body: role in efferent inhibition

The carotid body (CB) is a chemosensory organ that monitors blood chemicals and initiates compensatory reflex adjustments to maintain homeostasis. The 'afferent' sensory discharge induced by changes in blood chemicals, e.g. low PO(2) (hypoxia), is relayed by carotid sinus nerve (CSN) fibers and has been well studied. Much less is known, however, about a parallel autonomic (parasympathetic) 'efferent' pathway that is the source of CB inhibition. This pathway is the focus of this review which begins with a historical account of the early findings and links them to more recent data on the source of this innervation, and the role of endogenous neurotransmitters in efferent inhibition. We review evidence that these autonomic neurons are embedded in 'paraganglia' within the glossopharyngeal (GPN) and CSN nerves, and for the role of nitric oxide (NO) in mediating efferent inhibition. Finally, we discuss recent data linking the action of hypoxia and a key CB neurotransmitter, i.e. ATP, to potential mechanisms for activating this efferent pathway.

Gene transfer of neuronal nitric oxide synthase to carotid body reverses enhanced chemoreceptor function in heart failure rabbits

Our previous studies showed that decreased nitric oxide (NO) production enhanced carotid body (CB) chemoreceptor activity in chronic heart failure (CHF) rabbits. In the present study, we investigated the effects of neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) gene transfer on CB chemoreceptor activity in CHF rabbits. The nNOS protein expression and NO production were suppressed in CBs (P<0.05) of CHF rabbits, but were increased 3 days after application of an adenovirus expressing nNOS (Ad.nNOS) to the CB. As a control, nNOS and NO levels in CHF CBs were not affected by Ad.EGFP. Baseline single-fiber discharge during normoxia and the response to hypoxia were enhanced (P<0.05) from CB chemoreceptors in CHF versus sham rabbits. Ad.nNOS decreased the baseline discharge (4.5+/-0.3 versus 7.3+/-0.4 imp/s at 105+/-1.9 mm Hg) and the response to hypoxia (18.3+/-1.2 imp/s versus 35.6+/-1.1 at 40+/-2.1 mm Hg) from CB chemoreceptors in CHF rabbits (Ad.nNOS CB versus contralateral noninfected CB respectively, P<0.05). A specific nNOS inhibitor, S-Methyl-L-thiocitrulline (SMTC), fully inhibited the effect of Ad.nNOS on the enhanced CB activity in CHF rabbits. In addition, nNOS gene transfer to the CBs also significantly blunted the baseline renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and the response of RSNA to hypoxia in CHF rabbits (P<0.05). These results indicate that decreased endogenous nNOS activity in the CB plays an important role in the enhanced activity of the CB chemoreceptors and peripheral chemoreflex function in CHF rabbits.

Attenuated outward potassium currents in carotid body glomus cells of heart failure rabbit: involvement of nitric oxide

It has been shown that peripheral chemoreceptor sensitivity is enhanced in both clinical and experimental heart failure (HF) and that impairment of nitric oxide (NO) production contributes to this enhancement. In order to understand the cellular mechanisms associated with the alterations of chemoreceptor function and the actions of NO in the carotid body (CB), we compared the outward K+ currents (IK) of glomus cells in sham rabbits with that in HF rabbits and monitored the effects of NO on these currents. Ik was measured in glomus cells using conventional and perforated whole-cell configurations. IK was attenuated in glomus cells of HF rabbits, and their resting membrane potentials (-34.7 +/- 1.0 mV) were depolarized as compared with those in sham rabbits (-47.2 +/- 1.9 mV). The selective Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channel (KCa) blocker iberiotoxin (IbTx, 100 nm) reduced IK in glomus cells from sham rabbits, but had no effect on IK from HF rabbits. In perforated whole-cell mode, the NO donor SNAP (100 microm) increased IK in glomus cells from HF rabbits to a greater extent than that in sham rabbits (P < 0.01), and IbTx inhibited the effects of SNAP. However, in conventional whole-cell mode, SNAP had no effect. N omega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, NO synthase inhibitor) decreased Ik in sham rabbits but not in HF rabbits. The guanylate cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazole[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) inhibited the effect of SNAP on Ik. These results demonstrate that IK is reduced in CB glomus cells from HF rabbits. This effect is due mainly to the suppression of KCa channel activity caused by decreased availability of NO. In addition, intracellular cGMP is necessary for the KCa channel modulation by NO.

Inhibitory effects of NO on carotid body: contribution of neural and endothelial nitric oxide synthase isoforms

We tested the hypothesis that nitric oxide (NO) produced within the carotid body is a tonic inhibitor of chemoreception and determined the contribution of neuronal and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) isoforms to the inhibitory NO effect. Accordingly, we studied the effect of NO generated from S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamide (SNAP) and compared the effects of the nonselective inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) and the selective nNOS inhibitor 1-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)-imidazole (TRIM) on chemosensory dose-response curves induced by nicotine and NaCN and responses to hypoxia (Po(2) approximately 30 Torr). CBs excised from pentobarbitone-anesthetized cats were perfused in vitro with Tyrode at 38 degrees C and pH 7.40, and chemosensory discharges were recorded from the carotid sinus nerve. SNAP (100 microM) reduced the responses to nicotine and NaCN. l-NAME (1 mM) enhanced the responses to nicotine and NaCN by increasing their duration, but TRIM (100 microM) only enhanced the responses to high doses of NaCN. The amplitude of the response to hypoxia was enhanced by l-NAME but not by TRIM. Our results suggest that both isoforms contribute to the NO action, but eNOS being the main source for NO in the cat CB and exerting a tonic effect upon chemoreceptor activity.

Carotid body chemosensory excitation induced by nitric oxide: involvement of oxidative metabolism

Nitric oxide (NO) produces a dual effect on carotid body (CB) oxygen chemoreception. At low concentration, NO inhibits chemosensory response to hypoxia, while in normoxia, medium and high [NO] increases the frequency of carotid chemosensory discharges (f(x)). Since NO and peroxynitrite inhibit mitochondrial respiration, it is plausible that the NO-induced excitation may depend on the mitochondrial oxidative metabolism. To test this hypothesis, we studied the effects of oligomycin, FCCP and antimycin A that produce selective blockade of hypoxic and NaCN-induced chemosensory responses, leaving nicotinic response less affected. CBs excised from pentobarbitone-anaesthetised cats were perfused in vitro with Tyrode (P(O(2)) approximately 125 Torr, pH 7.40 at 38 degrees C). Hypoxia (P(O(2)) approximately equal 30 Torr), NaCN and nicotine (1-100 microg) and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamide (SNAP, 300-600 microg) increased f(x). Oligomycin (12.5-25 microg), antimycin A (10 microg) and FCCP (5 microM) transiently increased f(x). Subsequently, chemosensory responses to hypoxia, NaCN and SNAP were reduced or abolished, while the response to nicotine was less affected. The electron donor system tetramethyl-p-phenylene diamide and ascorbate that bypasses the electron chain blockade produced by antimycin A, restores the excitatory responses to NaCN and SNAP. Present results suggest that the chemoexcitatory effect of NO depends on the integrity of mitochondrial metabolism.

Nicotine modulates nitric oxide in rat brain

Nicotine exerts its central actions by regulating cationic fluxes through nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). By this effect, the drug likely also modifies events occurring beyond the nAChR, including the regulation of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. The present study was undertaken to assess the effects of acute and chronic nicotine administration (0.4 mg/kg, s.c.) on levels of NO(-)(2)+NO(-)(3), stable metabolites of NO, in brain regions of male and female rats. Nicotine increased levels of the metabolites, and therefore presumably of NO, with sex differences in the degree of stimulation, the brain regions affected, and the variance between the effects of acute and chronic administration. Prior inhibition of NO synthase eliminated the effect of nicotine in all regions studied. While nicotine appeared to increase NO indirectly via glutamate receptors in the cortex and hippocampus, this was not true of the corpus striatum, where blocking NMDA-type glutamate receptors with MK-801 had no effect. The findings support the view that NO is likely involved in some of the central effects of nicotine.

Dual effects of nitric oxide on cat carotid body chemoreception

We studied the effects of nitric oxide (NO) released by NO donors on cat carotid body (CB) chemosensory activity during normoxia and hypoxia. CBs excised from pentobarbital sodium-anaesthetized cats were perfused with Tyrode at 38 degrees C and pH 7.40. The frequency of chemosensory discharges (f(x)) was recorded from the carotid sinus nerve, and changes of NO concentration were measured by a chronoamperometric technique, with NO-selective carbon-fiber microelectrodes inserted in the CB. During steady chemosensory excitation induced by hypoxia, bolus injections of NO (DeltaNO = 0. 5-12 microM), released by S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) and 6-(2-hydroxy-1-methyl-nitrosohydrazino)-N-methyl-1-hexanamine++ + (NOC-9), transiently reduced f(x) in a dose-dependent manner. However, during normoxia, the same concentration of NO (DeltaNO = 0. 5-13 microM) released by the NO donors increased f(x) in a dose-dependent manner. The present results show a dual effect of NO on CB chemoreception that is dependent on the PO(2) levels. During hypoxia, NO is predominantly an inhibitor of chemoreception, whereas, in normoxia, NO increased f(x). The mechanisms by which NO produces chemosensory excitation during normoxia remain to be determined.

Effects of nitric oxide gas on cat carotid body chemosensory response to hypoxia

It has been proposed that nitric oxide (NO) is an inhibitory modulator of carotid body (CB) chemoreception to hypoxia. However, the effects of NO gas on carotid chemoreception have not been tested yet. The role played by NO has been revealed by the use of pharmacological tools (i.e., NO donors and NO synthase inhibitors). Here, we studied the effects of NO gas (25 ppm in N(2)) on the chemosensory response to hypoxia (PO(2) approximately 30 Torr) in the cat CB perfused in vitro. During steady hypoxic chemoreceptor excitation, bolus injections or perfusion of Tyrode equilibrated with NO reduced the increased frequency of carotid chemosensory discharges (f(x)). Perfusion for 2 min of Tyrode equilibrated with NO also reduced the rate of the rise of the chemosensory response, as well as the maximal amplitude, as compared with the normal chemosensory response to hypoxia. Present results provide direct evidence that NO gas is an inhibitory modulator of CB hypoxic chemoreception.

Modulatory effect of nitric oxide on acetylcholine-induced activation of cat petrosal ganglion neurons in vitro

The inhibitory effect of nitric oxide (NO) on carotid chemosensory responses to hypoxia has been attributed in part to an antidromic inhibition of chemoreceptor cells activity. However, NO may also modulate the activity of the primary sensory neurons because NO is produced in the soma of these neurons located in the petrosal ganglion. Since a population of petrosal neurons is selectively activated by acetylcholine (ACh), we studied the effects of NO-donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), and the NO-synthase inhibitor, Nomega-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), on the responses evoked in the carotid sinus nerve (CSN) by ACh applied to the petrosal ganglion in vitro. ACh (1 microgram-1 mg) increased the frequency of action potentials recorded from the CSN in a dose-dependent manner. SNP (10-50 microM) reduced the sensibility and amplitude of the CSN response to ACh, although the maximal response appears less affected. The withdrawal of SNP from the superfusion medium increased the sensibility of the responses to ACh. l-NAME (1-2 mM) slightly increased the sensibility of the ACh-induced responses, effect that persisted after l-NAME withdrawal. These results suggest that NO may play a role as modulator in this autonomic primary sensory ganglion.

Sodium nitroprusside blocks the cat carotid chemosensory inhibition induced by dopamine, but not that by hyperoxia

We studied the effects of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), and the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on cat chemosensory responses to intravenous injections of NaCN (0.1-100 microg/kg) and dopamine (0. 1-20 microg/kg), and to hyperoxic ventilation (100% O2, 60-120 s). Cats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbitone, paralyzed and artificially ventilated to prevent secondary ventilatory effects. The frequency of chemosensory discharges (fx) was recorded from one sectioned carotid sinus nerve. L-NAME (50 mg/kg i.v.) increased basal fx and slightly potentiated the responses to NaCN and dopamine. SNP (1-2 mg/kg i.v.) increased basal fx, but reduced the NaCN-induced increases of fx over baseline and the transient fx inhibitions induced by dopamine, but not those produced by hyperoxia. Present results indicate that besides the known inhibitory effect of NO on chemosensory responses to low PO2, NO also blocks the chemosensory response to dopamine, leaving hyperoxic responses largely unchanged.