Showing papers by "Fulton T. Crews published in 1995"

Angiotensin II decreases inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in rat astroglial cultures

Abstract: Consistent with stimulation of expression of an inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), exposure of rat astroglial cultures to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) caused a time-dependent increase in the accumulation of nitrite in the culture media. Addition of the peptide angiotensin II (ANG II) with LPS decreased subsequent formation of nitrite in a concentration-dependent manner (concentration inhibiting 50% of maximal response approximately 1 nM). The ANG II effect could be blocked by the ANG II type 1 (AT1 receptor antagonist losartan but not by the ANG II type 2 (AT2) receptor antagonist PD-123177. ANG II had no effect on nitrite formation stimulated by a combination of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon-gamma). A brief 10-min exposure to ANG II was sufficient to cause an approximately 30% inhibition of the LPS response, with maximal inhibition of approximately 65% after 3 h, and occurred only when ANG II was added during the iNOS induction phase. Consistent with partial inhibition of LPS-stimulated expression of iNOS, ANG II reduced the levels of both iNOS mRNA and iNOS protein. These results demonstrate that ANG II can decrease LPS-stimulated NO production in astroglia by inhibiting induction of iNOS expression.

Age does not alter protein kinase C isozymes mRNA expression in rat brain

Abstract: Calcium and phospholipid dependent Protein kinase C (PKC) may play a role in memory function and pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Abnormal phosphorylation by PKC as well as reduced levels of PKC has been implicated in the neurodegeneration associated with AD and aging. Recently, many subtypes of PKC isozymes have been identified by molecular biology techniques which are expressed differentially in various regions of the brain. The reduction and alterations in the activities and distribution of these subtypes of PKC isozymes may be accountable for the decline of selective neurons during aging. In order to investigate the role of PKC isozymes during aging, we examined the distribution of PKC-α, β, and γ mRNA, expressions between young (4 months) and old (25 months) rat brains using in situ hybridization histochemistry. Our studies showed that signals of three isoforms of PKC mRNA vary in cortical and hippocampal regions. However, no change was detected in any of the PKC isoforms mRNA expressions in aged animals.