Conclusion: eNOS expression is reduced in both aged human and aged mouse endothelium and eNOS expression is linked to aneurysm expansion in aged but not young adult mice. These findings support the relevance of age-associated changes in eNOS expression in clinical aneurysmal disease.
Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.”
“Peripheral nerve injury models are used to investigate processes that can potentially be exploited in CNS injury. A consistent change that occurs in injured peripheral neurons is an induction in expression of pituitary adenylyl cyclase activating peptide (PACAP), a neuropeptide with putative neuroprotective and neuritogenic actions. PACAP-deficient mice were used here to investigate MCC950 purchase actions of endogenous Taselisib cell line PACAP after facial nerve injury. Although motor neuron survival alter axotomy was not significantly different in PACAP deficient vs. wild type mice, recovery of axon regeneration after crush injury was significantly delayed. The impaired regeneration was associated with 8- to 12-fold increases in gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-a, interferon-gamma,
interleukin (IL) -6, and a 90% decrease in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 at the injury site. Similar cytokine changes and an increased microglial response were observed in the brainstem facial motor nucleus. Because immunocompromised animals such as SCID mice are known to exhibit peripheral nerve regeneration defects, the observations raise the novel hypothesis that PACAP is critically involved in a carefully controlled immune response
that is necessary for proper nerve regeneration after injury. (C) 2008 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Background: Serum levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM-1) shed from its membrane-bound form are elevated in hypertension. This study clarified the effects of sVCAM-1 on vascular responses in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs). Methods: Boyden chamber, 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine incorporation and ex vivo aortic ring assays for migration and proliferation, and Western blot for the kinase activity were used. Results: Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were compared functionally. sVCAM-1 increased RASMC migration and proliferation, Mephenoxalone which were greater in SHR compared with WKY rats. RASMCs expressed the very late antigen 4 alpha receptor integrin with no difference between SHR and WKY rats. Inhibitors of phosphoinositide kinase 3 (PI3K) and spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) and small interference RNA-Syk abolished the sVCAM-1-induced migration, proliferation and phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase. The phosphorylation of Syk was significantly greater in RASMCs from SHR than from WKY rats. sVCAM-1 increased aortic sprout outgrowth, which was inhibited by inhibitors of PI3K and Syk.