Effects of indoramin in rat vas deferens and aorta: concomitant alpha(1)-adrenoceptor and neuronal uptake blockade

1 the actions of the alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist indoramin have been examined against the contractions induced by noradrenaline in the rat vas deferens and aorta taking into account a putative neuronal uptake blocking activity of this antagonist which could. result in self-cancelling actions.2 Indoramin behaved as a simple competitive antagonist of the contractions induced by noradrenaline in the vas deferens and aorta yielding pA(2) values of 7.38 +/- 0.05 (slope = 0.98 +/- 0.03) and 6.78 +/- 0.14 (slope = 1.08 +/- 0.06), respectively.3 When the experiments were repeated in the presence of cocaine (6 mu M) the potency (pA(2)) of indoramin in antagonizing the contractions of the vas deferens to noradrenaline was increased to 8.72 +/- 0.07 (slope = 1.10 +/- 0.05) while its potency remained unchanged in the aorta (pA(2) = 6.69 +/- 0.12; slope = 1.04 +/- 0.05).4 In denervated vas deferens, indoramin antagonized the contractions to noradrenaline with a potency similar to that found in the presence of cocaine (8.79 +/- 0.07; slope = 1.09 +/- 0.06).5 It is suggested that indoramin blocks alpha(1)-adrenoceptors and neuronal uptake in rat vas deferens resulting in Schild plots with slopes not different from unity even in the absence of selective inhibition of neuronal uptake. As a major consequence of this double mechanism of action, the pA(2) values for this antagonist are underestimated when calculated in situations where the neuronal uptake is active, yielding spurious pK(B) values.

Tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 polymorphism, plasma TIMP-1 levels, and antihypertensive therapy responsiveness in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Anti-inflammatory effect of MAPK phosphatase-1 local gene transfer in inflammatory bone loss

Alveolar bone loss associated with periodontal diseases is the result of osteoclastogenesis induced by bacterial pathogens. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase 1 (MKP-1) is a critical negative regulator of immune response as a key phosphatase capable of dephosphorylating activated MAPKs. In this study, rat macrophages transduced with recombinant adenovirus (Ad.)MKP-1 specifically dephosphorylated activated MAPKs induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) compared with control cells. Bone marrow macrophages from MKP-1 knockout (KO) mice exhibited higher interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and select chemokine compared with wild-type (WT) mice when stimulated by LPS. In addition, bone marrow cultures from MKP-1 KO mice exhibited significantly more osteoclastogenesis induced by LPS than when compared with WT mice. Importantly, MKP-1 gene transfer in bone marrow cells of MKP-1 KO mice significantly decreased IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and chemokine levels, and formed fewer osteoclasts induced by LPS than compared with control group of cells. Furthermore, MKP-1 gene transfer in an experimental periodontal disease model attenuated bone resorption induced by LPS. Histological analysis confirmed that periodontal tissues transduced with Ad. MKP-1 exhibited less infiltrated inflammatory cells, less osteoclasts and less IL-6 than compared with rats of control groups. These studies indicate that MKP-1 is a key therapeutic target to control of inflammation-induced bone loss.