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D Currò

Publications and source records attributed to D Currò.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Tachykinin NK2 receptor antagonists decrease eicosanoid release in lung anaphylaxis.

Two tachykinin NK2 receptor antagonists, MEN 10.627 c(Met-Asp-Trp-Phe-Dap-Leu) and MEN 10.376 [(Tyr5,Trp6,8,9,Lys10]neurokinin A-(4-10), were used to investigate the role of tachykinins in in vitro guinea-pig lung anaphylaxis. Both antagonists dose-dependently decreased bronchoconstriction and the release of thromboxane and prostaglandin E2 induced by antigen challenge in perfused sensitized lungs, but neither had any effect on the basal release of either eicosanoid. The findings indicated that tachykinins released by sensory nerve fibers may contribute to anaphylactic reactions by increasing arachidonic acid metabolite release.

Anaphylaxis↗
PubMed1996

Nitric oxide synthase activity and non-adrenergic non-cholinergic relaxation in the rat gastric fundus.

1. In the presence of atropine (1 microM) and guanethidine (5 microM), electrical field stimulation (EFS, 120 mA, 1 ms, 0.5-16.0 Hz, trains of 2 min) induced frequency-dependent relaxations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (3 microM)-precontracted longitudinal muscle strips from the rat gastric fundus. 2. L-Citrulline concentrations were measured in the incubation medium of precontracted strips before and after EFS to investigate nitric-oxide (NO) synthase activity and its possible relation to non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) relaxation. 3. Basal NO synthase activity was reflected by the finding of prestimulation levels of L-citrulline of approximately 30 nM. These levels were unaffected by tetrodotoxin (3 microM) and NG-nitro-D-arginine methyl ester (D-NAME, 100 microM), slightly reduced by a calcium-free medium and halved by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 microM). 4. EFS evoked significant, frequency-dependent increases in bath levels of L-citrulline at all frequencies tested. The increases evoked by 16-Hz EFS were abolished by tetrodotoxin (3 microM), a calcium-free medium and L-NAME (100 microM) but not by D-NAME (100 microM). 5. L-NAME (0.1 microM-1.0 mM) produced significant reduction of 4-Hz EFS-induced L-citrulline production (100% inhibition at 10 microM), but had less marked effects on basal production (approximately 50% reduction at 100 microM) and 4-Hz EFS-induced NANC relaxation (approximately 50% reduction at 1 mM). 6. L-Arginine (1 mM), but not D-arginine (1 mM), increased basal L-citrulline levels and reversed the inhibitory effect of L-NAME (10 microM). 7. These findings represent clear biochemical evidence of both basal and EFS-stimulated NO synthase activity in the rat gastric fundus.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Evidence that interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor inhibit gastric fundus motility via the 5-lipoxygenase pathway.

In this study, we compared the effects of interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) on in vitro rat gastric fundus motility. Interleukin-1 beta produced rapid, concentration-dependent relaxation of rat gastric fundus strips, similar to that seen with TNF, with a maximal effect at 30 U/ml and an estimated EC50 at 0.9 U/ml. The relaxant effects of interleukin-1 beta and TNF were not influenced by the inhibition of cyclooxygenase or nitric oxide-synthase activities. Interleukin-1 beta- and TNF-induced gastric relaxations were concentration dependently inhibited by BW 755c, which inhibits both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase, BW A4, which selectively inhibits the 5-lipoxygenase pathway, and SC 41930, a selective leukotriene B4 receptor antagonist, providing pharmacological evidence that leukotriene B4 is involved in the relaxant effects of both cytokines. The interleukin-1 beta- and TNF-induced activation of 5-lipoxygenase pathway did not appear to be triggered by phospholipase A2. An alternative pathway could involve the following steps: (i) activation of phospholipase C and the formation of diacylglycerol; (ii) diacylglycerol-induced activation of protein kinase C; (iii) formation of free arachidonic acid from diacylglycerol by diacylglycerol-lipase. This mechanism is suggested by the finding that leukotriene B4 is able to mimic cytokine-induced strip relaxation only in the presence of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, which selectively activates protein kinase C.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Peptide histidine isoleucine-like immunoreactivity release from the rat gastric fundus.

1. Longitudinal muscle strips from the rat gastric fundus were subjected to in vitro electrical field stimulation (EFS) under non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) conditions to study the release of peptide histidine isoleucine-like immunoreactivity (PHI-LI) and the correlation between PHI-LI release and NANC relaxation. 2. Different radioimmunoassay (RIA) systems employing C-terminal- and N-terminal-specific anti-PHI sera were used to determine the relative contributions of PHI and its C-terminally extended forms, peptide histidine glycine (PHI-Gly) and peptide histidine valine [PHV(1-42)], to the PHI-LI released by the rat gastric fundus. 3. In the presence of atropine (1 microM) and guanethidine (5 microM), EFS (120 mA, 1 ms, 0.25-32.0 Hz, trains of 2 min) induced frequency-dependent relaxations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (3 microM) pre-contracted strips. 4. EFS at frequencies of 8-32 Hz evoked significant increases in PHI-LI outflow. The increases in PHI-LI outflow evoked by 16-Hz EFS were abolished by tetrodotoxin (3 microM) and by a calcium-free medium, indicating an active release process from intramural nerves. 5. The EFS-induced release of PHI-LI measured with the N-terminal-specific antiserum was significantly greater than that detected with the C-terminal-specific antisera. 6. Sephadex G-25 gel permeation chromatographic analysis was performed on the PHI-LI release in response to 32-Hz EFS. A C-terminal-specific antiserum revealed one peak co-eluting with the rat PHI standard. When PHI-LI was measured with the N-terminal-specific antiserum, two peaks were found that co-eluted with the rat PHV(1-42) and rat PHI-Gly/PHI standards, respectively. 7. The present data suggest that the extended forms of PHI are the primary components of the PHI-LI released by NANC inhibitory neurones in the rat gastric fundus and support a NANC inhibitory neurotransmitter role for PHI and its extended forms in this tissue.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Effects of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide on antigen-induced bronchoconstriction and thromboxane release in guinea-pig lung.

1. Exogenous vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) infused into the pulmonary artery of isolated and ventilated lungs of guinea-pigs decreased, in a dose-dependent fashion (1.0-10.0 nmol), airway resistance and thromboxane B2 (TXB2, the stable hydrolysis product of TXA2) release in the perfusion medium. Prostacyclin (PGI2) synthesis, as reflected by the release of its stable hydrolysis product 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha, was unaffected. Pretreatment with the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor BWA4c (3.5 x 10(-5) M) did not modify the bronchodilatory effect of VIP or its inhibitory action on TXB2 release. 2. Basal release of immunoreactive VIP from perfused lungs decreased from an initial value of 0.96 +/- 0.10 ng min-1 (mean +/- s.e.mean) in the first 2 min to an average of 0.58 +/- 0.10 ng min-1 in the following 15-20 min. 3. Antigen challenge with ovalbumin (0.1%) in sensitized lungs caused an anaphylactic reaction in 45% of tested lungs, concomitant with a 5 fold increase in both VIP and TXB2 release. Tetrodotoxin pretreatment (10(-6) M) reduced basal VIP release by > 80% and abolished the VIP increase observed during anaphylaxis, without modifying TXB2 release or the bronchoconstrictor response. 4. Indomethacin (10(-6) M) inhibited TXB2 synthesis and release by > 90%, delayed the bronchoconstrictor response and blunted the increased VIP release during lung anaphylaxis, without influencing basal VIP release. 5. The 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor BWA4c (3.5 x 10(-5) M) blunted the increase of TXB2 and VIP release from guinea-pig lung and attenuated the bronchoconstrictor response following ovalbumin challenge. 6. The administration of exogenous VIP as a continuous infusion (10-8 M) attenuated the bronchoconstriction and the release of cyclo-oxygenase metabolites following antigen challenge.7. Acetylcholine (10-6-l0-5 M) infused into the pulmonary artery induced a dose-dependent bronchoconstriction not associated with enhanced VIP or TXB2 release.8. The TXA2 mimetic U-46619 (0.1-1.0 nmol) caused dose-dependent increases in airway resistance,concomitant with an up to 10 fold increase in VIP release. VIP inhibited arachidonate-induced in vitro aggregation of washed rabbit platelets in a dose-dependent manner over a dose range 10-8 10-6 M.Despite the antiaggregatory effect of VIP, TXB2 and PGE2 synthesis was reduced only to a minor extent,and there was no redirection of arachidonate metabolism from TXA2 to PGE2, indicating that VIP does not act as a TX synthase inhibitor in vitro.9. We conclude that VIP may play a role in regulating bronchial smooth muscle reactivity in lung anaphylaxis by inhibiting the synthesis and release of TXA2, a potent vasoactive and bronchoconstrictor agent. TXA2, on the other hand, strongly enhances neuronal VIP release.

15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5↗
PubMed1992

Evidence for dual components in the non-adrenergic non-cholinergic relaxation in the rat gastric fundus: role of endogenous nitric oxide and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide.

The effects of trypsin and arginine analogues, alone or in combination, on half-maximal non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) relaxation elicited by different pulse trains of electrical field stimulation were studied in the rat gastric fundus in order to investigate further the relative contribution of peptides and NO. Trypsin (1 microM) partially inhibited electrically-induced NANC relaxation especially when longer pulse trains were used. L-NOARG, L-NAME and L-NMMA, but not D-NOARG or D-NAME (3-300 microM) produced concentration-dependent inhibition of the electrically induced NANC relaxation. L-Arginine (L-Arg), but not D-Arginine (D-Arg) (3.8 microM-3.8 mM) produced a concentration-dependent reversal of the inhibitory effect of L-NOARG IC50 (38 microM). Neither L-NOARG (38 microM) nor L-Arg (380 microM) influence submaximal relaxation induced by VIP (3 nM), isopropylnoradrenaline (10 nM), ATP (10 microM) or sodium nitroprusside (300 nM). Moreover L-NOARG (100 microM) did not influence neurally-induced VIP release. L-NOARG inhibition of NANC relaxation was significant only when short pulse trains were used, while trypsin showed significant inhibition only of relaxation induced by longer pulse trains. These results suggest that the relaxation induced by the activation of the NANC inhibitory neurotransmission of the rat gastric fundus consists of at least two components, one trypsin-sensitive and the other trypsin-resistant, to which VIP and NO contribute, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Release of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide from the rat gastric fundus.

1. Auxotonic responses and release of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity (VIP-LI) induced by electrical field stimulation (EFS) were studied in longitudinal muscle strips from the gastric fundus of reserpinized rats suspended between parallel platinum electrodes in Krebs solution containing atropine (1 microM), 5-hydroxytryptamine (3 microM) and bovine serum albumin (50 mg l-1). 2. EFS (supramaximal voltage, 1 ms, 0.25-32.0 Hz, trains of 2 min) induced frequency-dependent relaxations. 3. EFS at frequencies greater than or equal to 8 Hz also produced significant increases in VIP-LI release. 4. VIP-LI release induced by EFS at 16 Hz no longer occurred in the presence of tetrodotoxin (1 microM) or a Ca(2+)-free medium. 5. Detection of VIP-LI upon activation of inhibitory non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic neurones indicates that VIP meets the 'detectable release' criterion for an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the rat gastric fundus.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Is peptide histidine isoleucine an inhibitory nonadrenergic noncholinergic neurotransmitter in the rat gastric fundus?

In the rat gastric fundus, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) contributes to the nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) inhibitory neurotransmission and coexists with its related peptide, peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI). As the two neuropeptides are co-released and have similar actions in different biological systems, the effect of PHI in the rat gastric fundus was studied in order to investigate whether it might be a co-transmitter of VIP in the inhibitory NANC neurotransmission in this tissue. Auxotonic responses were measured in longitudinal muscle strips from the gastric fundus of reserpinized rats (5 mg/kg i.p., 24 hr before sacrifice), suspended between parallel platinum electrodes in Krebs solution containing atropine (1 microM) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (3 microM). PHI induced concentration-dependent relaxations (10 nM-1 microM), qualitatively similar to those induced by electrical field stimulation (1 msec, supramaximal voltage, 0.25-16 Hz) and by VIP (0.3-100 nM), although PHI was about 30 times less potent than VIP. The submaximal relaxation induced by PHI (100 nM) was not influenced by tetrodotoxin (1 microM), hexamethonium (500 microM) and propranolol (10 microM) plus phentolamine (3 microM). Incubation during 60 min with a specific PHI-antiserum completely prevented the relaxation induced by PHI (100 nM) and reduced by 26% that induced by electrical field stimulation at 1 Hz; the procedure had no influence on the relaxation induced by VIP (3 nM) or isopropylnoradrenaline (10 nM). Incubation during 60 min with a specific VIP-antiserum completely prevented the relaxation induced by VIP (3 nM) and halved the relaxatory response to electrical field stimulation at 1 Hz, while it had no influence on the relaxation induced by PHI (100 nM) or isopropylnoradrenaline (10 nM). Control serum had no influence on any of the relaxant stimuli. In conclusion, PHI mimics the electrically induced NANC relaxation in the rat gastric fundus; its action is located at muscle level and does not involve alpha-, beta- or nicotinic receptors. The results obtained in the presence of the antisera provide further confirmation that VIP contributes to the NANC inhibitory neurotransmission of the rat gastric fundus and leave open the possibility that PHI is involved as co-transmitter.

Animals↗