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PubMed1979

[Microsurgical plastic reconstruction of the explosion-damaged hand].

During the last two years, 16 severe explosion injuries of the hand have been treated with plastic microsurgery in our hospital. The injury had arisen in seven cases from the mixture sugar + sodium chlorate (C12H22O11 + NaClO3). This substance mixture may already be caused to explode by slight vibrations and the warmth of the hands. In explosion injuries, there is mechanical, chemical and thermal tissue damage. The postoperative course is therefore complicated in almost all cases. However, by meticulous removal of the disseminated foreign particles, excision of necrotic tissue and extensive reconstruction of the interrupted vascular and nerve supply, it is possible in a few cases to preserve functionally important parts of the hand. Later plastic procedures are made more difficult by tissue fibrosis and foreign body granulomas.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1979

Effect of chlorine dioxide and metabolites on glutathione dependent system in rat, mouse and chicken blood.

Chlorine dioxide (Cl02) has been proposed as an alternative disinfectant to chlorine to avoid formation of organohalides. Cl02 and metabolites, chlorite (Cl0-2) and chlorate (Cl0-3) in drinking water produced decreases in rat and chicken blood GSH. The GSH dependent system was studied in rat and chicken blood after chronic treatment for 6 months with CL02 (0, 1, 10, 100, 1000 MG/L), Cl0-2 or Cl0-3 (10, 100 mg/l) in drinking water. There was a 60% increase in GSH reductase in the Cl02 treatment groups of rats and chickens. A similar increase was shown in rats treated with Cl0-2 but with Cl0-3 no change was observed. GSH peroxidase was without change in rat but chickens drinking 1000 mg/l Cl02 had decreased activity. Catalase was significantly higher than control in rat and chicken in the 1000 mg/l groups. However, catalase activity was decreased in rat treated with Cl0-2 and at the same time that GSH was decreased. These studies support the view that catalase is the first line of defense against the oxidative stress of Cl02 in rat and chicken erythrocytes.

Animals↗

PubMed1980

[Effect of sodium ion concentration on the structural and functional characteristics of bladder receptors].

The experiments were performed on the frog urinary bladder bushy receptors by means of a combined morpho-electrophysiological technique. Effects of decreased and increased (by 1.5 and 2 times) concentration of sodium chlorate in the alternating solution on morphological and electrophysiological characteristics of the vital receptors were investigated. Specific peculiarities of the complex morpho-physiological reaction were demonstrated at each effect studied. Analysing morphological phenomena, dynamic of spike activity and the literature data, a suggestion was made that for the receptors studied osmotic pressure fluctuations within hypotonic range serve as an adequate stimulator (besides the wall dilatation). Hypertonic medium produces a noticeable injuring effect of the receptor.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

The effects of chronic administration of chlorite to glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient healthy adult male volunteers.

Under controlled laboratory conditions, the safety of daily ingestion of 5 ppm chlorine dioxide, chlorite and chlorate by normal healthy adult males has been established. To determine the effect upon potentially susceptible individuals, a parallel chronic human investigation was undertaken. Study subjects were three healthy adult males deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. These volunteers received 500 ml of sodium chlorite at a concentration of 5 ppm daily for twelve consecutive weeks; the subsequent observation period extended an additional eight weeks. Upon evaluation of an extensive battery of tests designed to measure the biochemical and physiological response to chlorite ingestion, no clinically significant changes were detected.

Adult↗

PubMed1981

Nitrate reductase from Penicillium chrysogenum. Purification and kinetic mechanism.

Nitrate reductase (NADPH:nitrate oxidoreductase; EC 1.6.6.1-3) was purified to apparent homogeneity from mycelium of Penicillium chrysogenum. The final preparation catalyzed the NADPH-dependent, FAD-mediated reduction of nitrate with a specific activity of 170-225 units X mg of protein-1. Gel filtration and glycerol density centrifugation yielded, respectively, a Stokes radius of 6.3 nm and an s20,w of 7.4. The molecular weight was calculated to be 199,000. On sodium dodecyl sulfate gels, the enzyme displayed two almost contiguous dye-staining bands corresponding to molecular weights of about 97,000 and 98,000. The enzyme prefers NADPH to NADH (kspec ratio = 2813), FAD to FMN (kspec ratio = 141), FAD (+ NADPH) to FADH2 (kspec ratio = 12,000), and nitrate to chlorate (kspec ratio = 4.33), where the kspec (the specificity constant for a given substrate) represents Vmax/Km. The Penicillium enzyme will also catalyze te NADPH-dependent, FAD-mediated reduction of cytochrome c with a specific activity of 647 units X mg of protein-1 (Kmcyt = 1.25 X 10(-5) M), and the reduced methyl viologen (MVH2, i.e. methyl viologen + dithionite)-dependent, NADPH and FAD-independent reduction of nitrate with a specific activity of 250 units X mg of protein-1 kmMVH2 = 3.5 X 10(-6) M). Initial velocity studies showed intersecting NADPH-FAD and nitrate-FAD reciprocal plot patterns. The NADPH-nitrate pattern was a series of parallel lines at saturating and unsaturating FAD levels. NADP+ was competitive with NADPH, uncompetitive with nitrate (at saturating and unsaturating FAD levels), and a mixed-type inhibitor with respect to FAD. Nitrite was competitive with nitrate, uncompetitive with NADPH (at saturating and unsaturating FAD levels), and a mixed-type inhibitor with respect to FAD. At unsaturating nitrate and FAD, NADPH exhibited substrate inhibition, perhaps as a result of binding to the FAD site(s). At very low FAD concentrations, low concentrations of NADP+ activated the reaction slightly. The initial velocity and product inhibition patterns are consistent with either of the two kinetic mechanisms. One (rather unlikely) mechanism involves the rapid equilibrium random binding of all ligands with (a) NADP+ and NADPH mutually exclusive, (b) nitrate and nitrite mutually exclusive, (c) the binding of NADPH strongly inhibiting the binding of nitrate and vice versa, (d) the binding of NADPH strongly promoting the binding of nitrite and vice versa, and (e) the binding of nitrate strongly promoting the binding of NADP+ and vice versa...

Binding Sites↗

PubMed1995

Augmentation of vascular endothelial barrier function by heparin and low molecular weight heparin.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are an important component of endothelial barrier function. Early passage human umbilical vein endothelial cells were grown to confluence on transparent micropore filters and barrier function assessed as transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) and permeability to albumin and sucrose. Unfractionated heparin and the LMW heparin Clexane decreased endothelial permeability to both sucrose and albumin and increased TEER. Chondroitin 6-sulphate also augmented barrier function, but other GAGs had no effect. Interleukin-1 increased permeability to albumin and sucrose and decreased TEER. Although heparin attenuated the effect of IL-1 on TEER and sucrose permeability, it could not restore the barrier to albumin transfer. Denuded endothelial matrix presented a negligible barrier, which was not enhanced by heparin. When sulphation of endogenous GAGs was inhibited by chlorate, barrier function was compromised and was not restored by exogenous heparin. Thus heparin enhances the barrier function of resting endothelium, but cannot completely overcome the increased permeability resulting from exposure to IL-1 or substitute for endogenous GAGs.

Albumins↗

PubMed1995

Heparin modulates the binding of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein-5 to a membrane protein in osteoblastic cells.

Osteoblast-like cells secrete insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5), which may act to enhance IGF-stimulated osteoblast function. We recently demonstrated that carboxyl-truncated IGFBP-5 (IGFBP-5(1-169)) binds to the osteoblast surface and stimulates mitogenesis by a pathway that is independent of IGF action. The present study was conducted to determine the mechanism of osteoblast binding of IGFBP-5, beginning with the assumption that cell surface glycosaminoglycans may mediate the binding of this heparin binding protein. Intact 125I-IGFBP-5 and 125I-IGFBP-5(1-169) exhibited one-site binding to mouse osteoblast monolayers with dissociation constants of 28 and 6 nM for intact 125I-IGFBP-5 and 125I-IGFBP-5(1-169), respectively. Osteoblast binding of intact 125I-IGFBP-5 was inhibited by low heparin concentrations, while 125I-IGFBP-5(1-169) binding was stimulated by heparin. Treatment of cells with heparinase or chlorate to decrease surface glycosaminoglycan density failed to reduce the binding of either form of IGFBP-5. In contrast, pretreatment of cells with IGFBP-5 caused down-regulation of 125I-IGFBP-5 binding. Cross-linking studies revealed that both intact 125I-IGFBP-5 and 125I-IGFBP-5(1-169) bind to proteins in Triton extracts of osteoblast membranes, which were absent in osteoblast-derived matrix. Purification of membrane extracts by IGFBP-5 affinity chromatography revealed a 420-kDa band on reduced SDS-polyacrylamide gels. While the membrane protein internalized both forms of IGFBP-5, heparin treatment inhibited the internalization of intact 125I-IGFBP-5 but stimulated 125I-IGFBP-5(1-169) internalization. These data indicate that IGFBP-5 binds to and is internalized by an osteoblast membrane protein, which does not appear to be a proteoglycan. Glycosaminoglycans, however, modulate the binding and internalization of IGFBP-5 in a way that may preferentially favor the intracellular accumulation of the carboxyl-truncated form.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Exogenous receptor-associated protein binds to two distinct sites on human fibroblasts but does not bind to the glycosaminoglycan residues of heparan sulfate proteoglycans.

We have investigated the proposal that the receptor-associated protein (RAP) of the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein/alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor binds to heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSP). 125I-RAP binds to two sites on the surface of fibroblasts as follows: a high affinity site with a Kd of 1.4 nM and a low affinity site (Kd = 188 nM) with a capacity of more than 1000-fold the maximum amount of lipoprotein receptor-related protein/alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor on the cell surface. 125I-RAP binding to the low affinity site was abolished by heparin or Suramin. However, maximal digestion of the glycosaminoglycan chains of HSP with heparinase or culturing the cells in chlorate, an inhibitor of proteoglycan sulfation, did not affect the binding of 125I-RAP or of 125I-labeled, methylamine-activated alpha 2-macroglobulin. Comparison of 125I-RAP degradation at two different concentrations suggests that the low affinity, high capacity site on the surface of human fibroblasts participates in the endocytosis of 125I-RAP. The nature of the low affinity site remains to be elucidated, but we can exclude the glycosaminoglycan chains of HSP.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed1993

Activating and inhibitory heparin sequences for FGF-2 (basic FGF). Distinct requirements for FGF-1, FGF-2, and FGF-4.

Chlorate-treated Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts, with impaired synthesis of heparan sulfate proteoglycan, were used as target cells in assessing the ability of exogenous heparin-derived saccharides to promote the mitogenic activity of basic fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2). Full-size native heparin (carrying iduronosyl 2-O-sulfate and glucosaminyl 6-O-sulfate groups), as well as a dodecasaccharide fraction isolated after limited deaminative cleavage of heparin, were efficient promoters, whereas the corresponding decasaccharides, or smaller oligosaccharides, were inactive. Neither selectively 2-O-desulfated nor preferentially 6-O-desulfated heparin were active. However, the latter derivative competed with native heparin for binding to FGF-2 and thus blocked the ability of native heparin to promote the mitogenic activity of FGF-2. The 6-O-desulfated heparin also prevented the ability of FGF-2 to suppress myogenic differentiation in MM14 mouse myoblasts. The binding region for FGF-2 has been identified as a pentasaccharide sequence containing a single essential O-sulfate group, at C2 of iduronic acid (1). It is proposed that the dodecasaccharide sequence required to promote receptor signaling by FGF-2 encompasses this pentasaccharide region, which binds the growth factor, and a site interacting with the receptor that contains essential 2-O- and 6-O-sulfate groups. Similar studies involving the related growth factors, FGF-1 and FGF-4, revealed differential effects of saccharides. The mitogenic effect induced by FGF-1 thus was not blocked by either the 2-O- or the 6-O-desulfated heparins. However, both of these derivatives, at high concentrations, promote mitogenic activity of FGF-4. It is concluded that specific saccharide sequences within heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains favor the signaling by distinct members of the FGF family.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1994

The effect of combined exposure to lead and cadmium on the concentration of zinc and copper in rat tissues.

To learn whether a combined exposure to lead and copper provokes disturbances in essential trace elements homeostasis the distribution of zinc and copper in tissues (blood, liver, kidney, heart and brain) after combined and single exposure to lead and/or cadmium was compared. In the same regimen, single or combined exposure accumulation of cadmium and lead in tissues was also measured. Experiments were performed on male Buffalo rats, 5-6 weeks old. Lead acetate (70 mg Pb/kg body wt twice a week) and cadmium chlorate (20 mg Cd/kg body wt once a week) were administered intragastrically for 7 weeks singly or in combination. During the experiment no clinical signs of toxic effect of lead or cadmium were observed. The animals were killed after administration of the last doses of cadmium and/or lead and the level of trace and heavy metals in tissues were measured. The results of this study shows that changes in the copper and zinc concentrations in tissues in the combined exposure to lead and cadmium are similar to those induced by a single lead (heart and brain) or single cadmium (liver and kidney) intoxication. Lead and cadmium concentrations in the liver and kidneys of rats administered with Pb and Cd jointly were significantly lower than those in rats exposed to single doses of Pb or Cd.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Expression of syndecan-1 inhibits cell invasion into type I collagen.

Before cells can invade the extracellular matrix, they must alter their expression of adhesion receptors. Syndecan-1 is a cell surface proteoglycan that binds cells to matrix and undergoes changes in expression during development, during differentiation of some cell types, and following malignant transformation in some tumors. To determine if changes in syndecan-1 expression influence cell invasion, we employed a model system in which human B lymphoid cells invade type I collagen gels. Examination of a panel of cell lines reveals that those lines not expressing syndecan-1 invade and migrate within collagen. In contrast, cell lines expressing syndecan-1 fail to invade. To directly assess the effect of syndecan-1 on invasion, ARH-77 cells, which do not express syndecan-1 and readily invade collagen, were transfected with a cDNA for syndecan-1. The syndecan-1-positive transfectants exhibit a drastically reduced ability to invade as compared to parental cells. This inhibition of invasion by syndecan-1 is reversed by preincubating gels with heparin or by growing cells in chlorate, an inhibitor of glycosaminoglycan sulfation. These results demonstrate that expression of syndecan-1 inhibits cell invasion into collagen and that loss of syndecan-1 expression may be necessary prior to the migration of normal or metastatic cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

[Occupation and bladder cancer].

The article analyses relative risk of occupational diseases in men and women. Exposure to oil products increases oncologic risk 14.8 times; rare urination--14.3 times; drinking less than 11 per day--6.5 times; vibration--2.5 times. Significantly (5.6-fold) increased risk in women was demonstrated for exposure to oil products. In occupational group of cleaners working with chloride of lime high risk may be connected with exposure to trihalomethanes appearing in water during chloration.

Female↗

PubMed1993

[Safety conditions for working with stabilized chlorine dioxide used for disinfection].

Disinfectants called by producers stabilized chlorine dioxide (ClO2) are most often composed of sodium carbonate aqueous solution and ClO2. Stability is due to sodium chlorate which is produced under these conditions. Solutions of active ClO2 obtained through acidification of the preparation with citric acid and an appropriate water dilution are used in disinfection. Then, free ClO2 becomes an active disinfecting factor--a gas of strong irritative properties. During a disinfecting process the gas is liberated from the solution due to pulverization and dryness of disinfected objects. The study indicated that the safety of work with disinfectants requires mechanical ventilation of working premises. The transformation of stabile ClO2 into an active form should be induced by adding an appropriate volume of the stabilising preparation to citric acid solution. Such a procedure assures that a maximum of gaseous ClO2 will be retained in water.

Chlorine↗

PubMed1994

Enhanced binding and uptake of remnant lipoproteins by hepatic lipase-secreting hepatoma cells in culture.

Rat hepatoma McA-RH7777 cells transfected with a human hepatic lipase (HL) cDNA synthesized and secreted 50-80 ng of human HL/mg of cell protein at 4 h, approximately 50% of which was bound to cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG). The newly synthesized HL possessed enzymatic activity. When rabbit beta-very low density lipoproteins (beta-VLDL) and canine chylomicrons or chylomicron remnants were incubated with HL-secreting cells, remnant binding and uptake were enhanced 3-fold compared with nontransfected cells. Furthermore, fluorescence microscopy showed enhanced uptake of 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine-labeled beta-VLDL by the HL-transfected cells. When 125I-beta-VLDL were added to conditioned medium from HL-secreting cells, the HL in the media enhanced the binding and uptake of the remnant lipoproteins by nontransfected cells about 3-fold. Likewise, surface-bound HL (without HL in the medium) also was able to mediate the enhanced binding of the remnants. This HL-enhanced binding was shown to be mediated by an interaction with cell-surface HSPG. Heparinase treatment to remove cell-surface HSPG or chlorate treatment to prevent HSPG sulfation of the HL-secreting cells abolished all the HL-mediated enhanced binding and uptake. Furthermore, heparinase pretreatment of nontransfected cells prevented the enhanced binding and uptake of beta-VLDL incubated with conditioned medium from HL-secreting cells. As binding was not enhanced in the absence of HSPG, an HL-HSPG initial interaction appears essential. Addition of apolipoprotein (apo) E to the beta-VLDL did not facilitate HL-mediated binding and uptake; in fact, beta-VLDL from apoE-null mice demonstrated a similar degree of enhanced binding as did rabbit beta-VLDL with or without added apoE. On the other hand, beta-VLDL from transgenic mice overexpressing binding-defective apoE(Arg142-->Cys) did not display any enhanced binding and uptake by the HL-secreting cells, and it appears that the apoE(Arg142-->Cys) actually inhibited the HL-mediated interaction. This mutant form of apoE is associated with a dominant mode of expression of type III hyperlipoproteinemia in contrast to the more commonly occurring recessive disorder. Impaired HL interaction with the apoE(Arg142-->Cys) beta-VLDL may contribute to remnant lipoprotein accumulation in the plasma of patients with this mutant form of apoE. Thus, HL contributes to the enhanced cell association of specific types of remnant lipoproteins by initiating their binding to cell-surface HSPG.

Animals↗

PubMed1976

Adenosine triphosphate sulfurylase from penicillium chrysogenum. Steady state kinetics of the forward and reverse reactions.

The kinetic mechanism of ATP sulfurylase was established from initial velocity, product inhibition, and dead-end inhibition studies. In the forward direction, the reaction is steady state ordered, with MgATP=A, sulfate=B, MgPP1=P, and APS=Q.KmA=0.38 mM, Kia=0.71 mM, KmB=0.50 mM. Nitrate and chlorate are competive with sulfate and uncompetitive with MgATP. KiNO3-=0.25 mM; KiC1O3-= 0.15 mM. AMP and various MgATP analogs are competitive with MgATP and mixed-type inhibitors with respect to SO42-. The Ki for AMP is 0.55 mM. The reaction is rapid equilibrium ordered in the reverse direction with Kiq=0.3 to 1.0 muM and Kmp=0.65 muM. Adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (APS) exhibits competitive substrate inhibition (KIQ=0.3 mM). The ratio Vmaxf/Vmaxr is 0.018. In the forward direction the ratio VmaxMoO42-/VmaxSO42- is 20. The Keq at pH 8.0 and 30 degrees calculated from the Haldane equation is 6 X 10(-9) to 3.3 X 10(-8) (depending on the Kiq value chosen). The experimental Keq is about 2.5 X 10(-9). The fact that Vmax/Vmaxr is about 1 million times greater than Keq is consistent with the assumed physiological role of the enzyme (APS synthesis). The mechanistic basis of the ordered binding sequence was probed by multiple inhibition analysis. Dead-end inhibitors competitive with MgATP (such as free ATP, Mg alpha,beta-methylene ATP, CrATP, and CaATP) do not induce substrate inhibition by sulfate or alter the inhibition patterns displayed by nitrate. This result suggests (but does not prove) that catalytic action on MgATP must precede the formation of the sulfate binding site.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1993

The molecular structure of corticotropin-induced secreted protein, a novel member of the thrombospondin family.

CISP (corticotropin-induced secreted protein) is a secreted protein recently purified in our laboratory from the conditioned medium of ACTH-treated bovine adrenocortical cells. Partial amino acid sequencing of CISP revealed homology with thrombospondins (TSPs), a family of adhesive proteins and in particular with TSP2. We report here the characterization of the molecular structure of CISP. Analysis of CISP by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the absence or presence of SDS indicated an apparent molecular mass approximately equal to 600 kDa for the unreduced protein and an apparent molecular mass of 195 kDa after reduction by 2-mercaptoethanol. The sedimentation coefficient of CISP determined by ultracentrifugation on sucrose gradients was shifted from 9.7 S in the absence to 5.7 S in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. These data are consistent with a trimeric organization of the CISP molecule in which 195-kDa monomers would be linked together by disulfide bonds. The trimeric structure of CISP could be observed by rotary shadowing/electron microscopy, where CISP appeared to be composed of three equally electron-dense nodules and of a fourth nodule formed by the close association of three smaller fragments. The overall size of the molecule was 60 nm. We also observed that CISP is sulfated and glycosylated. Using glycosylation inhibitors, we could determine that CISP is synthesized as a 175-kDa core protein, is then matured into a 190-kDa high-mannose form and secreted as a 195-kDa mature protein. Inhibition of sulfation by chlorate did not prevent CISP secretion, whereas inhibition of glycosylation by tunicamycin blocked it. Taken together, these data indicate that the TSP2-related CISP molecule presents both structural and functional properties very similar to those of TSP1. CISP differs greatly, however, from TSP1 by the inducibility of its synthesis by cAMP.

Adrenal Cortex↗

PubMed1993

Structure and biological activities of a heparin-derived hexasaccharide with high affinity for basic fibroblast growth factor.

We demonstrated previously that heparin-derived hexasaccharides are the smallest fragments of the polysaccharide with comparable basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-modulating activity in vitro (Ishihara, M., Tyrrell, D.J., Stauber, G.B., Brown, S., Cousens, L., and Stack, R.J. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 4675-4683. In this report, a specific hexasaccharide having high affinity for recombinant human bFGF was isolated and its structure deduced by analysis of its reduced disaccharide products after treatment with nitrous acid at pH 1.5, and by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The hexasaccharide has the structure [IdoA(2-OSO3)alpha 1-4GlcNSO3(6-OSO3)alpha 1-4]2IdoA(2-OSO3)alpha 1-4 AManR(6-OSO3). The hexasaccharide effectively inhibits the binding of syndecan-transfected RO-12 UC cells to bFGF-coated wells (Ishihara, M., Tyrrell, D.J., Kiefer, M.C., Barr, P.J., and Swiedler, S.J. (1992) Anal. Biochem. 202, 310-315), prevents the binding of 125I-bFGF to confluent monolayers of adrenocortical endothelial (ACE) cells, and inhibits the bFGF-dependent proliferation of ACE cells. Unlike the heparin from which it was derived, however, the hexasaccharide cannot promote the binding of 125I-bFGF to a recombinant high affinity bFGF receptor (flg) or restore the bFGF-dependent proliferative response to ACE cells grown in the presence of 5 mM sodium chlorate. Collectively, these data indicate that a hexasaccharide can be as effective as heparin as an antagonist of bFGF-mediated cell mitogenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

[Action duality of nitrogen oxide (NO) in experimental African trypanosomiasis].

Patients with human African trypanosomiasis present a major dysruption of the circadian rhythmicity of the sleep-wake cycle, which was also found in rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei (T.b.b.). The alterations in the immune function and nervous system in African trypsanosomiasis led us to investigate the involvement of nitric oxide (NO), a key molecule in immune and neurophysiological mechanisms, in experimental trypanosomiasis. NO was measured in 35 Sprague Dawley rats using differential impulsional voltammetry with a carbon fiber coated with porphyrin-nickel and nafion, ex vivo in the blood and in vivo in the brain. The rats were anaesthetized with sodium chlorate. Infection was performed intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 0.2 ml of a T.b.b. cryostabilate (clone AnTat 1.1E). Blood was collected by an intracardiac puncture with immediate replacement of blood volume (1 ml) in 7 control rats and 8 rats infected since 15 days, before and after i.p. administration of L-ANA (L-arginine-p-nitro-anilide, 100 mg.kg-1, an inhibitor of NO synthase). Brain measures were done in 20 rats (8 controls, and 12 rats infected since 15 or 21 days), in the cortex (H, -0.5 mm; AP, -0.8 mm; L, 1.2 mm) and the lateral ventricle (H,-3.2 mm). In infected rats, blood NO was at 70% of control values (p < 0.001), and L-ANA suppressed the NO signal in all animals (p < 0.0001), demonstrating that the signal originated from NO. Cortical NO was higher than in the ventricle in both control (p < 0.0001) and infected rats (p < 0.001). NO was more elevated in both structures in 15-day-infected rats than in control rats (p < 0.0001), the difference being enhanced in 21-day-infected rats (p < 0.001). L-ANA suppressed the NO signal in 30 to 60 min. These data suggest that NO intervenes in the development of trypanosomiasis in different manners. It is increased in the brain, which remains unexplained, where it may be involved in blood-brain barrier permeation. Conversely, it is decreased in the blood, may be because of macrophage function impairment, which would explain why trypanosomes can multiply in the host.

Animals↗