Effects of prostaglandin E1alpha cyclodextrin [corrected] treatment on endothelial dysfunction in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Objective: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by an altered nitric oxide (NO): endothelin I ratio and by endothelial dysfunction.

Aims: To verify the effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) alpha-cyclodestrin treatment on endothelial function, quantified as flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the radial artery.

Methods: In 16 women with SSc (age 57 +/- 2.

Lack of the nociceptin receptor does not affect acute or chronic nociception in mice.

The peptide nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) and its receptor ORL-1, also designated opioid receptor 4 (OP(4)) are involved in the modulation of nociception. Using OP(4)-knockout mice, we have studied their response following opioid receptor stimulation and under neuropathic conditions.In vas deferens from wild-type and OP(4)-knockout mice, DAMGO (mu/OP(3) agonist), deltorphine II (delta/OP(1) agonist) and (-)-U-50488 (kappa/OP(2) agonist) induced similar concentration-dependent inhibition of electrically-evoked contractions.