Thyroid status and nitric oxide in rat arterial vessels.

Thyroid disease has profound effects on cardiovascular function. Hypo- and hyperthyroidism, for example, are associated with reduced and increased maximal endothelium-dependent vasodilation respectively. We therefore hypothesized that the capacity for vascular nitric oxide (NO) formation is decreased in hypothyroidism and increased in hyperthyroidism.

Thyroid status and endothelium-dependent vasodilation in skeletal muscle.

Cardiovascular dysfunction is characteristic of both hypo- and hyperthyroidism. Endothelium-dependent dilation of conductance vessels is impaired in hypothyroidism but augmented in hyperthyroidism. We hypothesized that these alterations in dilation extend into the resistance vasculature of skeletal muscle.

Purification and characterization of an endogenous inhibitor of the sialyltransferase CMP-N-acetylneuraminate: lactosylceramide alpha 2,6-N-acetylneuraminyltransferase (EC 2.4.99.-).

The presence in the 100,000 g supernatant of rat brain homogenate of an inhibitor of the sialyltransferase has been confirmed. It is also present in chicken and bovine brain and in other rat and bovine organs. The inhibitor has been purified, a preparation with a specific activity 130-fold higher than that of the original 100,000 g supernatant of brain being obtained.

Changes of gangliosides and other lipids in skeletal muscle from rabbits with experimental dystrophy.

Comparison of the skeletal muscles from vitamin E-deficient and control rabbits showed that the muscles from the deficient animals had lower contents of protein and glycogen but more water and lipid. Increases of individual lipids per unit weight of muscle from deficient animals compared with those from control animals were 2.2-fold for gangliosides, 2.