Alternative Oxidase Attenuates Cigarette Smoke-induced Lung Dysfunction and Tissue Damage.

Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure is the predominant risk factor for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the third leading cause of death worldwide. We aimed to elucidate whether mitochondrial respiratory inhibition and oxidative stress are triggers in its etiology. In different models of CS exposure, we investigated the effect on lung remodeling and cell signaling of restoring mitochondrial respiratory electron flow using alternative oxidase (AOX), which bypasses the cytochrome segment of the respiratory chain.

Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of iNOS expression in human chondrocytes.

Chondrocytes are important for the development and maintenance of articular cartilage. However, both in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) chondrocytes are involved in the process of cartilage degradation and synthesize important immunomodulatory mediators, including nitric oxide (NO) generated by the inducible NO synthase (iNOS). To uncover the role of iNOS in the pathomechanisms of OA and RA, we analyzed the regulation of iNOS expression using immortalized human chondrocytes as a reproducible model.

Effects of nitroglycerin or pentaerithrityl tetranitrate treatment on the gene expression in rat hearts: evidence for cardiotoxic and cardioprotective effects.

Nitroglycerin (NTG) and pentaerithrityl tetranitrate (PETN) are organic nitrates used in the treatment of angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure. Recent data show marked differences in the effects of NTG and PETN on the generation of reactive oxygen species. These differences are attributed to different effects of NTG and PETN on the expression of antioxidative proteins like the heme oxygenase-I.