The impact of propranolol on apoptosis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas.

Objectives: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a common cancer in Caucasian populations. Treatments registered for high-risk cSCC are still undetermined. Experimental data have demonstrated possibly useful effects of a combined application of beta‑blockers in cancer therapy.

The effects of daylight exposure on melatonin levels, Kiss1 expression, and melanoma formation in mice.

Aim: To determine how daylight exposure in mice affects melatonin protein expression in blood and Kiss1 gene expression in the hypothalamus. The second aim was to assess the relationship between skin cancer formation, daylight exposure, melatonin blood level, and kisspeptin gene expression level.

Methods: New-born mice (n=96) were assigned into the blind group or daylight group.

Molecular basis of vascular damage caused by cigarette smoke exposure and a new approach to the treatment: Alpha-linolenic acid.

Exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) causes vessel damage and mechanism of this damage has not yet been clearly identified. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate whether vessel damage due to the CS exposure will be prevented by the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) or not which has anti-inflammatory effect in mice. For this reason, mice were grouped as controls (with and without CS) and ALA (with and without CS).

Protective effect of alpha-linolenic acid on gentamicin-induced ototoxicity in mice.

Alpha-linolenic acid is one of the fatty acids known as omega 3. Previous studies have shown the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of alpha-linolenic acid, which prevented cell damage by inhibiting apoptotic pathway. Also, it is known that gentamicin activates apoptotic mediators and causes necrosis in the kidney.

Pharmacological profile of a nitric oxide donor spermine NONOate in the mouse corpus cavernosum.

Background/aim: To investigate the effects of spermine NONOate in the cavernous tissue obtained from mice treated or untreated with sildenafil.

Materials And Methods: We studied the effects of spermine NONOate on the tone and nitrergic relaxation responses of isolated mouse corpus cavernosum and compared them with sodium nitroprusside in the absence or presence of L-nitroarginine, hydroxocobalamin, pyrogallol, diethyldithiocarbamate (DETCA), or 1H-[1,2,4]Oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ). The neurogenic contractions and relaxations of the tissues were induced by electrical field stimulation.

Protective effect of L-arginine on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

Introduction: L-arginine has a protective effect on gentamicin-induced renal failure and it may decrease the tubular reabsorption of another cationic substance, gentamicin due to its cationic structure. The aim of this study is to compare the possible protective effects of L-arginine and its inactive isomer D-arginine on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

Materials And Methods: Wistar albino rats were housed in metabolic cages and assigned to six groups as: control group, gentamicin (100 mg/kg), gentamicin + L-arginine (2 g/l), gentamicin + D-arginine (2 g/l), gentamicin + L-arginine + Nv-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (100 mg/l) and gentamicin + D-arginine + L-NAME.

The production of vasoconstriction-induced residual NO modulates perfusion pressure in rat mesenteric vascular bed.

In the presence of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors, the contribution of residual NO to endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by chemical agonists acetylcholine and bradykinin has been documented in resistance vessels. However, the contribution of residual NO to the vasodilatation in response to pressure and fluid shear stress is not well understood. In this study, to demonstrate the activity of residual NO, we applied a NO scavenger, hydroxocobalamin (HCX), on the phenylephrine-induced increase in perfusion pressure in the presence of NOS inhibitors, Nω-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA) or Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) in the rat perfused mesenteric bed.

Comparative study of the quercetin, ascorbic acid, glutathione and superoxide dismutase for nitric oxide protecting effects in mouse gastric fundus.

The aim of this work was to compare the preventing capacity of quercetin with Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD), ascorbic acid and glutathione on nitric oxide (NO)-induced relaxation in mouse gastric fundus. Furthermore, the effects of the quercetin on the tissue level of total oxidant and antioxidant was investigated. Nitrergic stimulation (4Hz, 25V, 0.

Molecular mechanism of vasorelaxant and antiatherogenic effects of the statins in the human saphenous vein graft.

In this study we aimed to investigate the vasorelaxant and antiatherogenic effects of the statins (fluvastatin and pravastatin) in the human saphenous vein grafts at the molecular level by using histopathologic, pharmacological and immunochemical techniques. The saphenous vein grafts evaluated histopathologically displayed a loss in their endothelium up to a ratio of 30% and set forth indications of functional deterioration. The pharmacological evaluations proved that the relaxation responses induced by fluvastatin and pravastatin were significantly inhibited by nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N(G)-nitro-l-arginine, and cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, while these responses were significantly increased by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, captopril and enalapril, and rho kinase inhibitor, Y27632.

The impact of extracellular and intracellular Ca2+ on ethanol-induced smooth muscle contraction.

Aim: To evaluate the impact of extracellular and intracellular Ca2+ on contractions induced by ethanol in smooth muscle.

Methods: Longitudinal smooth muscle strips were prepared from the gastric fundi of mice. The contractions of smooth muscle strips were recorded with an isometric force displacement transducer.

Ethanol-induced relaxation of mouse esophagus: subcellular mechanisms.

Ethanol (164 mm) produced reproducible relaxations in isolated mouse esophageal strips. Hexamethonium (10-500 microm), a ganglionic blocking agent, and lidocaine (10-100 microm), a local anesthetic agent, failed to affect the relaxations induced by ethanol in the mouse esophagus. Although verapamil (10-500 microm), a selective blocker of L-type Ca(2+) channels, failed to affect the relaxations to ethanol, ruthenium red (10-100 microm), a selective blocker of ryanodine receptors (intracellular Ca(2+) channels), and cyclopiazonic acid (1-10 microm), a selective blocker of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA), significantly inhibited these relaxations.

Protective effect of quercetin, a polyphenolic compound, on mouse corpus cavernosum.

Flavonoids are plant-based phenolic compounds, and quercetin is the most abundant dietary member of this family. One of the most important characteristics of quercetin is its antioxidant property. The aim of this study was to investigate antioxidant effects of quercetin on corpora cavernosa of mice.

Molecular mechanism of KCl-induced relaxation of the esophagus.

KCl (40 mM) caused reproducible relaxations in frog esophagus. N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG; 1-100 microM), a steriospecific inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), completely inhibited the relaxations induced by KCl but not those induced by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) antagonist. The inhibitory effect of L-NOARG was prevented by L-arginine (L-ARG; 0.

Urocortin induces endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and hyperpolarization of rat mesenteric arteries by activating Ca2+-activated K+ channels.

Urocortin, a member of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) peptide family, has positive chronotropic and inotropic effects on heart and also shows a vasodilatory effect. However, the mechanism underlying its vasodilatory effect has yet to be elucidated. Endothelium-dependent relaxation of resistance arteries is mainly achieved by activation of K+ channels.

Neocuproine, a copper (I) chelator, potentiates purinergic component of vas deferens contractions elicited by electrical field stimulation.

Effects of the specific copper (I) chelator, neocuproine, on the purinergic and adrenergic components of nerve-evoked contractions were investigated in the prostatic rat vas deferens. Electrical field stimulation (EFS; 4 Hz) induced bimodal contractions of vas deferens tissue in the presence of alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin (to isolate the purinergic component) or purinoceptor antagonist suramin (to isolate the adrenergic component). Neocuproine significantly potentiated the purinergic component of the contractile responses to EFS.

Protective effect of L-arginine intake on the impaired renal vascular responses in the gentamicin-treated rats.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day, i.p.) treatment on endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation in isolated perfused rat kidney, and the effect of amino acid L-arginine (in the drinking water, 2.

Rho-kinase expression and its contribution to the control of perfusion pressure in the isolated rat mesenteric vascular bed.

Rho-kinase expression was investigated in the rat mesenteric artery and the effects of its inhibitors, (+)-(R)-trans-4-(1-aminoethyl)-N-(4-pyridyl) cyclohexanecarboxamide dihydrochloride monohydrate (Y-27632) and fasudil (HA-1077), were examined on the increase in perfusion pressure induced by two different receptor agonists, namely the alpha-adrenoceptor agonist, phenylephrine and, the endothelin ET(A) and ET(B) receptor agonist, endothelin-1. Y-27632 and fasudil produced a concentration-dependent decrease in perfusion pressure. There was no difference between the concentration-response lines of these two inhibitors.

Effect of tempol (4-hydroxy tempo) on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

We investigated the effects of tempol (4-hydroxy tempo), a membrane-permeable radical scavenger, on gentamicin-induced renal failure in rats. The rats were given gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day, i.p.

Effects of chronic cadmium exposure on contractility of the rat detrusor.

The chronic effects of Cd2+ on the myogenic contractions induced by acetylcholine (ACh), and the neurogenic contractions induced by electrical field stimulation (EFS) of the rat detrusor were investigated. Wistar Kyoto rats weighing 150-250 g were randomly divided into four groups each containing ten animals. Three groups received intraperitoneal Cd2+ (0.

Effects of some divalent cations on nitrergic relaxations in the mouse corpus cavernosum.

Acute effects of some divalent cations (Cd2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Zn2+, Mn2+ and Sn2+) were investigated on neurogenic and endothelium-dependent relaxations in the isolated mouse corpus cavernosum. Neither neurogenic nor endothelium-dependent relaxation was affected by cations at the concentrations used (up to 100 microM), except Cd2+. Although Cd2+ (20 and 40 microM) did not cause any significant alteration in the acetylcholine- (ACh) or sodium nitroprusside- (SNP) induced relaxation, it inhibited electrical field stimulation- (EFS) produced relaxation significantly.

Inhibitory actions of hydroxocobalamin, cyanocobalamin, and folic acid on the ultraviolet light-induced relaxation of the frog upper oesophageal strip.

The applications of ultraviolet (UV) light (336 nm) on the upper oesophageal strips of frog elicited relaxant responses in the presence of NaNO2 (50 microM). The tissues were mounted under the tension 0.5 g in an organ bath containing Ringer solution, maintained at 25 degrees C and gassed with 100% O2.

Possible postsynaptic action of aminoglycosides in the frog rectus abdominis.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the postsynaptic effects of aminoglycosides on contractions evoked by acetylcholine (ACh), KCl, electrical field stimulation (EFS) and Na(+)- and Ca(2+)-free Ringer solution with 0.2 mM Na2 EDTA (NaFCaFR) in the isolated frog rectus abdominis. Neomycin inhibited contraction elicited by ACh, NaFCaFR, and EFS at the higher frequencies (8 and 10 Hz) but not those elicited by KCl and EFS at the lower frequencies (2, 3 and 5 Hz).

Papaverine-induced and endothelium-dependent relaxation in the isolated rat aortic strip.

In the present study, we aimed to obtain further evidence in favour of the hypothesis that nitric oxide (NO) is a major mediator of endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and to clarify whether NO plays a role in papaverine-induced vasorelaxation. The relaxant effects of acetylcholine (Ach), acidified NaNO2 or papaverine were investigated on isolated helical strips of the rat thoracic aorta precontracted with phenylephrine in an organ bath containing Krebs solution aerated with 95% O2 and 5% CO2. The relaxation was quantified as % peak reduction of phenylephrine contracture.

The effect of Ba2+ on the nitrergic mechanism in the isolated frog lung preparation.

1. The present study was undertaken to investigate effects of Ba2+ on the isolated frog lung strips depolarized by 20 mM K+ in Ca2+ free Ringer solution. 2.

The role of Na+ channels in twitch generation during exposure of the frog rectus abdominis to Ca-free Ringer solution with Na2EDTA.

The aim of the study was to investigate whether Na+ channels play a role in the twitch component of the response of the isolated frog rectus abdominis to Ca(2+)-free Ringer solution with 0.2 mM Na2EDTA by using tetrodotoxin and some other well known drugs that exhibit a blocking action on Na+ channels. In the presence of 5 x 10(-7) M tetrodotoxin, the twitch component, measured isotonically, disappeared.