Cyclooxygenase-2 expression and role of vasoconstrictor prostanoids in small mesenteric arteries from patients with Crohn's disease.

Background: The present study investigates the vascular reactivity and the involvement of nitric oxide and prostanoids in regulating vasoconstriction of small mesenteric arteries from patients with Crohn's disease (CD) to understand the vascular component of this pathology.

Methods And Results: An increased production of proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukins 1beta, 6, and 8) has been observed in biopsy specimens of inflammatory intestinal mucosa. However, contractile responses of small mesenteric arteries from CD patients in response to norepinephrine were not changed ex vivo when compared with controls.

Cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase in omental arteries harvested from patients with severe liver diseases: immuno-localization and influence on vascular tone.

Objective: To investigate the expression of inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the role of vasodilatory prostanoids and endogenous nitric oxide (NO) in small omental arteries harvested from patients with severe liver diseases.

Design: Ex vivo study of resistance arteries. SETTING.