Effect of ovarian steroids on nitric oxide synthase in the rat uterus, cervix and vagina

The effects of estrogen (E 2), progesterone (P) and E 2 and P (E 2 + P) were examined on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in both cytosolic and particulate fractions isolated from the rat uterus, vagina, cervix and cerebral cortex. Additionally plasma nitrate+nitrite (NO 3+ NO 2) levels were mea...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Life sciences (1973) 2001-07, Vol.69 (10), p.1133-1142
Main Authors: Al-Hijji, Jassim, Larsson, Iréne, Batra, Satish
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Cell Fractionation
Cerebral Cortex - drug effects
Cerebral Cortex - enzymology
Cervix Uteri - drug effects
Cervix Uteri - enzymology
Cytosol - drug effects
Cytosol - enzymology
Drug Therapy, Combination
Estrogen
Estrogens - pharmacology
Female
Genital tract
Nitric oxide
Nitric Oxide Synthase - biosynthesis
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
Ovarian steroids
Ovariectomy
Progesterone
Progesterone - pharmacology
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Uterus - drug effects
Uterus - enzymology
Vagina - drug effects
Vagina - enzymology
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The effects of estrogen (E 2), progesterone (P) and E 2 and P (E 2 + P) were examined on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in both cytosolic and particulate fractions isolated from the rat uterus, vagina, cervix and cerebral cortex. Additionally plasma nitrate+nitrite (NO 3+ NO 2) levels were measured in control and hormone treated rats. Cytosolic NOS was the predominant form being approximately 80% of the total in all four tissues. NOS activity in both fractions from all tissues was highly Ca-dependent (> 90%). Among the reproductive tract tissues, the highest activity was found in the cervix, which was nearly 5- and 2-fold higher than the uterus and vagina, respectively. NOS activity in the cerebral cortex was by far the highest being 5-fold higher than in the cervix. In contrast to the cortex, E 2 treatment downregulated cytosolic NOS in all reproductive tract tissue, but this was statistically significant in only uterus. When compared with E 2 treated rats, P increased cytosolic NOS in uterus, vagina, and particulate NOS in the cervix. The data do not give any indication whatsoever of differential effects of P in the uterus and cervix.
ISSN:0024-3205
1879-0631
DOI:10.1016/S0024-3205(01)01204-8