Influence of cyclic guanosine 3', 5' monophosphate modulators on muscle contraction of rat aortas

The study examined the influence of probenecid [Pn], sildenafil [Sd] and oxidiazoloquinoxalin [ODQ] on contraction of phenylephrine [PhE] stimulated rat aortas. The study was performed at Peter Holtz Research Center of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany, from 1st July to 30th September 2005. Thirty-five isolated rat aortas were stimulated with 10 micro M PhE or preincubated for 30 minutes with 10 micro M Pn, or 10 micro M ODQ, or 50 micro M Sd, and then incubated with 10 micro M PhE in the presence or absence of the substances. The phosphorylated myosin light chain 20 was detected by using an antibody against phosphomyosin light chain 2. The ratio of PhE stimulated phosphorylation of aortas [p<0.05] to the untreated was 16.7:1 at 30 seconds and 20.4:1 at 60 seconds. The stimulation decreased significantly at 120 seconds then during the following 10 minutes. Pre-incubation with 50 micro M Sd [p>0.05] or 10 micro M Pn [p<0.05] reduced the phosphorylation induced by PhE that was added to each for 30 seconds. But pre-incubation with 10 micro M ODQ increased the phosphorylation brought about by addition of PhE for 60 seconds, p>0.05. The washout-effect of these modulators was not significant after stimulation with PhE only. The study demonstrates the involvement of cyclic guanosine 3',5' monophosphate and its modulators on muscle contraction of rat aortas. Sildenafil and Pn reduced while oxidiazoloquinoxalin increased the contraction of rat aortas

Thyroid autoimmunity and dysfunction among chronic hepatitis C patients

Forty patients with untreated chronic hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection [22 males and 18 males, their mean age was 40.6 +/- 7.9 with a range of 26-42 years] were studied. Anti-thyroperoxidase [TPO- Ab] and antithyroglobulin [TG-Ab] antibodies were assessed together with the measurement of free T3, T4 and TSH. Fine needle aspirate from thyroid gland was performed for patients with positive thyroid autoantibodies. The study concluded that a considerable number of patients with HCV infection harbored thyroid TPO-Ab and TG-Ab antibodies and had an abnormal thyroid function. The histological evidence of subacute thyroiditis could partly explain the mechanism of thyroid dysfunction in such patients. Thyroid functions should be assessed in patients with HCV infection, even in the absence of thyroid autoantibodies, especially before the initiation of treatment with interferon