Assessment of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) activity in the cavernous tissues of sildenafil citrate-treated rats / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To assess heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) activity in the cavernous tissue of sildenafil citrate-treated rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and ninety-two Sprague-Dawley male rats, divided into four equal groups, were investigated. Group 1, the control group, received regular animal chow; group 2 received sildenafil citrate by intragastric tube; group 3 received sildenafil and HO inhibitor (zinc protoporphyrin, ZnPP); and group 4 received sildenafil and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Twelve rats from each group were killed after 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h and 3 h of drug administration. Then HO-1 activity, cGMP levels and NOS enzymatic activity in the cavernous tissues were estimated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In cavernous tissue, HO-1 activity, NOS enzymatic activity and cGMP concentration increased significantly in sildenafil-treated rats compared to other groups throughout the experiment. Rats receiving either HO or NOS inhibitors showed a significant decrease in these parameters. HO-1 cavernous tissue activity and NOS enzymatic activity demonstrated a positive significant correlation with cGMP levels (r = 0.646, r = 0.612 respectively; P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The actions of PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil citrate in the cavernous tissue are partly mediated through the interdependent relationship between both HO-1 and NOS activities.</p>

Ventilatory functions changes and respiratory symptoms among bakeries workers in greater cairo

This study was carried out on 200 bakeries workers [bakers doughers, dough cutters and bread handlers] and 50 workers not exposed to flour dusts or any respiratory irritants as a control group. Special quesionnaire was filled for each worker including age, type and duration of work, smoking habit, respiratory symptoms, clinical examination together with pulmonary functions forced vital capacity [FVC] and forced expiratory in the 1st second FEV[1]. Bakeries workers showed marked impairment of ventilatory functions [FVC and FEV[1]]. The most common symptoms among bakeries workers were cough, expectoration and chest pain. The most effective factors for these changes were duration of work, age and type of work

Changes in the metabolism of collagen in uremic patients without and after hemodialysis

The aim of the present work is to throw some light at the metabolism of collagen regarding both synthesis and degradation in uremic patients without and after hemodialysis. Serum procollagen III peptide and hydroxyproline were studied in twenty chronic renal failure [CRF] patients [ten hemodialysed and ten non dialysed] and ten normal control subjects. Levels of serum PIIIP showed a significant elevation [p< 0.01] in uremic cases [both non dialysed and dialysed groups] when compared with the normal control group. Levels of serum hydroxyproline showed a significant elevation in non dialysed CRF patients [p< 0.01] when compared with the normal control group. These returned to normal after hemodialysis

Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentration in severe preeclampsia treated with magnesium sulfate [Sup]

To assess the atrial natriuretic peptide [ANP] concentration in normal and preeclamptic pregnancies and to test the possible effect of magnesium sulfate therapy on plasma ANP levels in severe preeclampsia, we studied the plasma levels of ANP in 25 healthy normotensive pregnant women, 25 preeclamptic women in addition to another 25 healthy non-pregnant females. Estimation of plasma ANP by a specific radioimmunoassay was carried out twice in the preeclamptic patients, before MgSo4 therapy [also before delivery] and 24 hours from the start of MgSo4 therapy [12-24 hours after delivery]. Simultaneous estimation of serum magnesium was also undertaken. Plasma ANP was higher in normotensive pregnant women [50.65-+8.96 pg/ml] as compared with non-pregnant controls [33.76-+3.75 PG/ML] [p< 0.001]. In preeclampsia, the plasma ANP before MgSo4 therapy, furthermore elevated, was significantly higher [94.06-+11.89 pg/ml] as compared with normal pregnant females [P< 0.001]. There was no difference in the baseline values of serum magnesium in the 3 studied groups. The adopted magnesium sulfate regimen induced nearly 50% rise in the serum levels of magnesium in patients with preeclampsia. Plasma ANP was decreased significantly [70.57-+ 10.66 pg/ml] [P<0.001] after MgSo4 therapy in preeclampsia as compared with the pretherapy level. Our results show that atrial natriuretic peptide increases significantly during normal pregnancy and furthermore elevated in severe preeclampsia. Magnesium sulfate therapy in preeclampsia may decrease the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide significantly, probably through an increase in atrial natriuretic peptide renal clearance