Regulation of macrophage nitric oxide synthesis by endothelial cells: a role for NG,NG-dimethylarginine.

NG,NG-dimethylarginine is an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis produced by endothelial cells and found in the plasma and urine of normal adults. We have examined the ability of NG, NG-dimethylarginine, produced by endothelial cells (SGHEC-7), to regulate the production of nitric oxide by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated mouse macrophage cells (J774.2). Stimulation of SGHEC-7 or J774.2 cells with lipopolysaccharide had no effect on their release of NG,NG-dimethylarginine into the culture supernatant. Stimulation of J774.2 cells with lipopolysaccharide for 24 h significantly stimulated nitric oxide production by J774.2 but not SGHEC-7 cells. When lipopolysaccharide-stimulated J774.2 cells were co-cultured with endothelial cells for 24 h, there was a significant inhibition of nitrite accumulation. The inhibition observed was dependent on the endothelial cell number (12 +/- 5% [mean +/- SEM] following incubation with 0.6 x 105 cells, up to 47 +/- 8% with 4.8 x 105 cells). The inhibitory effect of endothelial cells was prevented by incubation with increasing concentrations of L-arginine; the IC50 was 2.9 +/- 0.6 mM arginine. Western blot analysis indicated that the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase was not inhibited by co-culture with SGHEC-7 cells. The results presented here demonstrate that NG,NG-dimethylarginine synthesized by endothelial cells may inhibit nitric oxide synthase in adjacent cells and play a role in the regulation of nitric oxide synthesis by macrophages.

Lung development in diamniotic twins discordant for complete urinary tract obstruction.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of anhydramnios on the lung development of 1 twin in the presence of a normal amniotic fluid volume in its diamniotic co-twin. METHODS: Three sets of diamniotic twins, discordant for complete urinary tract obstruction and anhydramnios, were followed prospectively with regular ultrasound scans and after delivery. RESULTS: All 3 twins with complete urinary tract obstruction and anhydramnios died within 2 days after birth, with confirmed severe pulmonary hypoplasia. In every case the twin with a normal amount of surrounding amniotic fluid had a normal postnatal outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The observation that a normal amniotic fluid volume in one sac does not protect the anhydramniotic twin from pulmonary hypoplasia has important implications for the aetiology of the condition and for the possibility of therapeutic septostomy. These results are discussed in relation to previous human and animal studies.

Hepatocyte growth factor regulates human trophoblast motility and invasion: a role for nitric oxide.

1. The expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is essential for normal placental development although its function is unknown. In this study we examined the effect of HGF on trophoblast cell motility and invasion of fibrin gels and investigated the possible role of nitric oxide (NO) in this process. 2. The human extravillous trophoblast cell line SGHPL-4 express both the constitutive and inducible isoforms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). 3. HGF significantly stimulates cell motility in monolayer culture, the invasion of fibrin gels and the production of guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP). 4. Invasion, motility and cyclic GMP production were inhibited by Ng-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA). 5. Cell motility was also significantly inhibited by the inducible NOS specific inhibitor 1400 W. 6. Neither 8 Br-cyclic GMP nor the NO donor spermine-NO had any significant effect on basal trophoblast cell motility. 7. The data presented in this study demonstrate a direct effect of trophoblast-derived NO synthesis on trophoblast cell function and support the idea that HGF is involved in the regulation of trophoblast invasion through mechanisms that involve the production of NO. However neither exogenous NO nor activation of cyclic GMP-dependent pathways alone are sufficient to stimulate trophoblast cell motility.

Plasma concentrations of asymmetric dimethylarginine, a natural inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the change in the plasma concentration of asymmetric dimethylarginine, an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, in early-, mid-, and late-gestation normotensive pregnancies and in gestational age-matched preeclamptic pregnancies and compared the observed changes with changes in blood pressure. STUDY DESIGN: Blood pressure and peripheral plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine concentrations were measured in 20 nonpregnant and 145 pregnant women (33 first-trimester, 50 second-trimester, and 44 third-trimester normotensive pregnancies and 18 third-trimester pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia). In 23 normotensive pregnancies serial plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine concentrations were measured. Statistical analysis was by analysis of variance and linear regression. RESULTS: The blood pressures recorded throughout normal pregnancy were significantly lower than in nonpregnant subjects (p < 0.0001). The mean systolic, diastolic, and average blood pressures were significantly higher in the second-trimester groups than in the first-trimester groups, whereas in the third trimester average and diastolic blood pressures were significantly higher than in the second trimester. The mean (+/-SD) systolic and diastolic blood pressures in third-trimester preeclamptic patients was 157.7 +/- 11.2 and 110.9 +/- 8.5 mm Hg. The mean plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine concentration in nonpregnant women was 0.82 +/- 0.31 micromol/L (significantly higher than in normotensive pregnancy, p < 0.0001). The plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine concentration was also significantly higher in second-trimester than in first-trimester normotensive groups (respectively, 0.52 +/- 0.20 micromol/L and 0.40 +/- 0.15 micromol/L, p = 0.001) and was higher in third-trimester normotensive pregnancy 0.56 +/- 0.23 micromol/L than it was in the second trimester. The asymmetric dimethylarginine concentration in third-trimester preeclamptic patients was 1.17 +/- 0.42 micromol/L (p < 0.0001 vs normotensive third-trimester subjects). CONCLUSIONS: It is well recognized that blood pressure falls in early normal pregnancy and rises again toward term. These studies show that the early fall in blood pressure is accompanied by a significant fall in the plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine concentration. Later in pregnancy circulating concentrations increase and, when pregnancy is complicated by preeclampsia, concentrations are higher than in the nonpregnant state. Our data support a role for both asymmetric dimethylarginine and nitric oxide in the changes in blood pressure seen in both normal and preeclamptic pregnancy.