Biomaterial Database

Increased nitric oxide synthesis in ulcerative colitis. 1993

S J Middleton, and M Shorthouse, and J O Hunter

Department of Gastroenterology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK.

Nitric oxide (NO) is produced in tissues by NO synthase with the liberation of equimolar amounts of citrulline. Citrulline concentrations were significantly higher in rectal biopsy specimens from patients with active ulcerative colitis than in those from patients with quiescent disease or with normal histology. Incubation of biopsy samples from patients with ulcerative colitis with NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) inhibited citrulline production. These findings suggest that mucosal NO biosynthesis is increased in active colitis and that NO may have a pathogenic role in ulcerative colitis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007413	Intestinal Mucosa	Lining of the INTESTINES, consisting of an inner EPITHELIUM, a middle LAMINA PROPRIA, and an outer MUSCULARIS MUCOSAE. In the SMALL INTESTINE, the mucosa is characterized by a series of folds and abundance of absorptive cells (ENTEROCYTES) with MICROVILLI.	Intestinal Epithelium,Intestinal Glands,Epithelium, Intestinal,Gland, Intestinal,Glands, Intestinal,Intestinal Gland,Mucosa, Intestinal
D009569	Nitric Oxide	A free radical gas produced endogenously by a variety of mammalian cells, synthesized from ARGININE by NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE. Nitric oxide is one of the ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT RELAXING FACTORS released by the vascular endothelium and mediates VASODILATION. It also inhibits platelet aggregation, induces disaggregation of aggregated platelets, and inhibits platelet adhesion to the vascular endothelium. Nitric oxide activates cytosolic GUANYLATE CYCLASE and thus elevates intracellular levels of CYCLIC GMP.	Endogenous Nitrate Vasodilator,Mononitrogen Monoxide,Nitric Oxide, Endothelium-Derived,Nitrogen Monoxide,Endothelium-Derived Nitric Oxide,Monoxide, Mononitrogen,Monoxide, Nitrogen,Nitrate Vasodilator, Endogenous,Nitric Oxide, Endothelium Derived,Oxide, Nitric,Vasodilator, Endogenous Nitrate
D012007	Rectum	The distal segment of the LARGE INTESTINE, between the SIGMOID COLON and the ANAL CANAL.	Rectums
D003093	Colitis, Ulcerative	Inflammation of the COLON that is predominantly confined to the MUCOSA. Its major symptoms include DIARRHEA, rectal BLEEDING, the passage of MUCUS, and ABDOMINAL PAIN.	Colitis Gravis,Idiopathic Proctocolitis,Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Ulcerative Colitis Type,Ulcerative Colitis
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000596	Amino Acids	Organic compounds that generally contain an amino (-NH2) and a carboxyl (-COOH) group. Twenty alpha-amino acids are the subunits which are polymerized to form proteins.	Amino Acid,Acid, Amino,Acids, Amino
D001120	Arginine	An essential amino acid that is physiologically active in the L-form.	Arginine Hydrochloride,Arginine, L-Isomer,DL-Arginine Acetate, Monohydrate,L-Arginine,Arginine, L Isomer,DL Arginine Acetate, Monohydrate,Hydrochloride, Arginine,L Arginine,L-Isomer Arginine,Monohydrate DL-Arginine Acetate
D046508	Culture Techniques	Methods of maintaining or growing biological materials in controlled laboratory conditions. These include the cultures of CELLS; TISSUES; organs; or embryo in vitro. Both animal and plant tissues may be cultured by a variety of methods. Cultures may derive from normal or abnormal tissues, and consist of a single cell type or mixed cell types.	Culture Technique,Technique, Culture,Techniques, Culture
D019323	omega-N-Methylarginine	A competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide synthetase.	D-NMMA,L-Monomethylarginine,L-NMMA,NG-Monomethyl-L-Arginine,L-NG-Monomethyl Arginine,N(G)-Methylarginine,N(G)-Monomethyl-D-Arginine,N(G)-Monomethylarginine,N(omega)-Monomethyl-L-Arginine,Arginine, L-NG-Monomethyl,L Monomethylarginine,L NG Monomethyl Arginine,NG Monomethyl L Arginine,omega N Methylarginine