Abstract
The distribution of the carbon monoxide (CO) producing enzymes haem oxygenase (HO) type 1 and 2 were studied in the feline lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS), as were HO activity and functional effects of CO. HO-2 immunoreactivity was observed in nerve cell bodies in the submucosal and myenteric plexus, nerve fibres, non-neuronal cells surrounding smooth muscle bundles, and in arterial endothelium, HO-1 immunoreactivity was confined to non-neuronal cells in the smooth muscle layer. CO production, indicating HO activity, was demonstrated in tissue homogenates. CO relaxed the LOS, and activated the cyclic GMP system. These results show that HO is present in the LOS, and suggest that CO can be generated by neuronal and non-neuronal structures and may have a role as a peripheral messenger.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1389-1393 |
| Journal | NeuroReport |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1995 Jul |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
Free keywords
- Animals
- Carbon Monoxide/metabolism
- Cats
- Cyclic AMP/metabolism
- Cyclic GMP/metabolism
- Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Esophagogastric Junction/drug effects
- Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)/antagonists & inhibitors
- Immunohistochemistry
- Isoenzymes/antagonists & inhibitors
- Male
- Microscopy, Confocal
- Muscle Contraction/drug effects
- Muscle, Smooth/drug effects
- Protoporphyrins/pharmacology