Effects of simulated microgravity on nitric oxide level in cardiac myocytes and its mechanism  

作　　者：熊江辉 李莹辉 聂捷琳 

机构地区：[1]Laboratory of Space Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Space Medico-engineering, Beijing 100094, China

出　　处：《Science China(Life Sciences)》2003年第3期302-309,共8页中国科学（生命科学英文版）

基　　金：supported by National Plan of High-Tech Research and Development(863-2-2-2-4).

摘　　要：The depression of cardiac contractility induced by space microgravity is an important issue of aerospace medicine research, while its precise mechanism is still unknown. In the present study, we explored effects of simulated microgravity on nitric oxide (NO) level, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and related regulative mechanism using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. We found a remarkable in-crease of NO level and up-regulation of iNOS and iNOS mRNA expression in rat cardiac myocytes under simulated microgravity. Staurosporine (a nonselective protein kinase inhibitor), calphostin C (a selective protein kinase C inhibitor), partially inhibited the effect of simulated microgravity. Thus regulative effect of simulated microgravity on iNOS expression is mediated at least partially via activation of protein kinase C. These results indicate that NO system in cardiac myocytes is sensi-tive to simulated microgravity and may play an important role in the depression of cardiac contrac-tility induced by simulated microgravity.The depression of cardiac contractility induced by space microgravity is an important issue of aerospace medicine research, while its precise mechanism is still unknown. In the present study, we explored effects of simulated microgravity on nitric oxide (NO) level, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and related regulative mechanism using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. We found a remarkable in-crease of NO level and up-regulation of iNOS and iNOS mRNA expression in rat cardiac myocytes under simulated microgravity. Staurosporine (a nonselective protein kinase inhibitor), calphostin C (a selective protein kinase C inhibitor), partially inhibited the effect of simulated microgravity. Thus regulative effect of simulated microgravity on iNOS expression is mediated at least partially via activation of protein kinase C. These results indicate that NO system in cardiac myocytes is sensi-tive to simulated microgravity and may play an important role in the depression of cardiac contrac-tility induced by simulated microgravity.

关 键 词：simulated microgravity  cardiac myocytes  NITRIC oxide  NITRIC OXIDE synthase  protein kinase C  signal transduction. 

分 类 号：Q68[生物学—生物物理学]