title: Endothelium-dependent relaxation and L-arginine metabolism in genetic hypertension.
abstract: This study characterizes the effects of L-arginine and NG-monomethyl L-arginine on dilator responsiveness of vascular tissue from Wistar-Kyoto rats and stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats. Rings of abdominal aorta were suspended in tissue baths for measurement of isometric force. After contraction induced by phenylephrine, cumulative addition of acetylcholine, L-arginine, or A23187 to the muscle bath caused a similar relaxation of aortic rings in both animal groups. To test the hypothesis that arginine metabolism is altered in hypertension, aortic rings were incubated with NG-monomethyl L-arginine. NG-monomethyl L-arginine (10-300 microM) did not affect contractile responses to phenylephrine (10(-10) to 10(-4) M) in either animal group (EC50, 10(-7) M). Exposure of aortic rings to NG-monomethyl L-arginine resulted in a greater inhibition of relaxation response to acetylcholine (10(-10) to 10(-6) M) in hypertensive animals. NG-monomethyl L-arginine (300 microM) caused complete inhibition of relaxation to acetylcholine in the hypertension group. Incubation with L-arginine (10-100 microM) overcame the inhibition of acetylcholine-induced relaxation produced by NG-monomethyl L-arginine in both groups. Exposure of aortic ring segments to NG-monomethyl L-arginine attenuated relaxation responses to A23187 (10(-10) to 3 x 10(-6) M) in both groups. L-Arginine-induced reversal of the inhibitory effect of NG-monomethyl L-arginine on the relaxation responses to A23187 was similar between groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine
chemical_list: D010656:Phenylephrine; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D001120:Arginine