title: EDRF inhibition augments pulmonary hypertension in intact newborn lambs.
abstract: There is increasing evidence that resting pulmonary vascular tone is mediated by the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRF). However, the importance of EDRF release during pulmonary hypertension is unknown. Therefore, in eight newborn lambs we studied the effects of both N omega-nitro-L-arginine (an inhibitor of EDRF synthesis) and L-arginine (a precursor of EDRF synthesis) during pulmonary hypertension induced either by the intravenous infusion of U-46619 (a thromboxane A2 mimic) or by hypoxia. After pretreatment with N omega-nitro-L-arginine, the increases in pulmonary arterial pressure produced by U-46619 (102.0 +/- 34.9% vs. 144.8 +/- 28.6%, P less than 0.05) and by hypoxia (35.6 +/- 17.3% vs. 91.4 +/- 24.8%, P less than 0.05) were significantly augmented. However, after pretreatment with L-arginine, the increases in pulmonary arterial pressure produced by U-46619 (107.0 +/- 21.4% vs. 62.6 +/- 22.6%, P less than 0.05) and hypoxia (44.3 +/- 18.3% vs. 9.2 +/- 11.7%, P less than 0.05) were significantly attenuated. These results suggest that during pulmonary hypertension, EDRF is released to limit the increase in pulmonary arterial pressure and that L-arginine availability becomes rate limiting for further EDRF synthesis and release.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fineman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Soifer
mesh_terms: D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D019335:Nitroarginine; D011450:Prostaglandin Endoperoxides, Synthetic / Q000494:pharmacology; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D012756:Sheep; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011450:Prostaglandin Endoperoxides, Synthetic; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D019335:Nitroarginine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019796:15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; D001120:Arginine