title: L-arginine induces relaxation of small mesenteric arteries from endotoxin-treated rats.
abstract: The effect of arginine (Arg) was studied on norepinephrine- (1 microM) precontracted small mesenteric arteries removed from rats treated with E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The addition of L- (but not D-) Arg (1 mM) relaxed, within 3 min, the small mesenteric arteries from LPS-treated but not from control rats, the maximal relaxation (65.3 +/- 11%) being reached with less than 100 microM L-Arg. NG-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (1 mM) and methylene blue (10 microM) restored contractions to the level reached before addition of L-Arg. These results show that LPS induces the production of an L-Arg-derived, nitric oxide-like, relaxing factor in small mesenteric arteries.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Université Louis Pasteur de Strasbourg, CNRS URA 0600, Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schott
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Stoclet
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Julou-Schaeffer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000187:drug effects; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000494:pharmacology; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C044101:endotoxin, Escherichia coli; D001120:Arginine; D008751:Methylene Blue; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester