title: Dual role of nitric oxide in focal cerebral ischemia.
abstract: The importance of nitric oxide (NO) in the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia was examined following middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. A significant increase in infarct size developed following inhibition of NO synthase (NOS) activity by L-arginine analogues whereas intravenous L-arginine dose-dependently decreased infarct volume in the same models. Protection after L-arginine administration was associated with enhanced blood flow within the perinfarct zone as demonstrated by simultaneous recording of rCBF and electrocorticogram activity within subjacent brain. Selective NOS inhibition by 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) significantly reduced infarct volume at doses of 25 and 50 mg kg and in amounts that did not decrease the response of pial vessels to topical acetylcholine. Together these data suggest that enhanced NO production within the cerebrovasculature protects brain tissue during focal ischemia via hemodynamic mechanisms whereas neuronal overproduction may facilitate or mediate neurotoxicity. Recent data using transgenic animals lacking NOS activity support the latter conclusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dalkara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Irikura
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moskowitz
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000473:pathology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D007191:Indazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007191:Indazoles; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D000109:Acetylcholine; C080122:7-nitroindazole