title: Effects of nitric oxide donors in vitro on the arachidonic acid-induced platelet release reaction and platelet cyclic GMP concentration in pre-eclampsia.
abstract: 1. Platelet activation in vivo occurs in healthy pregnancy and is more pronounced in pre-eclampsia. 2. This study has investigated: (i) the inhibitory potency of the nitric oxide donors 3-morpholinosydnonimine and sodium nitroprusside, on the platelet release reaction in vitro in non-pregnant, healthy pregnant and pre-eclamptic women; (ii) the concentration of cyclic GMP during incubation of washed platelets with sodium nitroprusside in a separate group of non-pregnant, healthy pregnant and pre-eclamptic women. 3. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration of sodium nitroprusside, in the presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, for inhibition of the platelet release reaction was lower in the pre-eclamptic subjects than in the non-pregnant subjects (P < 0.05). 4. Several of the pre-eclamptic women were studied again postnatally. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of sodium nitroprusside and 3-morpholinosydnonimine were higher in the postnatal than in the antenatal sample (P < 0.02). 5. Peak platelet cyclic GMP responses to sodium nitroprusside were significantly higher in the pre-eclamptic women than in the healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women. 6. These results suggest that platelets are more sensitive to the inhibitory effects of nitric oxide donors in pre-eclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, U.K.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Horn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008981:Molsidomine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D009599:Nitroprusside; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C002385:linsidomine; D008981:Molsidomine; D006152:Cyclic GMP