The production of nitric oxide in endothelial cells by amphiphiles.
Lysophosphatidylcholine, an endogenous detergent is an endothelium-dependent smooth muscle relaxant, which acts through the release of nitric oxide. It is known to activate a number of membrane-bound enzymes. Because of the relationship between detergent action, relaxation of endothelium-intact rabbit aortic strips and the release of nitric oxide, we considered the possibility that other amphiphiles also produce nitric oxide from endothelial cells. We therefore investigated the effect of digitonin on relaxation of precontracted rabbit aortic strips and the release of nitric oxide from freshly harvested bovine endothelial cells as determined by chemiluminescence. We found that both digitonin and LPC release nitric oxide and that this process is inhibited by the NO synthase inhibitor N omega-Nitro-L-Arginine Methyl Ester (L-NNAME).
Conforto
A
A
California Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, Pasadena 91125.
Dudek
R
R
Hoffmann
M R
MR
Bing
R J
RJ
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D002417:Cattle; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004072:Digitonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011817:Rabbits
D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D004072:Digitonin; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester