title: Endothelial nitric oxide production and insulin sensitivity. A physiological link with implications for pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Insulin sensitivity varies up to threefold in apparently healthy individuals, but the mechanism for this is unknown. We have examined the hypothesis that vascular endothelial nitric oxide production and insulin sensitivity are directly related in humans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen healthy male subjects were studied on 3 separate days 1 week apart during which time they underwent measurement of insulin sensitivity by the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique (soluble insulin 1.5 mU . kg-1 . min-1) and measurement of in vivo basal and stimulated endothelial nitric oxide production by forearm venous occlusion plethysmography. There was a correlation between insulin sensitivity and forearm vasoconstrictor responses to NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, the substrate inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (r = .52, P < .05). No correlations were observed between insulin sensitivity and noradrenaline, acetylcholine, or sodium nitroprusside responses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endothelial nitric oxide synthesis and insulin sensitivity are positively related in healthy humans, which suggests a direct physiological link.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom. jrp1s@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Petrie
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Connell
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D017942:Nitric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010992:Plethysmography, Impedance; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D009599:Nitroprusside; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D017942:Nitric Acid; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000109:Acetylcholine; D009638:Norepinephrine