title: Chronic inhaled nitric oxide: effects on pulmonary vascular endothelial function and pathology in rats.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent endogenous vasodilator produced in endothelial cells. Inhaled NO selectively vasodilates the pulmonary circulation. We determined the effects of chronic inhaled NO on hypoxic pulmonary vascular remodeling and endothelium NO-dependent and -independent vasodilation during normoxic and hypoxic conditions in rats. Rats were exposed to 3 wk of normoxia (N), normoxia + 20 ppm inhaled NO (N+NO), chronic hypoxia with 10% normobaric oxygen (CH), or CH and 20 ppm inhaled NO (CH+NO). Inhaled NO decreased the number of muscular pulmonary arteries, the medial smooth muscle thickness, and the right ventricular hypertrophy associated with chronic hypoxia but had no effect on these parameters in normoxic rats. All groups were evaluated with isolated perfused lungs. The pulmonary artery pressure increased by the same amount in the CH and CH+NO rats compared with N rats. Inhibition of NO synthase with N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) caused greater pulmonary vasoconstriction in CH (19.2 +/- 3.7 mmHg) vs. N (7.8 +/- 3.0 mmHg) and less in CH+NO (9.1 +/- 0.8 mmHg) vs. CH rats. Bradykinin (3 micrograms) caused greater vasodilation in CH (76 +/- 12%) vs. N (29 +/- 5%) but significantly less in CH+NO (41 +/- 11%) vs. CH rats. Vasodilation with acute inhaled NO (40 ppm) was no different in CH vs. N rats but was lower in CH+NO (19 +/- 5%) vs. CH (34 +/- 6%) rats. This study demonstrates that chronic inhaled NO attenuates hypoxic pulmonary vascular remodeling. Furthermore, these results suggest that chronic inhaled NO decreases endothelium NO-dependent and -independent vasodilation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Roos
authors.forename: D U
authors.initials: DU
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Rich
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000399:Air Pressure; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D000804:Angiotensin II; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester