Role of carbon monoxide in heme-induced vasodilation.
We investigated the effects of carbon monoxide and heme-L-lysinate on the diameter of isolated, pressurized gracilis muscle arterioles. Both agents increased arteriolar diameter. The vasodilatory effect of heme-L-lysinate, but not of carbon monoxide was prevented by an inhibitor of heme oxygenase. Hence, heme-L-lysinate-induced vasodilation appears to be mediated by a product of vascular heme metabolism, presumably carbon monoxide. This implies that vascular formation of carbon monoxide may subserve a vasodilatory function.
Kozma
F
F
Department of Pharmacology, New York Medical College, Valhalla 10595, USA.
Johnson
R A
RA
Nasjletti
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001160:Arterioles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006418:Heme / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008239:Lysine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
C106087:heme lysinate; D006418:Heme; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D008239:Lysine