title: Role of nitric oxide in a nonseptic shock model induced by zymosan in the rat.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is a short-lived mediator, the synthesis of which is induced by various cytokines during inflammatory processes. Recently, it has been proposed that zymosan, a nonbacterial agent, causes inflammation by inducing the production of various cytokines and proinflammatory mediators. In the present study we investigated the role of NO in a nonseptic shock model induced by zymosan administration in the rat. Administration of zymosan (500 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) in the rat induced acute peritonitis, as assessed by a marked increase in the leukocytes count in the exudate, as well as by an increase in the exudate nitrate/nitrite concentration. Zymosan-treated rats developed a severe hypotension and showed signs of systemic illness, significant loss of body weight, and a high mortality rate (53% of animals died within 72 h). Elevated plasma levels of nitrite and nitrate were also observed in zymosan-treated rats compared with control rats (67 +/- 4 microM and 23 +/- 2 microM, respectively; p < .01). In ex vivo experiments, vascular reactivity was studied in thoracic aorta rings of zymosan-treated rats. The contractile responses to norepinephrine (100 nM) and endothelin-1 (5 nM) were significantly reduced. An impairment of the endothelial-dependent relaxation in response to acetylcholine was also observed. Pretreatment of zymosan-shocked rats with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMA), (10 mg/kg, subcutaneously, 15 min before zymosan) decreased mortality, prevented the development of peritonitis, improved ex vivo vascular reactivity, and significantly reduced hypotension. Our data suggest that overproduction of NO plays a role in the zymosan-induced peritonitis and cardiovascular derangements in the rats.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cuzzocrea
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filippelli
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zingarelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Falciani
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Caputi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012769:Shock / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000187:drug effects; D015054:Zymosan / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D015054:Zymosan