[Effects of L-arginine on acute hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and production of endothelin-1 in vivo and in cultured endothelial cells].
This study is aimed to investigate the effects of L-arginine, a precursor of the formation of nitric oxide, on acute hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in vivo and on production of endothelin-1 both in vivo and in cultured endothelial cells. In mechanically ventilated anesthetized dogs (n = 7), L-arginine (0.5 g/kg) reduced the mean pulmonary arterial pressure and femoral arterial pressure during hypoxic ventilation and its action lasted for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, plasma endothelin-1 in the pulmonary and femoral artery had no remarkable change. In cultured endothelial cells from umbilical veins, different concentrations of L-arginine had no influence on endothelin-1 level of culture medium in 4 or 24 hours after the addition of L-arginine. These results indicate that L arginine can decrease the pulmonary arterial pressure during acute hypoxia, which may be associated with the increase of nitric oxide production.
Cao
W
W
PUMC Hospital, CAMS, Beijing.
Zeng
Z
Z
Zhu
Y
Y
Luo
W
W
Wang
Z
Z
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004285:Dogs; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male
D019332:Endothelin-1; D001120:Arginine