title: A modified citrulline assay of NOS activity in rat brain homogenates does not detect direct effects of halothane on the kinetics of NOS activity.
abstract: An improved citrulline radioassay of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was developed to study the direct effects of the volatile anesthetic (VA) halothane on the enzyme kinetics of neuronal NOS derived from different regions of the rat central nervous system (CNS). The Vmax of NOS in both soluble cytosolic and membrane bound particulate fractions varied across regions with greatest activity in the cerebellum and least in the spinal cord. In contrast, the Km was not different across regions or in the cytosolic and particulate fractions. Halothane at 0.5, 1, 2 or 3% delivered concentration had no effect on either kinetic parameter of NOS in any of the regions studied indicating that the VAs have no direct effects on NOS activity.
authors.affiliation: Bronx VA Medical Center, NY 10468, USA. tagliente.thomas@bronx.va.gov
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Tagliente
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Craddock Royal
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beasley
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maayani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D002956:Citrulline; D003600:Cytosol / Q000201:enzymology; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D002956:Citrulline; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D006221:Halothane