title: Neuronal nitric oxide synthase mediates halothane-induced cerebral microvascular dilation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The causes of volatile anesthetic-induced cerebral vasodilation include direct effects on smooth muscle and indirect effects via changes in metabolic rate and release of mediators from vascular endothelium and brain parenchyma. The role of nitric oxide and the relative importance of neuronal and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (nNOS and eNOS, respectively) are unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rat brain slices were superfused with oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Hippocampal arteriolar diameters were measured using computerized videomicrometry. Vessels were preconstricted with prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha; halothane group) or pretreated with 7-nitroindazole sodium (7-NINA, specific nNOS inhibitor, 7-NINA + halothane group) or N-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME; nonselective NOS inhibitor, L-NAME + halothane group) and subsequently given PGF2alpha to achieve the same total preconstriction as in the halothane group. Increasing concentrations of halothane were administered and vasodilation was calculated as a percentage of preconstriction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Halothane caused significant, dose-dependent dilation of hippocampal microvessels (halothane group). Inhibition of nNOS by 7-NINA or nNOS + eNOS by L-NAME similarly attenuated halothane-induced dilation at 0.6, 1.6, and 2.6% halothane. The dilation (mean +/- SEM) at 1.6% halothane was 104 +/- 10%, 65 +/- 6%, and 51 +/- 9% in the halothane, 7-NINA + halothane and L-NAME + halothane groups, respectively. The specificity of 7-NINA was confirmed by showing that acetylcholine-induced dilation was not inhibited by 7-NINA but was converted to constriction by L-NAME.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At clinically relevant concentrations, halothane potently dilates intracerebral arterioles. This dilation is mediated, in part, by neuronally derived nitric oxide. Endothelial NOS does not play a major role in halothane-induced dilation of hippocampal microvessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin and the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Staunton
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drexler
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Havlik
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Hudetz
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Farber
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007191:Indazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007191:Indazoles; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D006221:Halothane; C080122:7-nitroindazole; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester