title: Involvement of Rho-kinase in vascular remodeling caused by long-term inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis in rats.
abstract: Long-term inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis with N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induces coronary vascular remodeling in rats. To determine the pathogenic mechanism involved in vascular remodeling, we examined the effects of fasudil, a Rho-kinase inhibitor, on vascular lesion formation. In rats treated with L-NAME at 10 mg/kg/day, vascular remodeling was evident in both large and small coronary arteries at the fourth week. Fasudil (3 mg/kg, p.o., twice daily) markedly prevented the development of vascular remodeling in small coronary arteries. Coronary flow was measured in Langendorff perfused isolated heart preparations. Long-term treatment with L-NAME caused a significant decrease in coronary flow, which was significantly inhibited by fasudil. Fasudil suppressed the structural and functional changes in coronary arteries by chronic blockade of NO synthesis. Thus, the Rho-kinase pathway may be substantially involved in the pathogenesis of vascular remodeling in this rat model.
authors.affiliation: First Laboratory for Pharmacology, Institute for Life Science Research, Asahi Kasei Corporation, 632-1 Mifuku, Ohito-Cho, Tagata-Gun, Shizuoka 410-2321, Japan. ikegaki.ib@om.asahi-kasei.co.jp
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ikegaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimokawa
mesh_terms: D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D019540:Area Under Curve; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C431085:hydroxyfasudil; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; C049347:fasudil; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester