title: Nitric oxide synthase activity in adrenocorticotrophin-induced hypertension in the rat.
abstract: 1. The nitric oxide (NO) system has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various forms of experimental hypertension. We studied nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity as a possible indicator of NO production in adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH)-induced hypertension in the rat. 2. Haemodynamic, metabolic and biochemical parameters were examined in sham (saline)- and ACTH (100 microg/kg per day)-treated male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 20). 3. Adrenocorticotrophin treatment increased systolic blood pressure, serum corticosterone, adrenal NOS activity and adrenal nitrate and nitrite concentrations and decreased bodyweight and plasma nitrate/nitrite. 4. Previous observations of diminished NO production in ACTH- and corticosterone-induced hypertension in the rat were confirmed, but could not be explained by reduced NOS activity in the present study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The St George Hospital, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Mangos
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Whitworth
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase