[Differences of nitric oxide synthase expression and activity between splanchnic arterial and venous vessels of cirrhotic rats].
OBJECTIVE
To understand the implication of differences of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression and activity between splanchnic arterial and venous vessels in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension.


METHODS
Cirrhosis was induced in 100 Wistar rats by subcutaneously administration of carbon tetrachloride. NOS localization, activity and gene expression in the mesenteric artery and the portal vein vessels of both cirrhotic and normal rats were investigated by immunohistochemistry, chemoluminescence and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively.


RESULTS
There was inducible NOS enzyme isoform in al1 layers of splanchnic vessels of cirrhotic rats, whereas endothelial NOS isoform largely in vascular endothelia. NOS activity and its mRNA expression all were significantly increased in cirrhotic rats when compared with normal rats (P<0.05 or 0.01).Moreover, the activities of general and constitutive NOS and the expression of endothelial NOS mRNA in cirrhotic rats were significantly higher in the mesenteric artery than in the portal vein (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Enhanced expression and activity of endothelial NOS enzyme isoform may be mainly responsible for increased NO production of splanchnic vessels in cirrhotic rats, and the differences of NOS expression and activity between the mesenteric artery and the portal vein vessels may be one of the pathogeneses of portal hypertension in which NO might be involved.
Yu
J
J
Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical University, Wuhan 430030, China.
Liang
K
K
Tian
D
D
Wang
T
T
Tang
W
W
Zhang
W
W
Liu
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000201:enzymology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000201:enzymology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase