title: Evidence for the existence of a constitutive nitric oxide synthase in vascular smooth muscle.
abstract: 1. We have identified a neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-like constitutive form of NOS in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) using a functional contractility approach as well as immunohistochemical methods. 2. N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, N(G)-monomethyl-L- arginine and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG), the competitive inhibitors of NOS, inhibited Mg(2+)-induced relaxation of de-endothelialized rat aorta precontracted with phenylephrine (PE). This Mg(2+) relaxation of VSM was not affected by inhibitors of inducible NOS. 3. Electrical field stimulation (EFS; 30-70 Hz) caused relaxation of rat aorta in the presence of tetrodotoxin (therefore not a neurogenic effect) and this EFS relaxation was effectively inhibited by L-NOARG, oxyhemoglobin and methylene blue. 4. Immunohistochemical studies of dog saphenous vein using antibodies raised against neuronal NOS indicated prominent staining along the plasmalemma in a punctate pattern similar to the distribution of antibodies against caveolin-1, a major constituent of the plasmalemmal caveolae. 5. We propose that a constitutive NOS of non-endothelial, non-neuronal origin is present in a special caveolae domain of VSM cell membranes and could be activated by an ionic mechanism yet to be characterized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Cheah
authors.forename: Mce
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gwee
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ballard
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Kwan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000502:physiology*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester