title: Endogenous NO regulates plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 during angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition.
abstract: To test the hypothesis that NO contributes to effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors on fibrinolysis, fibrinolytic balance was assessed in 17 normal subjects during placebo and after randomized, double-blind 4-week treatment with the NO precursor L-arginine (3 g TID), ramipril (10 mg QD), or L-arginine+ramipril. Neither L-arginine nor ramipril alone affected basal plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 or tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen in these salt-replete subjects in whom plasma renin activity was suppressed (mean+/-SD 0.7+/-0.5 ng angiotensin I/mL per hour). In contrast, L-arginine+ramipril reduced morning plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen (10.8+/-9.5 ng/mL) and the molar ratio of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1:t-PA (2.3+/-1.6) compared with placebo (13.5+/-10.8 ng/mL, P=0.006; ratio 2.9+/-2.1, P=0.015) or ramipril alone (15.2+/-13.2 ng/mL, P=0.009; ratio 3.7+/-3.3, P=0.005). L-arginine and ramipril synergistically increased d-dimers (23.1+/-31.5, 29.7+/-50.0, 35.1+/-50.0, and 57.1+/-144.8 ng/mL during placebo, L-arginine, ramipril, and L-arginine+ramipril, respectively; P<0.05 for L-arginine+ramipril versus any other group). During ramipril, the NO synthase inhibitor L-NG-nitro-arginine-methyl-ester (2 mg/kg) significantly increased plasminogen activator inhibitor-antigen after 2 hours (from 9.4+/-8.6 ng/mL during vehicle to 13.5+/-11.0 ng/mL during L-NG-nitro-arginine-methyl-ester; P=0.020), consistent with an effect on expression but rapidly increased t-PA activity (from 0.4+/-0.3 to 0.5+/-0.4 IU/mL; P=0.031), consistent with an effect on release. Both effects of L-NG-nitro-arginine-methyl-ester were reversed by L-arginine. During angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, endogenous NO decreases plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen and improves fibrinolytic balance in normotensive salt-replete subjects.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. nancy.j.brown@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Nancy J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: James A S
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Muldowney
authors.forename: Douglas E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Vaughan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood*; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000494:pharmacology; D017257:Ramipril / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D011355:Prodrugs; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000450:Aldosterone; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D017257:Ramipril; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester