Carbon monoxide and pancreatic islet blood flow in the rat: inhibition of haem oxygenase does not affect islet blood perfusion.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether carbon monoxide, a known gaseous vasorelaxator, affects pancreatic islet blood flow in rats.


METHODS
Sprague-Dawley rats were anaesthetized with thiobutabarbital and injected intravenously with the haem oxygenase inhibitor tin-protoporphyrin IX dichloride (SnPP; 4, 10 or 20 mg/kg body-weight). After 15 min, blood flow measurements were performed using a microsphere technique.


RESULTS
There was a slight increase in mean arterial blood pressure with the highest dose of SnPP. No effects on total pancreatic, islet, duodenal, colonic, renal or adrenal blood flow were seen with any of the applied doses.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study suggest that the haem oxygenase-carbon monoxide system is likely to be of limited importance in the regulation of blood perfusion to the pancreas, the islets of Langerhans or any of the other studied organs.
Carlsson
P-O
PO
Department of Medical Cell Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Bodin
B
B
Andersson
A
A
Jansson
L
L
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008665:Metalloporphyrins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008665:Metalloporphyrins; D011524:Protoporphyrins; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; C032628:tin protoporphyrin IX; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)