title: The influence of L-arginine on blood pressure, vascular nitric oxide and renal morphometry in the offspring from diabetic mothers.
abstract: The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of L-arginine (L-arg) supplementation on blood pressure, vascular nitric oxide content, and renal morphometry in the adult offspring from diabetic mothers. Diabetes mellitus was induced in female rats with a single dose of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg), before mating. The offspring was divided into four groups: group C (controls); group DO (diabetic offspring); group CA (controls receiving 2% L-arg solution dissolved in 2% sucrose in the drinking water) and group DA (DO receiving the L-arg solution). Oral supplementation began after weaning and continued until the end of the experiments. In DO, hypertension was observed, from 3 mo on. In DA, pressure levels were not different from C and CA. In 6-mo-old animals, basal NO production (assessed by DAF-2) was significantly depressed in DO in comparison to controls. The NO production was significantly increased after stimulation with Ach or BK in all groups, the increase being greater in control than in DO rats. L-arg was able to improve the NO production and to prevent the glomerular hypertrophy in the DO. Our data suggest that the bioavailability of NO is reduced in the DO, because L-arg corrected both the hypertension and glomerular hypertrophy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Federal University of São Paulo - Unifesp/EPM, CEP 04023-900, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria de Fatima
authors.initials: Mde F
authors.lastname: Cavanal
authors.forename: Guiomar Nascimento
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Andre L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Forti
authors.forename: Silvia Oliveira
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Maria do Carmo Pinho
authors.initials: Mdo C
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Zuleica B
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Fortes
authors.forename: Frida Zaladek
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Gil
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001920:Bradykinin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D000109:Acetylcholine; D001920:Bradykinin