title: Chronic low-dose L-NAME treatment increases nitric oxide production and vasorelaxation in normotensive rats.
abstract: N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) is a non-specific nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, commonly used for the induction of NO-deficient hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic low-dose administration of L-NAME on NO production, vascular function and structure of the heart and selected arteries of rats. Adult male Wistar rats were treated with L-NAME in the dose of approximately 1.5 mg/kg/day in drinking water for 8 weeks. Basal blood pressure (BP) of rats (determined by tail-cuff) was 112+/-3 mm Hg. The low-dose administration of L-NAME significantly elevated BP measured on the third and sixth week of treatment vs. controls by approximately 9 % and 12 %, respectively. After this period, BP of L-NAME-treated rats returned to the control values. The relative left ventricular mass, heart fibrosis and collagen III/collagen I ratio were not affected by L-NAME. Similarly, there were no alterations in the cross-sectional area and wall thickness/diameter ratio of the aorta and the femoral artery of L-NAME-treated rats. NO synthase activity (determined by conversion of [(3)H]-L-arginine to [(3)H]-L-citrulline) was not altered in the hypothalamus of L-NAME-treated rats. Interestingly, chronic low-dose L-NAME treatment significantly elevated NO synthase activity in the left ventricle and aorta, increased endothelium-dependent acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation and reduced serotonin-induced vasoconstriction of the femoral artery. The data suggest that chronic low-dose L-NAME treatment can increase NO production and vasorelaxation in normotensive rats without negative structural changes in the cardiovascular system.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Iveta.Bernatova@savba.sk
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bernátová
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kopincová
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Púzserová
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Janega
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Babál
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000187:drug effects; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology