title: Effects of L-arginine and L-NAME on chronic partial bladder outlet obstruction in rabbit.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized from L-arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NOS). NOS can be inhibited by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and stimulated by supplementing the diet with L-arginine. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of NOS activity on the response of rabbits to chronic partial bladder outlet obstruction (PBOO). Surgical PBOOs (2 and 8 wk) were performed on male New Zealand White rabbits. Before obstruction, one-third of the animals were premedicated for 7 days with L-NAME and another third with L-arginine. The results are summarized as follows. First, bladder weight after 8-wk PBOO was significantly lower in animals treated with L-arginine compared with both untreated and rabbits treated with L-NAME. Second, contractile function decreased progressively with PBOO duration. However, after 8 wk of PBOO, the L-arginine group had significantly greater contractile function compared with the no-treatment group, and the L-NAME group had significantly lower contractile function compared with the no-treatment group. Third, at 8 wk following PBOO, the level of protein oxidation and nitration was lowest for the L-arginine group and highest in the L-NAME group. These studies clearly demonstrated that increasing blood flow by stimulating NOS significantly protected the bladder from PBOO dysfunctions, whereas inhibiting blood flow by L-NAME enhanced the dysfunctions mediated by PBOO.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chia-Yi, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Yu
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chichester
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leggett
authors.forename: Yung-Shun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Juan
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Whitbeck
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guven
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kogan
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mannikarottu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester