title: L-Arginine does not improve endothelium-dependent relaxation inin vitro Watanabe rabbit thoracic aorta.
abstract: The findings that even a singlein vitro addition of L-arginine is able to normalize endothelium function in cerebral vessel from diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits prompted us to investigate if similar results could be obtained on Watanabe rabbits thoracic aorta, in which we previously demonstrated low content of the amino acid.L-Arginine (1 mM) preincubated for 45 minutes before the addition of drugs for studing endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation, did not modify the effect of acetylcholine on aortic isolated preparations. The lack of any effect by L-arginine indicates that the amino acid deficiency is not main cause of the impairment of endothelium function. The muscarinic receptor functionality affected by atherosclerotic process and/or the increased synthesis of EDCFs could account for the reduced endothelium-dependent relaxation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Padova, Largo E. Meneghetti 2, I-35131, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caparrotta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pandolfo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chinellato
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ragazzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Froldi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aliev
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fassina