Effects of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha and anti-intercellular adhesion molecule-1 antibodies on ischemia/reperfusion lung injury

Inhibition of neutrophil activation and adherence to endothelium by antibodies to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and intercellular adhesion molecules (ICAM-1), respectively, might attenuate ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R). I/R was conducted in an isolated rat lung model. Anti-TNF-alpha antibody and/or anti-ICAM-1 antibody were added before ischemia or after reperfusion. Hemodynamic changes, lung weight gain (LWG), capillary filtration coefficients (Kfc), and pathologic changes were assessed to evaluate the severity of I/R. The LWG, Kfc, pathological changes and lung injury score of treatment groups with anti-TNF-alpha antibody treatment, either pre-ischemia or during reperfusion, were less than those observed in control groups. Similar findings were found in group treated with anti-ICAM-1 antibody or combination therapy during reperfusion. In contrast, pre-I/R treatment with anti-ICAM-1 antibody induced severe lung edema and failure to complete the experimental procedure. No additional therapeutic effect was found in combination therapy. We conclude that TNF-alpha and ICAM-1 play important roles in I/R. Anti-TNF-alpha antibody has therapeutic and preventive effects on I/R. However, combined therapy with anti-TNF-alpha antibody and anti-ICAM-1 antibody may have no additive effect and need further investigation.     

Protection of lung tissue against ischemia/reperfusion injury by preconditioning with inhaled nitric oxide in an in situ pig model of normothermic pulmonary ischemia

Topical administration of nitric oxide (NO) by inhalation is currently used as therapy in various pulmonary diseases, but preconditioning with NO to ameliorate lung ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury has not been fully evaluated. In this study, we investigated the effects of NO inhalation on functional pulmonary parameters using an in situ porcine model of normothermic pulmonary ischemia. After left lateral thoracotomy, left lung ischemia was maintained for 90 min, followed by a 5h reperfusion period (group I, n = 7). In group II (n = 6), I/R was preceded by inhalation of NO (10 min, 15 ppm). Animals in group III (n = 7) underwent sham surgery without NO inhalation or ischemia. In order to evaluate the effects of NO preconditioning, lung functional and hemodynamic parameters were measured, and the zymosan-stimulated release of reactive oxygen species in arterial blood was determined. Animals in group I developed significant pulmonary I/R injury, including pulmonary hypertension, a decreased pO(2) level in pulmonary venous blood of the ischemic lung, and a significant increase of the stimulated release of reactive oxygen species. All these effects were prevented, or the onset (release of reactive oxygen species) was delayed, by NO inhalation. These results indicate that preconditioning by NO inhalation before lung ischemia is protective against I/R injury in the porcine lung.     

缺血预适应对大鼠肢体缺血/再灌注后肺损伤的影响

目的:观察肢体缺血预适应对大鼠肢体缺血/再灌注(I/R)后肺损伤的影响并探讨其机制。方法:将雄性Wistar大鼠随机分为4组(n=8):对照组(C),肢体缺血/再灌注组(LI/R),缺血预适应组(IPC)和L-NAME组。各组大鼠均于肢体缺血4h再灌注4h处死,分别测定其动脉血氧分压(PaO2)和二氧化碳分压(PaCO2),血浆及肺组织丙二醛(MDA)、一氧化氮(NO)、内皮素(ET)含量,计算血浆NO/ET比值;以及肺湿干比(W/D)、肺系数(LI),肺组织髓过氧化物酶(MPO)含量。结果:大鼠LI/R后4h,PaO2明显降低;W/D、LI、血浆及肺组织的MDA、NO、ET和肺组织MPO活性均明显增加,而血浆NO/ET比值明显减小。与LI/R组比较,IPC组各项损伤指标明显减轻,NO水平升高,血浆NO/ET比值明显增大。与对照组和IPC组比较,L-NAME处理组,各项损伤指标数值明显增加,NO水平降低;血浆NO/ET比值明显减小,差异均具有显著性。各组大鼠PaCO2的变化无显著性。结论:缺血预适应对肢体缺血/再灌注后肺损伤具有保护作用,其机制可能与内源性NO合成增加有关。     

Nitric oxide decreases lung injury after intestinal ischemia

Terada, Lance S., Nancy N. Mahr, and Eugene D. Jacobson.Nitric oxide decreases lung injury after intestinal ischemia. J. Appl. Physiol. 81(6):2456-2460, 1996.After injury to a primary organ, mediators arereleased into the circulation and may initiate inflammation of remoteorgans. We hypothesized that the local production of nitric oxide (NO)may act to limit the spread of inflammation to secondarily targetedorgans. In anesthetized rats, 30 min of intestinal ischemia followed by2 h of reperfusion (I/R) did not increase lung albumin leak. However,after treatment with N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME), intestinal I/R led to increased lung leak, suggesting a protective effect of endogenous NO.The site of action of NO appeared to be the lung and not the gutbecause 1) after treatment withL-NAME, local delivery of NO tothe lung by inhalation abolished the increase in intestinal I/R-inducedlung leak; 2)L-NAME had no effect onepithelial permeability (⁵¹Cr-labeled EDTA clearance) ofreperfused small bowel; and 3) after treatment with L-NAME, localdelivery of NO to the gut by luminal perfusion did not improveepithelial permeability of reperfused intestines. Furthermore,L-NAME increased, and inhaled NOde- creased, the density of lung neutrophils in rats subjected to intestinal I/R, and treatment with the selectin antagonist fucoidan abolished L-NAME-induced lungleak in rats subjected to intestinal I/R. We conclude thatendogenous lung NO limits secondary lung injury after intestinal I/R bydecreasing pulmonary neutrophil retention.

     

Dimethylthiourea decreases acute pulmonary edema induced by phorbol myristate acetate in isolated blood-perfused lung of the rat

Acute pulmonary edema can be induced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Oxygen radicals released from the neutrophils have been considered to play an important role in the pathogenesis of PMA-induced pulmonary edema. In the present experiment, we studied the effect of dimethylthiourea (DMTU) on PMA-induced pulmonary injuries in isolated perfused lungs of rats. DMTU is a potent scavenger of the hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide. PMA infusion into the isolated lung increased pulmonary arterial pressure (delta PAP) by 37.8 +/- 3.9 mmHg. The lung weight gain (LWG) and lavage albumin concentration (LAC) amounted to 6.2 +/- 1.2 g and 102.0 +/- 22.9 mg/dl, respectively. DMTU (100 mM) pretreatment significantly reduced the PAP increase (delta PAP = 4.6 +/- 0.8 mmHg, p less than 0.001), LWG (0.3 +/- 0.1 g, p less than 0.01) and LAC (25.3 +/- 1.7 mg/dl, p less than 0.01). Additional in vitro experiments demonstrated that DMTU depressed the chemiluminescence released from neutrophils activated by PMA (17.9 +/- 2.6 mV.min to 2.6 +/- 0.5 mV.min, p less than 0.01). The results suggest that DMTU, a scavenger of toxic radicals, decreases the lung edema through both attenuation of pulmonary hypertension and protection of vascular permeability from PMA injury.     

The influence of BPC 157 on nitric oxide agonist and antagonist induced lesions in broiler chicks

We describe the effects of nitric oxide (NO) agonists and antagonists and the influence of a novel organoprotective pentadecapeptide BPC 157, on the development of pulmonary hypertension syndrome and tissue lesions in chicks. Acute toxicity, which includes single dose application of saline (1 mL intraperitoneally (ip)), BPC 157 (10 μg/kg bw), L-NAME (NO antagonist, doses 50, 100, 150 mg/kg bw) and L-arginine (NO agonist/100 mg/kg bw with their combination L-NAME + BPC 157; L-NAME + L-arginine) was investigated. In this experiment pathohistological examination of the spleen, heart, liver and lungs and hematological analysis was conducted. In the chronic toxicity experiment, the animals were treated daily for 5 weeks with L-NAME (10 mg/kg bw), L-arginine (100 mg/kg bw), BPC 157 (10 μg/kg bw) and their combinations (L-NAME + BPC 157; L-NAME + L-arginine) ip. Seven animals from each group, including controls (saline 1 mL ip) were killed every week. Application of L-NAME caused pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) in the treated chicks, which was prevented by the simultaneous application of L-arginine and BPC 157. Pathohistological examination of both acute and chronic toxicity revealed that L-NAME caused severe tissue damage (myocardial and hepatic cell necrosis, necrosis of the lymphoid cells in the spleen) while L-arginine provoked predominantly congestion, edema and hemorrhages in all organs. The effect of L-NAME was successfully inhibited by the application of L-arginine and BPC 157 but the latter substance did not cause any tissue or organ damage. Hematological analysis shows significant hemoglobin and leukocyte number decrease in the L-NAME-treated groups of chicks.     

Influence of nitric oxide on vascular resistance and muscle mechanics during tetanic contractions in situ.

Studies of the effect of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis inhibition were performed in the isometrically contracting blood-perfused canine gastrocnemius-plantaris muscle group. Muscle blood flow (Q) was controlled with a pump during continuous NO blockade produced with either 1 mM L-argininosuccinic acid (L-ArgSA) or N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) during repetitive tetanic contractions (50-Hz trains, 200-ms duration, 1/s). Pump Q was set to match maximal spontaneous Q (1.3-1.4 ml. min(-1). g(-1)) measured in prior, brief (3-5 min) control contraction trials in each muscle. Active tension and oxygen uptake were 500-600 g/g and 200-230 microl. min(-1). g(-1), respectively, under these conditions. Within 3 min of L-ArgSA infusion, vascular resistance across the muscle (R(v)) increased significantly (from approximately 100 to 300 peripheral resistance units; P < 0.05), whereas R(v) increased to a lesser extent with L-NAME (from approximately 100 to 175 peripheral resistance units; P < 0.05). The increase in R(v) with L-ArgSA was unchanged by simultaneous infusion of 0.5-10 mM L-arginine but was reduced with 1-3 microg/ml sodium nitroprusside (41-54%). The increase in R(v) with L-NAME was reversed with 1 mM of L-arginine. Increased fatigue occurred with infusion of L-ArgSA; active tension and intramuscular pressure decreased by 62 and 66%, whereas passive tension and baseline intramuscular pressure increased by 80 and 30%, respectively. These data indicate a possible role for NO in the control of R(v) and contractility within the canine gastrocnemius-plantaris muscle during repetitive tetanic contractions.     

左旋精氨酸对低氧性肺动脉高压治疗作用的实验研究

目的：探讨结构型一氧化氮合酶（ｃＮＯＳ）,内皮素－１（ＥＴ－１）在低氧性肺动脉高压（ＨＰＨ）发病中的机制及左旋精氢酸（Ｌ－Ａｒｇ）对ＨＰＨ的治疗作用。方法：３０只健康雄性ＳＤ大鼠平均分为三组：正常对照组（ＮＣ组）、低氧组（ＨＰ组）、低氧左旋精氨酸治疗组（ＬＴ组）。后组每日低氧前给予２００ｍｇ／ｋｇ Ｌ－Ａｒｇ。于低氧２１ｄ检测运动血流动力学,肺组织ＮＯ、ＥＴ－１含量,肺动脉内皮ｃＮＯＳ含量的改变,     

Nitric oxide and endothelin relationship in intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury

Gastrointestinal mucosal blood flow is dependent on a balanced release of vasoactive substances from endothelium. Nitric oxide (NO) may increase the flow by vasodilatation and/or antiaggregation whereas endothelin (ET) may decrease it by vasoconstriction and aggregation. NO and ET may have counterbalancing effects on each other in tissue damage. In order to test this hypothesis, in this study on rats, L-arginine to increase NO levels and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl esther (L-NAME) to decrease NO levels have been used in an intestinal ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) injury model and portal vein ET response was evaluated. Lipid peroxidation product measurements and chemiluminescence (CL) studies were also carried out in ileal tissue samples. Intestinal I/R injury caused an increase in portal venous ET levels with levels of 9.4+/-0.5 fmol/ml in sham operation and 14.8+/-1.6 fmol/ml in I/R group. ET level of L-NAME-sh group was lower than that of sham-operated group and also ET level of L-NAME-I/R group was lower than that of I/R group. This yielded the conclusion that inhibition of NO synthesis decreases portal venous ET levels in this model. Increased NO production by L-arginine caused increased ET levels in sham operated groups but this effect was not observed in I/R injury state. This study also showed that inhibition of NO synthesis has a protective role by reducing the reperfusion damage in this model. It is likely that NO and ET have a feedback effect on each other both under physiologic conditions and I/R injury.     

Endotoxaemia in rats: role of NO, PAF and TXA2 in pulmonary neutrophil sequestration and hyperlactataemia.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: The involvement of PAF, TXA2 and NO in LPS-induced pulmonary neutrophil sequestration an hyperlactataemia was studied in conscious rats. As pharmacological tools WEB 2170 (PAF receptor antagonist, 20 mg/kg), camongarel (inhibitor of TXA2 synthase, 30 mg/kg), N(G)-nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME -- non-selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, 30 mg/kg) were used. METHODS: Plasma lactate and NO2-/NO3- levels as well as myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in lung tissue were measured one and five hours after administration of LPS (4 mg/kg(-1)). RESULTS: LPS induced a twofold increase in plasma lactate levels and nearly 10-fold increase in plasma NO2-/NO3- levels five but not one hour after LPS administration. However, LPS-induced increase in pulmonary MPO activity was seen at both time intervals. Neither WEB 2170 nor camonagrel changed one or five hours responses to LPS (lactate, NO2-/NO3-, MPO). L-NAME potentiated LPS-induced rise in MPO activity in the lung and this potentiation was not affected by WEB 2170 or camonagrel. L-NAME supressed plasma NO2-/NO3- response and substantially potentiated plasma lactate response to LPS and both effects were partially reversed by WEB 2170 or camonagrel. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, we demonstrated that PAF and TXA 2 play a role in overproduction of lactate during endotoxaemia in NO-deficient rats. However, these lipids do not mediate endotoxin-induced sequestration of neutrophils in the lung.     

Effects of nitric oxide donor and inhibitor on prostaglandin E2-like activity, malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione levels after skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion.

Oxygen free radicals are implicated in the pathophysiology of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in skeletal muscle. Nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) are important regulators of the microcirculation in skeletal muscle. The effects of L-arginine, substrate for NO, and N(G)-nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on PGE2 synthesis, lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels was investigated in the rat gastrocnemius muscle after 3 h of reperfusion following 2 h of ischemia. Lipid peroxidation and GSH levels showed a non-significant changes in the I/R groups compared to the control group. According to these results, it can be assumed that skeletal muscle can resist 2 h of ischemia followed by 3 h of reperfusion-induced oxidative stress. PGE2-like activity in the gastrocnemius muscle increased in the L-NAME treated and I/R groups. L-arginine administration reversed the increase in PGE2-like activity of reperfused skeletal muscle. These findings support the conclusion that endothelium-derived PGE2 synthesis increases during reperfusion and suggest that PGE2 may have a protective role in the maintenance of endothelial function.     

Ischemia and reperfusion of liver induces eNOS and iNOS expression: effects of a NO donor and NOS inhibitor

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of nitric oxide (NO) in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the protein expression of endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthases (eNOS, iNOS) and nitrotyrosine after I/R challenges to the liver, and blood levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), hydroxyl radical and NO were measured before ischemia and after reperfusion. Ischemia was induced by occlusion of the common hepatic artery and portal vein for 40 min, followed by reperfusion for 90 min. Reperfusion of the liver induced a significant increase in the blood concentrations of AST, ALT, LDH (n = 8; P < 0.001), hydroxyl radical (n = 8; P < 0.001) and NO (n = 8; P < 0.01). The eNOS, iNOS, nitrotyrosine, SOD1 and SOD2 protein expression was also found to increase significantly after reperfusion (n = 3). Administration of the NOS inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (n = 8) had a protective effect on the I/R-related injury, but the NO donor L-arginine (L-Arg) (n = 8) potentiated the damage caused by I/R. These results suggest that reperfusion of the liver induces expression of NOS, which is related to the elevation of blood NO. The increase in hydroxyl radical concentration was accompanied by an increase in antioxidant enzyme expression (SOD1 and SOD2), and an increase in nitrotyrosine expression was also observed, reflecting the increased production of NO and oxygen radicals. We concluded from the protective effect of L-NAME and the potentiation by L-Arg that NOS expression and increases in NO and hydroxyl radical production have deleterious effects on the response to I/R in the liver.     

The PDE inhibitor zaprinast enhances NO-mediated protection against vascular leakage in reperfused lungs

Disruption of endothelial barrier properties with development of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema is a major threat in lung ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury that occurs under conditions of lung transplantation. Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) reduced vascular leakage in lung I/R models, but the efficacy of this agent may be limited. We coadministered NO and zaprinast, a cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor, to further augment the NO-cGMP axis. Isolated, buffer-perfused rabbit lungs were exposed to 4.5 h of warm ischemia. Reperfusion provoked a transient elevation in pulmonary arterial pressure and a negligible rise in microvascular pressure followed by a massive increase in the capillary filtration coefficient and severe lung edema formation. Inhalation of 10 parts/million of NO or intravascular application of 100 microM zaprinast on reperfusion both reduced pressor response and moderately attenuated vascular leakage. Combined administration of both agents induced no additional vasodilation at constant microvascular pressures, but additively protected against capillary leakage paralleled by a severalfold increase in perfusate cGMP levels. In conclusion, combining low-dose NO inhalation and phosphodiesterase inhibition may be suitable for the maintenance of graft function in lung transplantation by amplifying the beneficial effect of the NO-cGMP axis and avoiding toxic effects of high NO doses.     

TNF-alpha augments pulmonary vasoconstriction via the inhibition of nitrovasodilator activity.

We tested the hypothesis that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) increases pulmonary vasoconstriction by decreases in nitric oxide- (NO) dependent vasodilation. Lungs were isolated from guinea pigs 18 h after intraperitoneal injection of either TNF-alpha (1.60 x 10(5) U/kg) or control. U-46619 (365 mM/min) caused increases in pulmonary arterial and capillary pressures, pulmonary arterial and venous resistances, and lung weight. TNF-alpha augmented the U-46619-induced increases in pulmonary arterial and capillary pressures, pulmonary arterial and venous resistances, and lung weight. Methylene blue (1 microM), which inhibits the activation of soluble guanylate cyclase by NO, had an effect similar to TNF-alpha on the pulmonary response to U-46619 alone but was not additive to the effect of TNF-alpha. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (270 microM), an inhibitor of NO generation, also enhanced the response to U-46619. Lung effluent levels of nitrite, the oxidation product of NO, were reduced after treatment with either TNF-alpha or NG-monomethyl-L-arginine compared with U-46619 alone. In addition, lungs isolated after TNF-alpha treatment showed decreased vasodilation in response to acetylcholine (10(-8)-10(-5) M) compared with control; however, vasodilation in response to L-arginine (10 mM) and nitroprusside (10(-6.3) and 10(-6) M), agents that promote NO release, was not decreased in TNF-alpha-treated lungs. The data indicate that TNF-alpha induces an increase in vascular constriction in response to U-46619 and a decrease in vasodilation in response to acetylcholine. The mechanism for the TNF-alpha-induced alteration in pulmonary vascular reactivity may be decreased generation of NO.     

Pulmonary vascular iNOS induction participates in the onset of chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension

Pathogenesis of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension is initiated by oxidative injury to the pulmonary vascular wall. Because nitric oxide (NO) can contribute to oxidative stress and because the inducible isoform of NO synthase (iNOS) is often upregulated in association with tissue injury, we hypothesized that iNOS-derived NO participates in the pulmonary vascular wall injury at the onset of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. An effective and selective dose of an iNOS inhibitor, L-N6-(1-iminoethyl)lysine (L-NIL), for chronic peroral treatment was first determined (8 mg/l in drinking water) by measuring exhaled NO concentration and systemic arterial pressure after LPS injection under ketamine+xylazine anesthesia. A separate batch of rats was then exposed to hypoxia (10% O2) and given L-NIL or a nonselective inhibitor of all NO synthases, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 500 mg/l), in drinking water. Both inhibitors, applied just before and during 1-wk hypoxia, equally reduced pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) measured under ketamine+xylazine anesthesia. If hypoxia continued for 2 more wk after L-NIL treatment was discontinued, PAP was still lower than in untreated hypoxic controls. Immunostaining of lung vessels showed negligible iNOS presence in control rats, striking iNOS expression after 4 days of hypoxia, and return of iNOS immunostaining toward normally low levels after 20 days of hypoxia. Lung NO production, measured as NO concentration in exhaled air, was markedly elevated as early as on the first day of hypoxia. We conclude that transient iNOS induction in the pulmonary vascular wall at the beginning of chronic hypoxia participates in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension.     

Nitric oxide involvement in the effect of acute lithium administration on the nonadrenergic noncholinergic-mediated relaxation of rat gastric fundus

INTRODUCTION: Lithium has largely met its initial promise as the first drug to be discovered in the modern era of psychopharmacology. However, the mechanism for its action remains an enigma. The aim of the present study was to verify the effect of acute lithium administration on the nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC)-mediated relaxation of rat isolated gastric fundus and to evaluate the role of nitric oxide pathway in this manner. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The isolated rat gastric fundus strips were precontracted with 0.5 microM serotonin and electrical field stimulation (EFS) was applied at 5 Hz frequency to obtain NANC-mediated relaxation in the presence or absence of lithium (0.1, 0.5, 1 and 5 mM). Also, effects of combining lithium (0.1 mM) with the NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-NAME (0.03 microM) or the guanylyl cyclase inhibitor ODQ (1 microM) on relaxant responses to EFS was investigated. Moreover, effects of combining lithium (1 mM) with 0.1 mM L-arginine (a precursor of NO) on neurogenic relaxation were assessed. Also, the effect of lithium (1 mM) on relaxation to sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 1 nM-0.1 mM) and glyceryltrinitrate (GTN; 0.1-10 microM) was investigated. RESULTS: The NANC-mediated relaxation was significantly (P<0.001) reduced by lithium in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Combination of lithium (0.1 mM) with L-NAME (0.03 microM), which separately had partial inhibitory effect on relaxations, significantly (P<0.001) reduced the NANC-mediated relaxation of gastric fundus. ODQ (1 microM) significantly inhibited the neurogenic relaxations in the presence or absence of lithium (0.1 and 1 mM). Although L-arginine at 0.1 mM had no effect on relaxation to EFS, it prevented the inhibition by lithium (1 mM) of relaxant responses to EFS. Also, SNP and GTN produced concentration-dependent relaxation in precontracted rat gastric fundus which was not altered by lithium incubation (1 mM). DISCUSSION: Our experiments indicated that lithium likely by interfering with L-arginine/NO pathway in nitrergic nerve can result in impairment of NANC-mediated relaxation of rat gastric fundus.     

Participation of the components of L-arginine/nitric oxide/cGMP cascade by chemically-induced abdominal constriction in the mouse

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the L-arginine/nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP pathway in p-benzoquinone-induced writhing model in mouse. L-arginine, a NO precursor, displayed antinociceptive effects at the doses of 0.125-1.0 mg/kg. When the doses of L-arginine were increased gradually to 10-100 mg/kg, a dose-dependent triphasic pattern of nociception-antinociception-nociception was obtained. The NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (18.7515 mg/kg), possessed antinociceptive activity. Methylene blue (MB), a guanylyl cyclase and/or NOS inhibitor, (5-160 mg/kg) also produced a dose-dependent triphasic response. When L-arginine (50 mg/ kg) was combined with L-NAME (75 mg/kg). L-arginine-induced antinociception did not change significantly. Cotreatment of L-arginine with 5 mg/kg MB significantly decreased MB-induced antinociception and reversed the nociception induced by 40 mg/kg MB to antinociception. It is concluded that the components of L-arginine/nitric oxide/cGMP cascade may participate in nociceptive processes both peripherally and centrally by a direct effect on nociceptors or by the involvement of other related pathways of nociceptive processes induced by NO.     

Effects of Nitrate and L-Arginine on Content of Nitric Oxide and Activities of Antioxidant Enzymes in Roots of Wheat Seedlings and Their Heat Resistance

Separate and combined effects of nitrate (NaNO₃) and L-arginine as potential sources of nitric oxide (NO) on the content of endogenous NO in roots of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings and on their heat resistance were studied. Both agents increased the seedling resistance to the damaging heating; the effect was maximal at 20 mM NaNO₃ or 5 mM L-arginine. The treatment with L-arginine elevated the NO content in the roots within the first 2 h of the treatment. Nitrate caused a stronger and longer rise in nitric oxide. Activity of nitrate reductase considerably (2–3 times) increased in the roots exposed to nitrate. The augmentation in the nitric oxide level caused by nitrate or L-arginine was prevented by the root pretreatment with an inhibitor of nitrate reductase (sodium tungstate) or an inhibitor of animal NO-synthase—N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Upon the combined treatment with NaNO₃ and L-arginine, the nitrateinduced stimulation of the nitrate reductase activity, NO level in the roots, and seedling heat resistance were less pronounced than after separate application. In the presence of L-NAME, the negative influence of L-arginine on nitrate effects was markedly attenuated. The plant exposure to nitrate or L-arginine increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and guaiacol peroxidase). A mixture of NaNO₃, and L-arginine caused weaker effects. It was suggested that nitrate-dependent and arginine-dependent pathways of NO formation are antagonistic to each other in wheat roots.     

Twenty-four-hour variation of L-arginine/nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathway demonstrated by the mouse visceral pain model

The L-arginine/nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway is known to be involved in central and peripheral nociceptive processes. This study evaluated the rhythmic pattern of the L-arginine/NO/cGMP pathway using the mouse visceral pain model. Experiments were performed at six different times (1, 5, 9, 13, 17, and 21 h after light on) per day in male mice synchronized to a 12 h:12 h light-dark cycle. Animals were injected s.c. with saline, 2 mg/kg L-arginine (a NO precursor), 75 mg/kg L-N(G)-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME, a NOS inhibitor), 40 mg/kg methylene blue (a soluble guanylyl cyclase and/or NOS inhibitor), or 0.1 mg/kg sodium nitroprusside (a nonenzymatic NO donor) 15 min before counting 2.5 mg/kg (i.p.) p-benzoquinone (PBQ)-induced abdominal constrictions for 15 min. Blood samples were collected after the test, and the nitrite concentration was determined in serum samples. L-arginine or L-NAME caused both antinociception and nociception, depending on the circadian time of their injection. The analgesic effect of methylene blue or sodium nitroprusside exhibited significant biological time-dependent differences in PBQ-induced abdominal constrictions. Serum nitrite levels also displayed a significant 24 h variation in mice injected with PBQ, L-NAME, methylene blue, or sodium nitroprusside, but not saline or L-arginine. These results suggest that components of L-arginine/NO/cGMP pathway exhibit biological time-dependent effects on visceral nociceptive process.     

Role of the nitric oxide pathway in ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated perfused guinea pig lungs

We examined the role of the nitric oxide (NO) pathway on ischemia-reperfusion injury via the use of isolated perfused guinea pig lungs. We administered both L-Arginine and N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) to the lungs in or after 3 h of ischemia. We observed pulmonary artery pressures as well as tissue and perfusate malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels. We observed that L-NAME significantly increased both tissue and perfusate GSH levels and pulmonary artery pressures, but it decreased both tissue and perfusate MDA levels. On the other hand, L-arginine significantly decreased pulmonary artery pressure and both tissue and perfusate glutathione levels, but it increased both tissue and perfusate MDA levels. Electron microscopic evaluation supported our findings by indicating the preservation of lamellar bodies of type II pneumocytes. We concluded that L-NAME administration during reperfusion improves lung recovery from ischemic injury.