Small doses of X-ray irradiation activate the NO-synthase component of the nitric oxide cycle

It has been shown that chronic X-ray irradiation, (CRI), activates the formation of NO in rats. This is apparent in the increase in the level of NO2- in the blood plasma from 12.59 +/- 1.7 to 39.79 +/- 2.9 nmol/ml after 10 days of irradiation. On the 20 and 30 day of CRI, the level of NO2(-)- was 21.05 +/- 1.2 and 30.73 +/- 1.9 nmol/ml respectively. The changes in the NO-synthase component of the NO cycle were accompanied by a decrease in the osmotic resistance of the erythrocytes and the nitritreductase activity of hemoglobin.