© 1997 by European Society of Cardiology
Copyright © 1997, European Society of Cardiology
Activation of nitric oxide synthase by ischaemia in the perfused heart
Hormone and Metabolic Research Unit, University of Louvain Medical School, and International Institute of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Avenue Hippocrate, 75, UCL-7529, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
Objective: Recent data have indicated that the activity of nitric oxide synthase (NO synthase), the enzyme producing NO from L-arginine, could be modified by ischaemia. The aim of the present work was therefore to study whether ischaemia activated NO synthase. Methods: NO synthase activity was measured by the conversion of radioactive arginine into citrulline in extracts of isolated perfused rabbit hearts submitted to low-flow ischaemia and reperfusion. Results: When measured in heart homogenates, NO synthase activity was significantly increased during ischaemia. This activation was already detectable after 5 min of ischaemia and was maintained during the whole ischaemic period. After cell fractionation, NO synthase was recovered in cytosolic and membrane fractions. The increase in NO synthase activity by ischaemia was related to an activation of the cytosolic activity, while the membrane-bound NO synthase activity remained constant. Conclusion: NO synthase activity in the heart is rapidly stimulated by ischaemia and this stimulation is maintained during the whole ischaemic episode. This activation is found only in the cytosolic fraction, whereas the particulate activity is not affected by ischaemia.
KEYWORDS Myocardial ischemia; Nitric oxide; cGMP; Reperfusion; Rabbit, heart; Nitric oxide synthase
* Corresponding author. Tel. +32 2 7647529; fax +32 2 7627455.
![]()
CiteULike
Connotea
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
F. R. Heinzel, P. Gres, K. Boengler, A. Duschin, I. Konietzka, T. Rassaf, J. Snedovskaya, S. Meyer, A. Skyschally, M. Kelm, et al. Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression and Cardiomyocyte Dysfunction During Sustained Moderate Ischemia in Pigs Circ. Res., November 7, 2008; 103(10): 1120 - 1127. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. K. Kudej and C. Depre NO with no NOS in ischemic heart Cardiovasc Res, April 1, 2007; 74(1): 1 - 3. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Setty, J. D. Tune, and H. F. Downey Nitric oxide contributes to oxygen demand-supply balance in hypoperfused right ventricle Cardiovasc Res, December 1, 2004; 64(3): 431 - 436. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. Schulz, M. Kelm, and G. Heusch Nitric oxide in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury Cardiovasc Res, February 15, 2004; 61(3): 402 - 413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
V. Stangl, G. Baumann, K. Stangl, and S. B Felix Negative inotropic mediators released from the heart after myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion Cardiovasc Res, January 1, 2002; 53(1): 12 - 30. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||

