Impact of NO on ET-1- and AM-induced inotropic responses: potentiation by combined administration

We characterize herein the impact of myocardial nitric oxide (NO) synthesis on the inotropic response to two cardioactive peptides, endothelin-1 (ET-1) and adrenomedullin (AM). In the isolated perfused rat heart preparation, intracoronary infusion of AM (0.03 and 1 nmol/l) and ET-1 (0.08 and 1 nmol/l) for 30 min induced a dose-dependent, gradual increase in developed tension, the maximal responses being equal. Inhibition of myocardial NO synthase (NOS) by N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 300 micromol/l) enhanced the inotropic response to ET-1 at a concentration of 1 nmol/l; meanwhile, the effect of AM was not augmented significantly. The inotropic response to simultaneous administration of low, equipotent doses of AM (0.03 nmol/l) and ET-1 (0.08 nmol/l) was significantly smaller than that of either peptide alone. This depressed response was more than overcome by concomitant administration of L-NAME. In conclusion, this study reveals that the maximal inotropic response to ET-1 can be augmented by inhibition of myocardial NOS, whereas it has only a minor impact on the effect of AM. The inotropic response to combined administration of low doses of AM and ET-1 is substantially suppressed by endogenous NO, whereas the individual effects of the peptides at these doses are not the subject of secondary modulation by NO.