Mechanism of neurally induced monkey mesenteric artery relaxation and contraction

Physiological importance in vasodilator innervation alleviating noradrenergic neurogenic vasoconstriction has not been clarified. Isolated monkey mesenteric artery strips denuded of the endothelium responded to nerve stimulation by electrical pulses or nicotine with a contraction, which was potentiated by Ng-nitro-L-arginine, a nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor, but not by the D-enantiomer. The potentiation was abolished by L-arginine. NG-Nitro-L-arginine did not potentiate the response to exogenous norepinephrine nor did it increase the release of [3H]norepinephrine from adrenergic nerves electrically stimulated. The contraction was reversed by treatment with phentolamine and guanethidine to a relaxation, which was abolished by NG-nitro-L-arginine. The inhibition was reversed by L- but not D-arginine. The relaxant response was not influenced by atropine, timolol, or indomethacin. These findings strongly suggest the importance of reciprocal nitric oxide-related (nitroxidergic) vasodilator and noradrenergic vasoconstrictor innervation in the regulation of monkey arterial tone.