[Semiquantitative detection and application about the expression of nitric oxide synthase gene]

Using the Reverse Transcription (RT)-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method of Martin (1993) for semiquantitation determinating of NOS gene, it was found that NOS mRNA is not only existed in brain, but also distributed extensively in heart, kidney, lung and liver. Among of them, NOS mRNA levels were highest in the brain, followed in descending order by kidney, heart. In addition to endothelial cell, NOS gene was also highly expressed in smooth muscle cells, suggesting that they may be an important site of NOS in organism. Furthermore, NOS mRNA levels were found to decrease significantly in brain, kidney, liver and smooth muscle cell in spontaneous hypertensive rat. These data suggest that pathogeny of hypertension may be related to low expression of NOS gene in these tissues.