Leukocyte adhesion induced by inhibition of nitric oxide production in skeletal muscle

Superfusion of rat cremaster muscles with the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) elicited significant leukocyte adhesion to postcapillary venules (20- to 30-microns diameter), an effect that was attenuated by pretreatment with L-arginine (an NO precursor) or sodium nitroprusside (SNP) (an exogenous source of NO). In contrast to the effects of pretreatment, addition of SNP or L-arginine to the superfusate 30 min after the initiation of NO synthase inhibition failed to reverse the L-NAME-induced leukocyte adherence. However, this effect was reversed by administration of an anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody or 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate 30 min after L-NAME superfusion was initiated. These findings indicate that L-NAME promotes leukocyte adhesion to venular endothelium by a CD18-dependent mechanism in skeletal muscle and suggest that the failure of L-arginine or SNP to reverse L-NAME-induced leukocyte adherence is not due to a defect in signaling events that occur subsequent to activation of guanylate cyclase by NO derived from these agents. Because the simultaneous administration of superoxide dismutase (scavenges superoxide radicals) and SNP or L-arginine, but not superoxide dismutase alone, decreased L-NAME-induced leukocyte adherence, our results suggest that leukocyte adhesion caused by NO synthase inhibition may result in the generation of superoxide.