Cerebroarterial relaxations mediated by nitric oxide derived from endothelium and vasodilator nerve

Purposes of this study were to determine whether: (1) nitric oxide is involved in endothelium-dependent relaxation in helical strips of dog cerebral arteries; (2) relaxing factor distinct from NO is also involved, and (3) susceptibility to NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA), an NO synthase inhibitor, of the response to mediators liberating NO from the endothelium and nerve differs. Changes in isometric tension were recorded. In the strips contracted with prostaglandin F2 alpha, substance P and arginine vasopressin produced a relaxation which was abolished or reversed to a contraction by endothelium denudation. The relaxations were not influenced by indomethacin but were suppressed dose-dependently by L-NA, as was the response to nicotine that stimulates the non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic vasodilator nerve and liberates NO. The inhibitions were reversed by L- but not D-arginine. NO (acidified NaNO2)-induced relaxations were not reduced by L-NA. The inhibitory effect was greater in the responses to vasopressin than substance P; however, there was no significant difference in the response to nicotine vs. the peptides. Substance P increased the level of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP) in the artery strips with the intact endothelium, the effect being abolished by endothelium denudation, L-NA and oxyhemoglobin. Relaxations caused by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) were dependent partially on the endothelium. Treatment with L-NA attenuated the ATP-induced relaxation in the strips with endothelium but did not alter the response of denuded strips.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)