[Influence of warm ischemia and reperfusion on no-derived cyclic GMP release in the perfused rabbit lung]

To elucidate the vascular endothelial function at pulmonary ischemia and reperfusion, cyclic GMP (cGMP) release in lung perfusate at reperfusion after ischemia was examined as a marker of nitric oxide (NO) release from the endothelium in an in situ perfused rabbit lung. The lung was perfused from the pulmonary artery with Krebs-Henselite buffer and cGMP in the lung effluent from the left ventricle was assayed in a time-dependent manner. The inhibition of cGMP release by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and the reversal of the effect by L-arginine indicated that cGMP released into the perfusate was elicited by NO from the endothelium. There was a significant decrease in cGMP release during reperfusion after warm ischemia (30 min and 60 min) compared with the immediately perfusion without intervening ischemia. These data suggest that NO release is impaired by the endothelial dysfunction at reperfusion after warm ischemia in the perfused rabbit lung and the biochemical studies of the perfusate is useful in assessing the vascular endothelial function.