Effects of neuronal nitric oxide synthase on human coronary artery diameter and blood flow in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO)-mediated local regulation of vascular tone is considered to involve endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). However, we recently reported that human forearm basal microvascular tone in vivo is tonically regulated by neuronal NO synthase (nNOS), in contrast to an acetylcholine-s...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Seddon, M, Melikian, N, Dworakowski, R, Shabeeh, H, Jiang, B, Byrne, J, Casadei, B, Chowienczyk, P, Shah, A
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2009
_version_ 1797095712338477056
author Seddon, M
Melikian, N
Dworakowski, R
Shabeeh, H
Jiang, B
Byrne, J
Casadei, B
Chowienczyk, P
Shah, A
author_facet Seddon, M
Melikian, N
Dworakowski, R
Shabeeh, H
Jiang, B
Byrne, J
Casadei, B
Chowienczyk, P
Shah, A
author_sort Seddon, M
collection OXFORD
description BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO)-mediated local regulation of vascular tone is considered to involve endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). However, we recently reported that human forearm basal microvascular tone in vivo is tonically regulated by neuronal NO synthase (nNOS), in contrast to an acetylcholine-stimulated reduction in tone, which is eNOS dependent. Here, we investigated the in vivo effects of an nNOS-selective inhibitor, S-methyl-L-thiocitrulline (SMTC), on the human coronary circulation and on flow-mediated dilatation in the forearm. METHODS AND RESULTS: In patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries, intracoronary infusion of SMTC (0.625 micromol/min) reduced basal coronary blood flow by 34.1+/-5.2% (n=10; P<0.01) and epicardial coronary diameter by 3.6+/-1.2% (P=0.02) but had no effect on increases in flow evoked by intracoronary substance P (20 pmol/min). The nonselective NOS inhibitor N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (25 micromol/min) also reduced basal coronary flow (by 22.3+/-5.3%; n=8; P<0.01) but, in contrast to SMTC, inhibited substance P-induced increases in flow (P<0.01). In healthy volunteers, local infusion of SMTC (0.2 micromol/min) reduced radial artery blood flow by 36.0+/-6.4% (n=10; P=0.03) but did not affect flow-mediated dilatation (P=0.55). In contrast, N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (2 micromol/min) infusion reduced radial blood flow to a similar degree (by 39.7+/-11.8%; P=0.02) but also inhibited flow-mediated dilatation by approximately 80% (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that local nNOS-derived NO regulates basal blood flow in the human coronary vascular bed, whereas substance P-stimulated vasodilatation is eNOS mediated. Thus, nNOS and eNOS have distinct local roles in the physiological regulation of human coronary vascular tone in vivo.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T04:31:48Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:ce95d0cf-4915-4df1-9585-db6ecfc13d3d
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T04:31:48Z
publishDate 2009
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:ce95d0cf-4915-4df1-9585-db6ecfc13d3d2022-03-27T07:36:36ZEffects of neuronal nitric oxide synthase on human coronary artery diameter and blood flow in vivo.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:ce95d0cf-4915-4df1-9585-db6ecfc13d3dEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2009Seddon, MMelikian, NDworakowski, RShabeeh, HJiang, BByrne, JCasadei, BChowienczyk, PShah, ABACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO)-mediated local regulation of vascular tone is considered to involve endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). However, we recently reported that human forearm basal microvascular tone in vivo is tonically regulated by neuronal NO synthase (nNOS), in contrast to an acetylcholine-stimulated reduction in tone, which is eNOS dependent. Here, we investigated the in vivo effects of an nNOS-selective inhibitor, S-methyl-L-thiocitrulline (SMTC), on the human coronary circulation and on flow-mediated dilatation in the forearm. METHODS AND RESULTS: In patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries, intracoronary infusion of SMTC (0.625 micromol/min) reduced basal coronary blood flow by 34.1+/-5.2% (n=10; P<0.01) and epicardial coronary diameter by 3.6+/-1.2% (P=0.02) but had no effect on increases in flow evoked by intracoronary substance P (20 pmol/min). The nonselective NOS inhibitor N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (25 micromol/min) also reduced basal coronary flow (by 22.3+/-5.3%; n=8; P<0.01) but, in contrast to SMTC, inhibited substance P-induced increases in flow (P<0.01). In healthy volunteers, local infusion of SMTC (0.2 micromol/min) reduced radial artery blood flow by 36.0+/-6.4% (n=10; P=0.03) but did not affect flow-mediated dilatation (P=0.55). In contrast, N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (2 micromol/min) infusion reduced radial blood flow to a similar degree (by 39.7+/-11.8%; P=0.02) but also inhibited flow-mediated dilatation by approximately 80% (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that local nNOS-derived NO regulates basal blood flow in the human coronary vascular bed, whereas substance P-stimulated vasodilatation is eNOS mediated. Thus, nNOS and eNOS have distinct local roles in the physiological regulation of human coronary vascular tone in vivo.
spellingShingle Seddon, M
Melikian, N
Dworakowski, R
Shabeeh, H
Jiang, B
Byrne, J
Casadei, B
Chowienczyk, P
Shah, A
Effects of neuronal nitric oxide synthase on human coronary artery diameter and blood flow in vivo.
title Effects of neuronal nitric oxide synthase on human coronary artery diameter and blood flow in vivo.
title_full Effects of neuronal nitric oxide synthase on human coronary artery diameter and blood flow in vivo.
title_fullStr Effects of neuronal nitric oxide synthase on human coronary artery diameter and blood flow in vivo.
title_full_unstemmed Effects of neuronal nitric oxide synthase on human coronary artery diameter and blood flow in vivo.
title_short Effects of neuronal nitric oxide synthase on human coronary artery diameter and blood flow in vivo.
title_sort effects of neuronal nitric oxide synthase on human coronary artery diameter and blood flow in vivo
work_keys_str_mv AT seddonm effectsofneuronalnitricoxidesynthaseonhumancoronaryarterydiameterandbloodflowinvivo
AT melikiann effectsofneuronalnitricoxidesynthaseonhumancoronaryarterydiameterandbloodflowinvivo
AT dworakowskir effectsofneuronalnitricoxidesynthaseonhumancoronaryarterydiameterandbloodflowinvivo
AT shabeehh effectsofneuronalnitricoxidesynthaseonhumancoronaryarterydiameterandbloodflowinvivo
AT jiangb effectsofneuronalnitricoxidesynthaseonhumancoronaryarterydiameterandbloodflowinvivo
AT byrnej effectsofneuronalnitricoxidesynthaseonhumancoronaryarterydiameterandbloodflowinvivo
AT casadeib effectsofneuronalnitricoxidesynthaseonhumancoronaryarterydiameterandbloodflowinvivo
AT chowienczykp effectsofneuronalnitricoxidesynthaseonhumancoronaryarterydiameterandbloodflowinvivo
AT shaha effectsofneuronalnitricoxidesynthaseonhumancoronaryarterydiameterandbloodflowinvivo