Cardiovascular research
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Cardiovascular research · Jul 1995
Comparative StudyEndogenous nitric oxide (NO) protects against ischaemia-reperfusion injury in the rabbit.
Recent studies suggest that nitric oxide (NO) is deleterious in models of shock and hypoxia-reoxygenation However, the role of endogenous NO in ischaemia-reperfusion injury in vivo remains controversial. We tested the hypothesis that blockade of endogenous NO produced during myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion or during reperfusion alone in vivo increases infarct size after coronary occlusion in the rabbit, and conversely, supplementation with L-arginine would reduce infarct size. ⋯ We conclude that (1) blockade of NO synthase activity with L-NA increases infarct size, (2) this effect was expressed primarily during reperfusion, (3) D-arginine mimicked the infarct augmentation of L-NA, while (4) L-arginine supplementation did not reduce infarct size. These data imply that endogenous NO production exerts a tonic cardioprotective effect on myocardial infarct following coronary reperfusion.