Journal of Tongji Medical University = Tong ji yi ke da xue xue bao
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J. Tongji Med. Univ. · Jan 2001
The role of nitric oxide in hyperoxic lung injury in premature rats.
To investigate the role of nitric oxide (NO) in hyperoxic lung injury, the 3-day-old preterm rats were randomly assigned to four groups: group I (hyperoxia group), group II (hyperoxia + Nw-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) group), group III (air group), and group IV (air + L-NAME) group. Group I and II were exposed to > or = 90% O2 for 3 or 7 days. Group II and IV received subcutaneous L-NAMEy on daily basis (20 mg/kg). ⋯ Hyperoxia can significantly upregulate the expression of iNOS and eNOS in inflammatory cells, epithelia in the lungs of preterm rats, promote NO generation, which suggests that endogenous NO may mediate the hyperoxic pulmonary damage. Over-stimulation of iNOS may contribute to the pathogenesis of hyperoxic lung injury. NO may have dual roles in pulmonary oxygen toxicity.