Nitric Oxide and Superoxide Anions in Vascular Reactivity of Renovascular Hypertensive Rats

The present study intends to define the role of the endothelium derived relaxing factor nitric-oxide (EDRF-NO) and the reactive oxygen intermediates in hypersensitivity to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) observed in abdominal aorta rings of two kidney-two clip hypertensive rats. Methylene Blue (which blocks production of cGMP by EDRF-NO) and Nw-nitro-L-arginine (which inhibits EDRF-NO synthesis), both shifted 5-HT dose-response curves to the left and completely abolished the differences in sensitivity to the agonist. The aortic perfusion with Krebs-Alcohol 20% (v/v) suppressed vascular relaxation to Ach (10(-5) M) and also abolished differences in sensitivity to 5-HT. These results suggest that a lower availability of EDRF-NO accounts for a higher 5-HT sensitivity in vessels of hypertensive rats. On the contrary, ridogrel (inhibitor of tromboxane-synthase and blocker of PGH2 and TxA2 receptors) did not suppress the hypersensitivity to 5-HT. In addition, since the superoxide anion (O2-) inactivates EDRF-NO, the effects of Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) added in the bath were analyzed. Significant changes in sensitivity (P < 0.005) were found only for vessels of hypertensive rats (SOD depressing and CAT increasing sensitivity to 5-HT). Complementary, SOD activity was evaluated in the aorta homogenates and was found to be significantly lower in the hypertensive rats [(differences between hypertensive and sham rats, mU.mg wet weight tissue-1: 7 days after clipping, -183 +/- 67 (n = 11), P < 0.02; 21 days, -160 +/- 70 (n = 9), p < 0.05]. Results would indicate: 1. Lower EDRF-NO availability in vessels of the hypertensive animals which would account for higher sensitivity to 5-HT; 2. Such a lower EDRF-NO might depend, in part, upon its greater inactivation by O2- anions; 3. A greater presence of O2- anions in the vessels of hipertensive rats that might be favored by the lower SOD activity concentration in the vascular wall.