Summary
The role of nitric oxide (NO) in 5-HT-induced non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) relaxations was studied on circular muscle strips of the canine ileocolonic junction (ICJ) and terminal ileum. During an acetylcholine-induced contraction, NO (10−5 M) evoked a transient relaxation, whereas 5-HT (10−4 M) caused an initial NANC relaxation followed by a contraction. This initial relaxation to 5-HT, but not the relaxation to NO, was significantly inhibited by the stereospecific inhibitors of the NO biosynthesis NG-monomethyl-Larginine (L-NMMA) and NG-nitro-Irarginine (L-NNA). Larginine, but not D-arginine, prevented the inhibitory effect of L-NMMA and LNNA. The enantiomer of L-NMMA, D-NMMA, had no effect. Hemoglobin abolished the NO-induced relaxations and significantly inhibited the relaxation to 5-HT.
From these experiments it is concluded that the 5-HT-induced NANC relaxation is mediated by NO or a NO releasing substance.
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Research Assistant of the National Fund for Scientific Research Belgium (NFWO)
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Bogers, J.J., Pelckmans, P.A., Boeckxstaens, G.E. et al. The role of nitric oxide in serotonin-induced relaxations in the canine terminal ileum and ileocolonic junction. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 344, 716–719 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00174756
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00174756