Skip to main content
Log in

Biological activation of NG-nitro-D-arginine by kidney homogenate

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) and D-NNA have been shown to inhibit endothelium-dependent relaxation. This study examined if the inhibitory effect of L-NNA or D-NNA on relaxation is increased following incubation of the drug with the supernatant of tissue homogenates. Acetylcholine (ACh) caused concentration-dependent relaxation of pre-constricted rat aortic rings with maximum relaxation of 95%. Maximum relaxations to ACh were reduced to 71 and 37% in the presence of D-NNA (40 μM) and L-NNA (1 μM), respectively. Relaxation to ACh was further reduced to 18% in the presence of D-NNA that was incubated for 1 h with the supernatant of kidney homogenate, but unaffected by D-NNA incubated with the supernatant of trichloroacetic acid-denatured kidney homogenate. Incubation of L-NNA (1 μM) with either kidney supernatant or denatured kidney supernatant for 1 h did not affect its inhibitory effect on ACh-induced relaxation. Neither 1 h’s incubation with plasma, or supernatants of liver, lungs or aorta homogenates affected the inhibitory action of D-NNA (40 or 120 μM) on ACh-induced relaxation. After D-NNA was incubated in kidney supernatant, its inhibitory effect on ACh-induced relaxation of the aorta was abolished by pretreatment of the aorta with L-arginine (L-Arg) but not D-Arg suggesting involvement of the L-Arg pathway. The results suggest that D-NNA is converted by the kidney to a compound that acts similar to L-NNA. There appears to be little conversion of L-NNA to D-NNA.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Received: 21 April 1997 / Accepted: 20 June 1997

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cheng, X., Wang, YX. & Pang, C. Biological activation of NG-nitro-D-arginine by kidney homogenate. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 356, 495–499 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00005082

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00005082

Navigation