This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mattson, D. L. Articles by Wu, F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mattson, D. L. Articles by Wu, F. Related Collections Animal models of human disease Cell signalling/signal transduction Gene expression Hypertension - basic studies Endothelium/vascular type/nitric oxide

(Hypertension. 2000;35:337.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.

Scientific Contributions

Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity and Isoforms in Rat Renal Vasculature

David L. Mattson; Feng Wu

From the Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

Correspondence to David L. Mattson, PhD, Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226. E-mail dmattson{at}mcw.edu

Abstract—Experiments were performed to quantify nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and identify the NOS isoforms present in the Sprague-Dawley rat renal vasculature. NOS enzymatic activity was measured by adding [³H]arginine to microdissected renal blood vessels and quantifying the conversion to [³H]citrulline by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Total NOS activity was greatest in microdissected vasa recta (123±41 pmol · mg^-1 · h^-1, n=5) and significantly less in glomeruli (46±9 pmol · mg^-1 · h^-1, n=6) and afferent arterioles (42±10 pmol · mg^-1 · h^-1, n=6) and averaged <5 pmol · mg^-1 · h^-1 in arcuate (n=8) and interlobular (n=9) arteries. Addition of 1.0 mmol/L EDTA to the reaction decreased NOS activity to <5 pmol · mg^-1 · h^-1 in afferent arterioles, glomeruli, and vasa recta (n=5 each), indicating that the NOS enzymatic activity in these segments is primarily a result of constitutive NOS. Both neuronal and endothelial NOS mRNA were identified in each vascular segment by reverse transcription—polymerase chain reaction, but inducible NOS mRNA was detected only in microdissected arcuate arteries. The present experiments indicate that the vasa recta, glomeruli, and afferent arterioles contain large amounts of calcium-dependent NOS enzymatic activity and that neuronal NOS and endothelial NOS mRNA are present in these segments.

Key Words: rats, Sprague-Dawley • kidney • nitric oxide synthase • RNA

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Du, Q. Guan, H. Diao, Z. Yin, and A. M. Jevnikar Nitric oxide induces apoptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells through activation of caspase-8 Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, May 1, 2006; 290(5): F1044 - F1054. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. M. Bagnall, P. C. Dent, A. Walkowska, J. Sadowski, and E. J. Johns Nitric oxide inhibition and the impact on renal nerve-mediated antinatriuresis and antidiuresis in the anaesthetized rat J. Physiol., December 15, 2005; 569(3): 849 - 856. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. L. Mattson and C. J. Meister Renal cortical and medullary blood flow responses to L-NAME and ANG II in wild-type, nNOS null mutant, and eNOS null mutant mice Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, October 1, 2005; 289(4): R991 - R997. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Kakoki, H.-S. Kim, W. J. Arendshorst, and D. L. Mattson L-Arginine uptake affects nitric oxide production and blood flow in the renal medulla Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, December 1, 2004; 287(6): R1478 - R1485. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Novak, A. Rajakumar, T. M. Miles, and K. P. Conrad Nitric Oxide Synthase Isoforms in the Rat Kidney During Pregnancy Reproductive Sciences, July 1, 2004; 11(5): 280 - 288. [Abstract] [PDF]

				H. C Hercule, M.-H. Wang, and A. O Oyekan Contribution of cytochrome P450 4A isoforms to renal functional response to inhibition of nitric oxide production in the rat J. Physiol., September 15, 2003; 551(3): 971 - 979. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. W. Cowley Jr., T. Mori, D. Mattson, and A.-P. Zou Role of renal NO production in the regulation of medullary blood flow Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, June 1, 2003; 284(6): R1355 - R1369. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. F. Reckelhoff and J. C. Romero Role of oxidative stress in angiotensin-induced hypertension Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, April 1, 2003; 284(4): R893 - R912. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. L. Pallone, Z. Zhang, and K. Rhinehart Physiology of the renal medullary microcirculation Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, February 1, 2003; 284(2): F253 - F266. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. L. Mattson Importance of the renal medullary circulation in the control of sodium excretion and blood pressure Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2003; 284(1): R13 - R27. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Adler, H. Huang, J. N. Trochu, X. Xu, S. Gupta, and T. H. Hintze Simvastatin reverses impaired regulation of renal oxygen consumption in congestive heart failure Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, November 1, 2001; 281(5): F802 - F809. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Kotelevtsev and D. J Webb Endothelin as a natriuretic hormone: the case for a paracrine action mediated by nitric oxide Cardiovasc Res, August 15, 2001; 51(3): 481 - 488. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Kakoki, A.-P. Zou, and D. L. Mattson The influence of nitric oxide synthase 1 on blood flow and interstitial nitric oxide in the kidney Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, July 1, 2001; 281(1): R91 - R97. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Govers and T. J. Rabelink Cellular regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, February 1, 2001; 280(2): F193 - F206. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]