[Effect of acute hypoxic hypoxia on nitric oxide synthase induction in rats].

Male Wistar rats were exposed to acute normobaric hypoxia (10% O2) during 1 or 3 h. After 24 h iNOS protein expression was estimated in tissues by Western blotting. It was found, that iNOS protein expression was higher in heart right ventricles versus left ventricles in both control (intact) and hypoxic animals. Hypoxia caused marked time-depending iNOS induction in both heart ventricles and lungs but not significant in livers. These results suggest that iNOS-produced NO can play a role in response to acute hypoxia, acting at least on pulmonary circulation.