Role of the endogenous nitric oxide in the vasodilatory tone and CO2 responsiveness of the rostral ventrolateral medulla microcirculation in the rat.

The study was designed to check the role of endogenous NO in maintaining the vasodilatory tone and in mediation of local cerebral blood flow (CBF) responses to CO2 in rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) in the rat. The ventral surface of the medulla was exposed and CBF in the RVLM continuously recorded with a laser-Doppler flowmeter. Local vascular resistance (CVR) was estimated as the ratio of mean arterial pressure (MAP) to CBF. During 1 min exposure to 10% CO2 in oxygen PaCO2 rose from 39.9 +/- 2 mm Hg to 89.7 +/- 4.6 mm Hg and pH fell from 7.4 +/- 0.04 to 7.1 +/- 0.03. After intravenous administration of 15 mg/kg L-NAME (Nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester) MAP increased by 43 +/- 2.9 mm Hg (p < 0.001), local CBF increased by 33 +/- 6% (p < 0.001) and CVR increased by 17 +/- 6% (p < 0.01). L-NAME significantly reduced CBF flow response to 60 s hypercapnia from 47 +/- 9% (p < 0.001) before administration of L-NAME to 14 +/- 5% (p < 0.001). This effect was due to reversal by L-NAME of a pressor response to hypercapnia to a depressor response. The attenuation of CVR response to CO2 by L-NAME was too small to account alone for the significant reduction of local CBF responsiveness to hypercapnia. We conclude that endogenous NO plays a role in maintaining a local vasodilatory tone in RVLM, but it is less significant than in the cortical microcirculation. NO is not a major mediator in the increase in local CBF in RVLM during brief hypercapnia. Endogenous NO is critical for the neurogenic pressor response to brief hypercapnia.