Nitric oxide-related vasodilator responses to parasympathetic stimulation of the submandibular gland in the cat.

1. The extent to which parasympathetic vasodilator responses, in the submandibular gland of the cat, depend upon release of nitric oxide related (NO chi) or endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) within the gland has been investigated in anesthetized cats given N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) which specifically blocks the synthesis of EDRF from arginine. 2. Close intra-arterial infusions of L-NAME (> or = 100 mg kg-1) produced a steady and significant rise in mean aortic pressure together with a steady increase in basal submandibular vascular resistance over the next 20-30 min, which persisted thereafter. 3. In cats pretreated with propranolol, to block beta-adrenoceptor-mediated vasodilatation, salivation and vasodilatation in response to stimulation of the chorda-lingual nerve were reduced but not abolished by L-NAME (> or = 100 mg kg-1, I.A.). Subsequent administration of atropine (> or = 1 mg kg-1 I.V.) completely suppressed the secretory response and virtually eliminated the vascular response. 4. In cats pretreated with atropine (> or = 1.0 mg kg-1 I.V.) administration of L-NAME (> or = 100 mg kg-1 I.A.) effectively suppressed the vasodilator response to chorda-lingual stimulation at 2 Hz continuously, or at 20 Hz for 1 s at 10 s intervals. 5. Administration of L-NAME (> or = 100 mg kg-1 I.A.) effectively suppressed the submandibular vasodilator response to infusions of VIP (10 and 20 ng I.A.) and significantly reduced, but did not abolish that to acetylcholine (100 ng min-1 I.A.). 6. These results provide further support for the view that both acetylcholine and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity (VIP) are released from the postganglionic parasympathetic nerve terminals and produce effects on the blood vessels in submandibular glands of the cat. They also provide evidence for a direct vascular action of acetylcholine, independent of NO chi, but VIP appears to act indirectly via NO chi formation.