A beta-adrenoceptor agonist evokes a nitric oxide-cGMP relaxation mechanism modulated by adenylyl cyclase in rat aorta. Halothane does not inhibit this mechanism.

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of halothane on the agonist-induced nitric oxide-cyclic GMP (NO-cGMP) mechanisms by comparing the intracellular signal transduction mediating isoproterenol- and acetylcholine-induced nitric oxide formation.

METHODS

Isoproterenol-induced relaxations of rat aortic rings with and without endothelia were examined in the absence and presence of halothane. Studies were also done in the presence of inhibitors of nitric oxide-synthase, adenylyl cyclase, calmodulin, protein kinase A, and intracellular Ca2+ release mechanism. The relaxations under some of these conditions were compared with those induced by acetylcholine. Cyclic nucleotide contents of the rings were also measured.

RESULTS

Isoproterenol relaxed aortic rings via the endothelium-dependent nitric oxide-cyclic GMP mechanism. Inhibition of adenylyl cyclase or of protein kinase A attenuated the isoproterenol-induced relaxations significantly but did not affect those induced by acetylcholine. Inhibition of intracellular Ca2+ release abolished the acetylcholine-induced relaxations but did not affect those induced by isoproterenol. Calmodulin inhibition attenuated both agonist-induced relaxations significantly. Unlike acetylcholine-induced relaxation, that induced by isoproterenol was not affected by halothane. Isoproterenol increased both the cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cGMP contents of rings significantly when endothelia were intact. Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase attenuated the isoproterenol-induced cGMP content increases significantly but did not affect the cyclic adenosine monophosphate content increases. Halothane (2%) did not affect isoproterenol-induced increases in nucleotide content.

CONCLUSIONS

Isoproterenol-induced nitric oxide formation requires the activation of constitutive nitric oxide synthase, but the Ca2+ release mechanism is not involved in activating this enzyme. Halothane can inhibit the nitric oxide-cyclic GMP mechanism only when Ca2+ release is greatly involved in the activation of constitutive nitric oxide synthase.