Résumé
AIM: To study the role of NOS2 in the devel op ment of cardiac dysfunction after rat myocardial infarction by observing effects of S-methylisothiourea (SMT) on left ventricular morphology and haemodynamics. METHODS: An selective NOS2 inhibitor, was used. Administration o f SMT by gavage began 30 min before coronary ligation. Six weeks later, left ventricular morphologic and haemodynamic parameters were o bserved,and NOS2 expression, plasma NO 2-/NO 3- level and myocardial fibr osis were studied. RESULTS: Six weeks after myocardial infarction, NOS2 level in ra t non-infarct cardiac muscle, plasma NO 2-/NO 3- level, CVP and LVEDP were higher than that in controls. Long term administration of SMT decreased plasma NO 2-/NO 3- level [(26.6?6.1) ?mol/L vs (50.1?10.4) ?mol/L, P