RESUMO
Aim To investigate the effects of monocrotaline pyrrole on production of nitric oxide and expression of eNOS protein of cultured pulmonary artery endothelial cells and on contractility of cultured pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells.Methods DAF-2 fluorescence technique was used to determine NO level,Western blot analysis was performed to determine the level of eNOS protein,and collagen gel contraction system was adopted to analyze muscle contractility.Results NO production induced by ACh and expression of eNOS protein were obviously inhibited by monocrotaline pyrrole compared with those of control group and gel contraction area in MCTP-treated cells induced by Thapsigargin obviously decreased.Conclusions monocrotaline pyrrole could inhibit the level of the ACh-induced production of NO and expression of eNOS protein,and enhance the contractility of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells,which may be one of the possible mechanisms of MCTP-induced pulmonary artery hypertension.