Changes of nitric oxide synthase and nitric oxide in lung of smoking rats / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To observe the changes of iNOS and eNOS in lung tissue and NO in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in smoking rats. METHODS: 80 Wistar rats were divided into control, smoking group, L-NIL group and L-NAME group (rats were exposed to smoke and injected (i.p.) with selective iNOS inhibitor L-NIL or NOS inhibitor L-NAME). iNOS and eNOS protein levels in whole lung were detected by immunohistochemical staining, and NOS mRNA was quantified using RT-PCR. In addition, NO - 2/NO - 3 was determined using Griess assay. RESULTS: The expression of iNOS mRNA and protein in smoking rats increased, the expression of eNOS mRNA and eNOS protein decreased, and the total cell count and the level of NO - 2/NO - 3in BALF increased( P