Hepatic guanylate cyclase activity is decreased in a model of cirrhosis: a quantitative cytochemistry study.

The production of nitric oxide (NO) in liver disease and its role in vascular control has been a subject of much interest in recent years. However, the activity of guanylate cyclase (GC), the enzyme activated by NO has received little attention with regard to liver disease. In this study we have utilised a quantitative cytochemical technique to examine the activity of GC on a per cell basis in a rat model of cirrhosis. Our results show a significant reduction in GC activity, indicating that vascular regulation is likely to be substantially affected irrespective of NO generation in this disease model.