Nitric oxide-induced microvascular permeability alterations: a regulatory role for cGMP

This study evaluated the physiological effects of compounds that alter guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) on the increase in vascular protein clearance induced by nitric oxide (NO) synthesis inhibition in the feline small intestine. A lymphatic vessel draining the small bowel was cannulated; vascular protein clearance and intestinal blood flow were measured. N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), the NO inhibitor, was infused (0.5 mumol/min) into the superior mesenteric artery. Vascular protein clearance increased approximately 4.6-fold, whereas blood flow decreased to 50% of control. Elevation of cGMP by 1) cytosolic guanylate cyclase activation with a NO donor (SIN 1) or 2) a cGMP analogue, 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-BrcGMP) completely prevented the rise in microvascular permeability associated with L-NAME. Moreover, these compounds reduced (almost 90%) baseline vascular protein clearance, whereas inhibition of cytosolic guanylate cyclase with methylene blue significantly increased this parameter. Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) has been reported to increase tissue cGMP levels and microvascular permeability. In this study, ANF did indeed increase intestinal microvascular permeability however this occurred independent of changes in intestinal cGMP levels. These data support a role for cGMP associated with NO-induced microvascular permeability alterations and raise the possibility that ANF has a cGMP-independent effect on microvascular permeability within the intestine.