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Relaxation by nitroglycerin, sodium nitrite, and amyl nitrite of bovine coronary arterial smooth muscle was inhibited by the oxidant methylene blue. Methylene blue also inhibited activation of bovine coronary arterial soluble guanylate cyclase by nitroglycerin, which required addition of cysteine. At concentrations less than 10 mM, sodium nitrite required the addition of one of several thiols or ascorbate to activate guanylate cyclase from bovine coronary artery. Guanylate cyclase activation by large amounts (50 microL) of saturated amyl nitrite gas did not require, but was enhanced by, the addition of thiols or ascorbate. However, similar to sodium nitrite, guanylate cyclase activation by smaller amounts (5 microL) of saturated amyl nitrite gas did require the addition of one of various thiols or ascorbate. Methylene blue markedly inhibited guanylate cyclase activation by sodium nitrite in the presence of cysteine or ascorbate and similarly inhibited enzyme activation by amyl nitrite either in the absence or presence of cysteine or ascorbate. These data support the hypothesis that nitrates and nitrites relax vascular smooth muscle by stimulating cyclic GMP formation. The results further suggest that, similar to relaxation and guanylate cyclase activation by nitroso-containing compounds, relaxation and enzyme activation by nitrates and and nitrites may involve the formation of nitric oxide or complexes of nitric oxide as active intermediates.
Gruetter et al. (Sun,) studied this question.