L-ARGININE DILATES CHEEK POUCH ARTERIOLES IN HAMSTERS WITH HEREDITARYCARDIOMYOPATHY BUT NOT IN CONTROLS

The purpose of this study was to determine whether suffusion of L-argi nine alone induces vasodilation in the cheek pouch of hamsters with he reditary cardiomyopathy in comparison with controls, and whether these effects are mediated by the L-arginine/nitric oxide biosynthetic path way. Using intravital microscopy, we found that suffusion of L-arginin e for 20 minutes induced a significant, stereospecific concentration-d ependent vasodilation in hamsters with hereditary cardiomyopathy but n ot in controls (p < 0.05). These responses were abrogated by suffusion of the nitric synthase inhibitor N-G-L-arglnine methyl ester (L-NAME) but not by suffusion of D-NAME. Suffusion of nitroglycerin, a nitric oxide donor, induced significant vasodilation of similar magnitude in both groups (p < 0.05). L-NAME had no significant effects on nitroglyc erin-induced responses in both groups. We conclude that direct applica tion of L-arginine alone to the peripheral microcirculation in cardiom yopathy induces significant vasodilation that is mediated, most likely , via a nitric oxide-dependent mechanism(s). We suggest that a reversi ble, L-arginine- responsive impairment in the constitutive L-arginine/ nitric oxide biosynthetic pathway is present in the peripheral microci rculation in cardiomyopathy.