Purpose: To investigate the effect of blood nitric oxide (NO) as a mediator
of the neurovascular syndrome in rats following gamma-irradiation.
Material and methods: Using a voltametric method together. with a carbon fi
bre based sensor, NO measurements were carried out in sham-irradiated and i
rradiated animals either in blood from the: abdominal aorta or in blood sam
ples from the heart.
Results: In in vitro conditions, properties of the probe were not altered b
y the ionizing radiation. Significant increases of +17% and + 25.6% were ob
served in the voltametric signal height at 90 min and 24 h respectively aft
er a 15 Gy gamma-ray exposure. These effects were followed on days 3 and 4
by a progressive decrease in the signal height of 7% and 18% respectively.
Dose-effect relationships were observed at 90 min and 24-h after exposure t
o gamma-rays in the. range of 3-15 Gy. Finally, the NO dependence on the me
asured voltametric signal was controlled by using inhibitors of the NO synt
hase (NOS) and by performing nitrate assays.
Conclusions: Specific blood NO voltametric measurements are possible. Funct
ional changes associated with NO after gamma-ray exposure are discussed.