The role of nitric oxide (NO) in the human internal anal sphincter

Purpose. Nitric oxide (NO) has recently been shown to be a neurotransmitter in nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) inhibitory nerves in the human gut. To clarify the physiological significance of NO in the human internal anal sphincter (IAS), we investigated enteric nervous responses in normal IAS m uscle strips above the dentate line, obtained from patients with rectal can cer. Methods. Normal IAS muscle strips above the dentate line, obtained fro m ten patients who underwent rectal amputation for low rectal cancers were used. The subjects consisted of eight men and two women, aged from 46-72 ye ars (mean age, 54.2 years). A mechanographic technique was used to evaluate in-vitro IAS muscle responses to electrical field stimulation (EFS) of adr energic and cholinergic nerves before and after treatment with various auto nomic nerve blockers, N-G-nitro-Larginine (L-NNA) and L-arginine. Results. Excitatory nerves were mainly involved in the regulation of enteric nerve r esponses to EFS in the baseline condition of the study, and NANC inhibitory nerves acted on the normal IAS. L-NNA concentration-dependently inhibited the relaxation in response to EFS in the human IAS, and this inhibitory eff ect in the IAS was reversed by L-arginine. Conclusions. These findings sugg est that NANC inhibitory nerves play important roles in regulating relaxati on of the human IAS, and that NO plays an important role as a neurotransmit ter in NANC inhibitory nerves of the human IAS.