Contribution of central nervous system endothelial nitric oxide synthase to neurohumoral activation in heart failure rats.

ABSTRACT: Neurohumoral activation, a hallmark in heart failure (HF), is linked to the progression and mortality of HF patients. Thus, elucidating its precise underlying mechanisms is of critical importance. Other than its classic peripheral vasodilatory actions, the gas NO is a pivotal neurotransmitter in the central nervous system control of the circulation. While accumulating evidence supports a contribution of blunted NO function to neurohumoral activation in HF, the precise cellular sources, and NO synthase (NOS) isoforms involved, remain unknown. Here, we used a multidisciplinary approach to study the expression, cellular distribution, and functional relevance of the endothelial NOS isoform within the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus in sham and HF rats. Our results show high expression of

SUBMITTER: Biancardi VC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3189581 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature