DO L-ARGININE AND L-NAME ALTER CORONARY VASCULAR AND AORTIC ENDOTHELIAL PERMEABILITY IN NORMAL- AND HIGHCHOLESTEROL-FED RATS?

Introduction: the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of l-arginine (l-arg) and l-name on coronary vascular and aortic endothelial permeability in normocholesterolemic (nc) and hypercholesterolemic (hc) rats.methods: forty-eight male rats were divided into nc and hc groups and each group was divided into l-arginine-treated, l-name-treated and control subgroups. l-arg (2.25%) and lname (0.75 mg/ml) were dissolved in drinking water and control groups received tap water. after 8 weeks, endothelial permeability was assessed by using the evans blue (eb) dye method.results: aortic endothelial permeability was significantly higher in hc group compared to nc group (15.1±0.7 vs. 7.7±0.8 1geb/g tissue, respectively; p<0.05). l-arg and l-name treatment decreased aortic endothelial permeability in hc animals (l-arg: 8.4±0.4 & l-name: 10.8±0.6 vs. 15.1±0.7 1geb/g tissue, respectively; p<0.05). there was no significant difference in endothelial permeability in coronary circulation between hc and nc groups and l-arg and l-name did not alter endothelial permeability.conclusion: it seems that l-arg and l-name have different effects on endothelial permeability based on physiological and pathological conditions and type of vessel.