Participation of NO-Dependent Mechanisms in the Effects of Increased Systemic Level of Interleukin-1β on Pial Microvessels under Conditions of Acute Hypoxia.

Abstract

We studied the effect of increased systemic levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β on the vasomotor reactions of pial microvessels in anesthetized rats under conditions of experimentally simulated progressively increasing acute normobaric hypoxia. Vital microscopy showed that more pronounced dilatation of pial vessels in response to IL-1β under hypoxic conditions was almost completely prevented by pretreatment with non-specific NO synthase blocker L-NAME. These findings indicate the involvement of NO-dependent mechanisms in the vasodilator effect of proinflammatory cytokines under conditions of acute hypoxic exposure.