Objective: To investigate the influence of nitroglycerin tolerance (NT) on arterial ischemia (90 min) and reperfusion (120 min).
Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were infused with nitroglycerin (GTN) or saline for 12 h and ascending aorta was rapidly isolated. The isolated aorta was subjected to one of the following treatments: stimulative ischemia/reperfusion, stimulative ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) plus glutathione (GSH, 0.1 mmol/L) during reperfusion, or control solution (Kreb's solution for 3.5 h).
Results: Compared with I/R group, contractile function, vasorelaxation responses to Ach, NO production were significantly decreased and CK, LDH activity as well as nitrotyrosine formation in reperfusion solution were significantly increased in I/R + NT group and these effects could be prevented with addition of GSH in I/R + NT aortas.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that NT could aggravate arterial I/R injury by increasing the production of ONOO- and GSH may play a cardioprotective role against NT-induced myocardial injury by attenuating the formation of ONOO-.