Altered microvascular reactivity to endothelin-1, endothelin-3 and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester in streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus.

1 We have determined the dermal microvascular effects of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 nmol/site), endothelin-1 (ET-1, 0.1-10 pmol/site) and ET-3 (0.1-30 pmol/site) in rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mellitus. Cutaneous blood flow changes as measured by a 133xenon (133Xe) clearance technique, were determined in diabetic rats four weeks after treatment with streptozotocin (STZ) and compared with responses measured in normal rats four weeks after treatment with saline. 2 Resting skin blood flow was similar in diabetic and in normal rats, as measured by 133Xe clearance and laser Doppler flowmetry. 3 Intradermal NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) reduced skin blood flow in normal rats by 55.2 +/- 2.6% as measured by 133Xe clearance, (n = 9). L-NAME was significantly less effective in diabetic rats, inducing a 40.9 +/- 7.7% decrease in blood flow (n = 9, P less than 0.05). The enantiomer D-NAME had no effect in either group of rats. 4 Low doses of ET-1 and ET-3 injected intradermally induced dose-dependent decreases in blood flow, measured by 133Xe clearance, which were similar in both groups of rats. However, the responses to the highest doses of ET-1 (10 pmol/site) and ET-3 (10 and 30 pmol/site) were significantly reduced in the diabetic compared with the normal rats (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)