Effects of asymmetric dimethylarginine on renal arteries in portal hypertension and cirrhosis

Table 1 Morphological characteristics, hemodynamic and biochemical parameters of the Sham, partial portal vein ligation, and bile duct ligation groups

	Sham	PPVL	BDL
Body weight gain (g)	39 ± 6	35 ± 6	10 ± 8ac
Spleen weight (g)	0.7± 0.1	1.3 ± 0.1a	1.4 ± 0.2a
Liver weight (g)	11.6 ± 0.6	10.9 ± 0.7	16.9 ± 0.7ac
Mean arterial pressure (mmHg)	116 ± 9	95 ± 5a	92 ± 6a
Portal pressure (mmHg)	7 ± 1	17 ± 2a	19 ± 3a
Bilirubin (mg/dL)	0.12 ± 0.03	0.15 ± 0.03	9.91 ± 0.07ac
Creatinine (mg/dL)	0.75 ± 0.07	0.73 ± 0.06	0.78 ± 0.06

^aP < 0.05 vs Sham group and

^cP < 0.05 vs PPVL group. PPVL: Partial portal vein ligation; BDL: Bile duct ligation.

Table 2 pD₂ values and maximal responses of the concentration-response curves to KCl (10-120 mmol/L) in renal arteries from Sham, partial portal vein ligation and bile duct ligation groups

	n	pD2	Emax (mg)
Sham	8	1.49 ± 0.01	1018 ± 83
PPVL	8	1.46 ± 0.01	1050 ± 131
BDL	8	1.46 ± 0.01	762 ± 59ac

pD₂, - log M of KCl causing 50% of the maximal contraction; Emax, maximal contraction; n = number of rats;

^aP < 0.05 vs Sham group and

^cP < 0.05 vs PPVL group.

Table 3 pD₂ values and maximal responses of the concentration-response curves to N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and asymmetric dimethylarginine in renal arteries from Sham, partial portal vein ligation, and bile duct ligation groups, after precontraction with norepinephrine

	n	pD2	Emax (mg)
Sham
L-NAME	8	5.35 ± 0.17	370 ± 36
ADMA	8	4.20 ± 0.08e	400 ± 26
PPVL
L-NAME	8	5.30 ± 0.16	365 ± 30
ADMA	8	4.11 ± 0.09e	388 ± 25
BDL
L-NAME	8	5.24 ± 0.16	285 ± 29ac
ADMA	8	4.79 ± 0.16ace	310 ± 27ac

pD₂, - log M of substance causing 50% of the maximal contraction; Emax, maximal contraction; n = number of rats;

^aP < 0.05 vs Sham group with the same treatment,

^cP < 0.05 vs PPVL group with the same treatment and

^eP < 0.05 vs L-NAME treatment in the same group. ADMA: Asymmetric dimethylarginine; L-NAME: N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester.

Table 4 pD₂ and maximal response values for the concentration-response curves to acetylcholine in renal arteries from Sham, partial portal vein ligation, and bile duct ligation groups in the absence (Control) and in the presence of N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester or asymmetric dimethylarginine

Acetylcholine	n	pD2	Emax (%)
Sham
Control	8	7.95 ± 0.08	93 ± 3
L-NAME (3 × 10-4 mol/L)	8	7.13 ± 0.28a	24 ± 7a
ADMA (3 × 10-4 mol/L)	8	7.27 ± 0.13ac	60 ± 3ac
PPVL
Control	8	7.92 ± 0.08	94 ± 2
L-NAME (3 × 10-4 mol/L)	8	7.24 ± 0.11a	21 ± 3a
ADMA (3 × 10-4 mol/L)	8	7.18 ± 0.15a	65 ± 6ac
BDL
Control	8	7.91 ± 0.10	95 ± 3
L-NAME (3 × 10-4 mol/L)	8	7.13 ± 0.35a	24 ± 8a
ADMA (3 × 10-4 mol/L)	8	7.17 ± 0.22a	32 ± 6ace

pD₂, - log M of acetylcholine causing 50% of the maximal relaxation; Emax, maximal relaxation expressed as a percentage of the contraction in response to 3 × 10^-6 mol/L norepinephrine; n = number of rats.

^aP < 0.05 vs control group,

^cP < 0.05 vs L-NAME treated group and

^eP < 0.05 vs Sham and PPVL groups with the same treatment. ADMA: Asymmetric dimethylarginine; L-NAME: N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester.