Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO.) is a small, diffusible free radical that is generated from L-arginine by a family of enzymes, collectively termed the nitric oxide synthases. We investigated the role of NO. in tendon healing. NO. synthase activity and immunoreactivity was absent in un-injured rat Achilles tendon. After surgical division there was a five-fold increase in NO. synthase activity and immunoreactivity within the healing tendon at day 7, with a return to near baseline levels at day 14. Inhibition of NO. synthase activity with oral administration of Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) resulted in a significant reduction in cross-sectional area (30% at day 7, p < 0.01, 50% at day 15, p < 0.001) and failure load (24% at day 7, p < 0.01) of the healing Achilles tendon constructs. Rats fed the same regimen of the enantiomer of L-NAME, (D-NAME) had normal tendon healing. These results indicate that nitric oxide synthase is induced during tendon healing and inhibition of nitric oxide synthase inhibits this tendon healing.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 19-27 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Inflammation Research |
Volume | 46 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1997 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Free radical
- Nitric oxide
- Nitric oxide synthase
- Tendon healing
- Wound healing
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Pharmacology