Measurements of redox control of nitric oxide bioavailability.

The assay outlined in this article have been employed successfully by ourselves and many other investigators to assess endothelial NO production under conditions in which the redox status of the cell has been manipulated. Table I contains expected changes in each of the assays (compared to the control state) that one would expect to see for specific perturbations in the NO-cGMP axis in endothelial cells. Used in combination, these assays can provide considerable insight into the effect of cellular redox status on NO bioactivity and provide the investigator with a good starting point for further mechanistic studies.