[Effects of IL-1beta on inducible nitric oxide synthase-nitric oxide system activity in arginine vasopressin-induced rat cardiac fibroblasts].

Aim: To explore the effects of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-nitric oxide (NO) system activity in arginine vasopressin (AVP)-induced rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFs).

Methods: CFs were isolated by trypsin digestion method. Nitric acid reductase method, spectrophotometry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect NO contents, NOS activity and iNOS mRNA expression.

Results: AVP significantly increased iNOS mRNA expressions, NOS activity and NO contents (P < 0.05) in CFs. IL-1beta enhanced the effects of AVP on iNOS-NO system activity in a concentration-dependent manner, moreover the iNOS mRNA expressions, NOS activity and NO contents of AVP + 3 ng/ml, AVP + 5 ng/ml IL-1beta group were both significantly higher than those of AVP group (P < 0.05). But when IL-1beta concentration increased to 5 ng/ml, the iNOS mRNA expressions, NOS activity and NO contents did not increase accordingly, slightly decreased instead.

Conclusion: Within certain range of concentrations IL-1beta cooperates with AVP to increase iNOS-NO system activity in CFs.