Circ J 2009; 73: 562 -567 n the coronary circulation, endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) plays a fundamental role in the regulation of blood flow, exerting a tonic vasodilator influence at rest and with increasing myocardial metabolism. 1 The bioavailability of NO is thought to be diminished in subjects with various coronary risk factors and/or pathologic conditions, such as aging, gender, obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Thus, endothelial dysfunction, characterized by decreased bioavailability of NO, has been recognized as a predictor of cardiovascular risk and outcome. [13][14][15][16][17]
Editorial p 434Coronary endothelial function is most commonly assessed by intracoronary injection of acetylcholine (ACh), which stimulates release of NO and dilates the coronary arteries, but in patients with coronary endothelial dysfunction, infusion of ACh results in paradoxical vasoconstriction. [18][19][20][21][22] This method is widely used in diagnosing coronary vasospastic angina. 17,23 However, there are still many uncertainties about the bioavailability of NO and the precise dynamics of NO have not been investigated. In order to evaluate both endothelial function and the bioavailability of NO in the coronary circulation, direct measurement of the NO concentration in the coronary circulation would be of great value. Recently, we developed a catheter-type NO sensor and demonstrated its validity for in-vivo measurement of NO in the coronary circulation. [24][25][26][27] The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of a high-fat diet on the bioavailability of NO by using the catheter-type NO sensor in vivo.
MethodsThis study conformed to the Guideline for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH publication No. 85-23, revised 1985) and was conducted under protocols approved by the Kawasaki Medical School Animal Care and Use Committee.
High-Fat DietMongrel dogs (n=8) were assigned to either a control group (n=3) that received a regular diet (60 kcal · kg -1 · day -1 ) for 8 months or a high-fat-diet group (n=5; MANINE i/d dryTM, Hill's Nutrition Diet Inc, USA: 60 kcal · kg -1 · day -1 + lard 60 kcal · kg -1 · day -1 ) for 8 months. 28
Catheter-Type NO SensorThe NO sensor (amiNO-700 XL, Innovative Instruments, Tampa, FL, USA; 700 μm in diameter at the tip) was mounted in a 4Fr catheter (1,200 mm long; Hirakawa Hewtech, Tokyo, Japan) and fixed with silicon adhesive. The oxidative current of NO was monitored continuously. (Received August 24, 2008; revised manuscript received October 20, 2008; accepted November 5, 2008; released online February 3, 2009 (n=5) were fed a high-fat diet (120 kcal · kg -1 · day -1 ) for 8 months, then endothelial function was assessed by the change in NO concentration induced by acetylcholine (ACh) (∆NO). Simultaneously, average peak velocity (APV) was obtained by Doppler guide wire. Although fasting plasma glucose levels did not change a...