The Role of Tetrahydrobiopterin and Dihydrobiopterin in Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury When Given at Reperfusion
Figure 3
Measurement of NO (nM) release from rat femoral veins during reperfusion in the saline control group and BH4- or BH2-treated group. (a) NO (nM) releases from rat sham and I/R femoral veins during reperfusion in the saline control group. Anesthetized rats were given saline via tail vein at the beginning of reperfusion There was a slight decrease in NO release from I/R veins compared to sham veins after 20 minutes of reperfusion. (b) The relative difference in NO release between I/R and sham femoral veins in the saline control group BH4 (6.5 mg/kg)-treated group and BH2 (4 mg/kg)-treated group BH4 or BH2 was given via tail vein at the beginning of reperfusion. BH2 treatment significantly decreased NO release from 20 minutes and throughout the rest of reperfusion. BH4 treatment significantly increased NO release from 20 minutes to 45-minute reperfusion compared to BH2 treatment. ( from saline control group; from BH2-treated group).
