Modulation of Vasodilator Response via the Nitric Oxide Pathway after Acute Methyl Mercury Chloride Exposure in Rats

Table 1

Effect of methyl mercury chloride treatment of rats on maximum response (𝑅_max) and sensitivity (pD2) to acetylcholine, sodium nitroprusside, and isoproterenol in endothelium intact aortic rings.

	ACh		SNP		IP
	𝑅max	pD2	𝑅max	pD2	𝑅max	pD2
Untreated	52.7±2.8	−7.4±0.2	84.2±2.8	−8.4±0.1	59.0±7.3	−7.7±0.2
Methyl mercury chloride treated	70.4±2.9^∗	−6.9±0.1	84.4±2.5	−8.2±0.1	61.2±4.0	−6.4±0.3

Results are expressed as % of the previous contraction to phenylephrine and pD2 is expressed as −log one half; ^∗𝑃<0.05 versus untreated.