Effects of Acute and Chronic Inhibition of Nitric Oxide Synthase on Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis.

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Abstract
This study was undertaken to examine the possible role of nitric oxide (NO) on brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis in rats. The chronic administration of N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; NO synthase inhibitor) in drinking water given to rats decreased interscapular BAT (IBAT) weight as well as DNA content in a warm environment (25 +/- 1 degrees C; 2 and 4 weeks), and inhibited the cold-stimulated (5 +/- 1 degrees C; 2 weeks) increase in IBAT weight and DNA content. L-Arginine administration (4 weeks in a warm environment) increased the DNA content of IBAT. Chronic L-NAME administration (2 weeks in a warm environment) eliminated the NE-stimulated increase in in vivo oxygen consumption (VO2), caused hypothermia in acute cold exposure (0 degree C), and suppressed the NE-stimulated increase in in vitro IBAT VO2. In vitro incubation of native IBAT with L-NAME suppressed the basal and NE-stimulated increase in in vitro VO2. In vitro incubation of IBAT with methylene blue (soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor and a scavenger of free NO) eliminated the NE-stimulated increase in in vitro IBAT VO2. These results suggest that the nitric oxide and NO-cGMP signaling systems are involved in the regulation of BAT cellularity and thermogenesis in rats.

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