ABSTRACT
I. Introduction ......................................................................................................4 A. Glyceryl Trinitrate and Nitric Oxide ....................................................4 B. Studies of Glyceryl Trinitrate Biotransformation
Using Carbon Monoxide.......................................................................4 C. Formulation of Hypothesis — Does Carbon Monoxide Have a
Physiological Function? ........................................................................5 II. Experimental Investigations Directed to Determine Whether
Carbon Monoxide Has a Physiological Role................................................6 A. Presence of Heme Oxygenase in Blood Vessels ..................................6 B. Endogenous Formation of Carbon Monoxide
in Blood Vessels and Other Tissues......................................................7 C. Use of Metalloporphyrin Inhibitors to Study
Possible Physiological Role of Carbon Monoxide...............................7 D. Effect of Inhibition of Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase
on Vascular Effects of Carbon Monoxide...........................................10 E. Potentiation of Carbon Monoxide-Induced Relaxation
of Rat Aorta by YC-1 [3-(5
′
-Hydroxymethyl-2
′
-Furyl)- 1-Benzylindazole]................................................................................11
