INVOLVEMENT OF NITRIC-OXIDE PATHWAY IN NONADRENERGIC NONCHOLINERGIC (NANC) RELAXATION IN THE RAT STOMACH - DIFFERENTIAL INNERVATION OF NANC NERVES IN THE LONGITUDINAL AND CIRCULAR MUSCLE OF THE FUNDUS

1. The effects of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) on non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) relaxation elicited by transmural nerve stimulation (TNS) or high K+ were studied in the rat stomach fundus in order to investigate the mode of innervation of NANC nerves in the longitudinal and the circular muscle of the fundus. 2. Relaxation responses of the fundus to TNS were larger in circular than in longitudinal muscle strips. 3. Treatment With L-NNA (10(-5) M) reduced slightly but significantly the relaxation induced by TNS in both circular and longitudinal muscle strips of the fundus. The inhibitions of the TNS-induced relaxation by L-NNA were reversed partly by L-arginine (10(-3) M). 4. Although K+ produced concentration-dependent contraction in longitudinal muscle strips of the fundus, low concentration of K+ (20 mM) produced rapid and long-lasting relaxation in circular muscle strips of the fundus. 5. The 20 mM of K+-induced relaxation in circular muscle strips was significantly inhibited by L-NNA (10(-5) M) or oxyhemoglobin (2 x 10(-5) M). The inhibition of the K+ (20 mM)-induced relaxation by L-NNA was reversed by L-arginine (10(-3) M). 6. These results suggest that NO is one of mediators or transmitters in the NANC relaxation of the rat fundus, and that the density of NO-containing NANC nerves in the stomach fundus is richer in circular than in longitudinal muscle.