Relaxations of porcine coronary arteries to NTG (left panel) and DETA NONOate (right panel) following 24 h incubation with DETA NONOate at 10−5 M. Vessels were constricted with U46619 (10−7 to 3 × 10−7 M) before testing their relaxant responses. Data are shown as means±s.e.mean; n=6 for each group. *Significant difference between vessels incubated with solvent and those with DETA NONOate at 10−5 M (P<0.05). DETA NONOate, [2,2′-(hydroxynitrosohydrazono) bis(ethanamine)]; NTG, nitroglycerine; U46619, (9,11)-dideoxy-(11α,9α)-epoxymethanoprostaglandin F2α.