Figure 1.

Systemic and local effect of NOS inhibition in the neutrophil migration in zymosan (Zy)-induced arthritis and peritonitis in rats. For systemic experiments, rats received either (30–1000 µg) zymosan intra-articular (i.art.), 1 mg zymosan i.p. or saline. LN (10–30 mg·kg⁻¹), 1400W (1 mg·kg⁻¹), aminoguanidine (AG − 50 mg·kg⁻¹) or nitro-L-arginine (NA − 50 mg·kg⁻¹) were injected i.p. or s.c. in arthritis and peritonitis, respectively, 30 min before the zymosan. For local experiments, rats received 1 mg LN i.art. or 10 mg LN i.p. 30 min prior to the injection of 1 mg zymosan i.art. or i.p. respectively; (A,B) and (C,D) represent systemic and local effect of NOS inhibition in arthritis and peritonitis respectively. Non-treated (bars marked -, =, ≡) rats were given saline (i.p. or s.c. for arthritis and peritonitis respectively) 30 min prior to zymosan. For local experiments, non-treated (-, =) animals were given i.art. or i.p. saline prior to zymosan. Naïve animals received only saline i.art or i.p. Results are expressed as the mean ± SEM of number of cells for each group of six animals. *P < 0.05 compared with non-treated (-); ^#P < 0.05 compared with non-treated (=); ⁺P < 0.01 compared with non-treated (≡). 1400W, N-[3-(aminomemethyl)benzyl] acetamide; AG, aminoguanidine; i.art., intra-articular; LN, N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester; NA, N^G-nitro-L-arginine; NOS, nitric oxide synthase.