In intact porcine aorta, endothelium-derived nitric oxide released on thrombin stimulation inhibits the concomitant production of endothelin. Experiments were designed to examine the effect of hirudin (which inactivates thrombin) and the nitrovasodilators nitroglycerin and 3-morpholinosydnonimine on the spontaneous and thrombin-stimulated release of endothelin in intact blood vessels. Endothelin was detected by radioimmunoassay in the incubating medium of intact porcine aortas with endothelium. The spontaneous release of endothelin was not affected by hirudin (0.1 micrograms/ml) but that induced by thrombin (4 units/ml) was prevented. Nitroglycerin (10(-5) M) and the active metabolite of molsidomine, 3-morpholinosydnonimine (10(-5) M), did not modify the basal production of endothelin from the intima of intact porcine aortas. However, the nitrates fully inhibited the release of the peptide induced by thrombin (4 units/ml). The inhibitory effects of both 3-morpholinosydnonimine and nitroglycerin on the thrombin-stimulated release of endothelin were abolished in the presence of an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase, methylene blue (10(-5) M). Thus, the thrombin-stimulated release of endothelin is inhibited by inactivation of thrombin with hirudin or by agents that mimic the effect of endothelium-derived nitric oxide. In contrast, the spontaneous production of endothelin is not modulated by the drugs.