OBJECTIVE: To study signal transduction pathways in cultured rat hepatocytes in the high nitric oxide (NO) environment of hepatitis. METHODS: NO levels were assessed by measurement of its stable oxidative products nitrite (NO2(-)) and nitrate (NO3(-)) using the Griess method with or without thiols (GSH or L-Cys). Rat hepatocytes were incubated with Sodium Nitroprusside (SNP) to produce a high NO environment and the intracellular cGMP and s-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) in the culture media were measured using radioimmunoassay or with the MTT assay absorbed at 334nm respectively. RESULTS: After incubation of 1.543 mmol/L SNP for 30 minutes 0.63+/-0.06 mmol/L and at 25 minutes 0.98+/-0.11 mmol/L of NO was released in containing 25 mmol/L GSH and L-Cys condition. The levels of both cGMP and GSNO were significantly increased (compared with control P<0.05) in a dose related manner. CONCLUSION: Signal transduction of cultured rat hepatocytes in a high NO environment could be a cGMP-dependent as well as a non-cGMP-dependent pathway.