title: Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase reduces motoneuron death due to spinal root avulsion.
abstract: Our previous studies have shown that nitric oxide synthase (NOS) can be induced in motoneurons after spinal root avulsion lesion and the lesion-induced NOS is coincident with the death of the injured neurons. The present study examined whether the death of injured motoneurons can be prevented by inhibition of NOS. Nitroarginine, a specific inhibitor of NOS, was injected into adult rats which underwent spinal root avulsion. At a dose of 50 mg/kg/day, nitroarginine significantly inhibited the activity of lesion-induced NOS and significantly reduced the death of motoneurons due to spinal root avulsion. Results of the present study indicate that NO, produced by lesion-induced NOS, may be involved in and responsible for the neuronal death after traumatic injury.
authors.affiliation: Microsurgical Research Center, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk 23501.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019335:Nitroarginine; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D019335:Nitroarginine; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases