Immunohistochemical localization of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in vessels of the dura mater of the Sprague-Dawley rat.
Nitric oxide (NO) and the dura mater are implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular headache. Many studies have demonstrated the participation of NO in headache; however, few studies have identified NO in the dura mater. In this study, nine Sprague-Dawley rats were examined with immunohistochemistry using two different endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) monoclonal antibodies, H32 and ECNOS. eNOS was successfully localized to the endothelium of the middle meningeal artery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report NOS immunopositive endothelial cells in the blood vessels of the rat dura mater. The authors propose that NO plays an active role in dural vasodilation, contributing to the pathogenesis of vascular headache; in the future, NO inhibitors could serve as pharmacological agents to treat vascular headache.
Nemade
R V
RV
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH 45267-0515, USA.
Lewis
A I
AI
Zuccarello
M
M
Keller
J T
JT
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000201:enzymology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase