title: Actions of nitric oxide and expression of the mRNA encoding nitric oxide synthase in rat vagal afferent neurons.
abstract: The present study has investigated whether nitric oxide (NO) is involved in neurotransmission of rat vagal afferent neurons. The diethylamine-NO complex (diethylamine-NO, 10-100 microM) and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (3-100 microM) both elicited a concentration-dependent depolarisation of the isolated rat nodose ganglion preparation. Pre-treatment with 1 H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 300 nM), 6-(phenylamino)-5,8-quinolinedione (LY83,583, 30 microM) and Methylene blue (100 microM) all caused a significant shift to the right in the concentration-response curve to diethylamine-NO. Incubation of rat nodose ganglion sections with a 35S-labeled antisense oligonucleotide to neuronal NO synthase resulted in visualisation of the mRNA encoding NO synthase over vagal afferent perikarya. The anatomical findings, therefore, suggest that a number of rat vagal afferent perikarya possess the ability to produce the enzyme required for the biosynthesis of NO. Collectively, these data suggest that NO may be functionally important as a neuromodulator of rat vagal afferent neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krstew
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jarrott
mesh_terms: D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics*; D009620:Nodose Ganglion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C041715:6-anilino-5,8-quinolinedione; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase