title: Nitric oxide-mediated cGMP synthesis in Helix neural ganglia.
abstract: The central nervous system of the mollusc Helix pomatia was stimulated with NO donors sodium nitroprusside (SNP), S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) or hydroxylamine, in the presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (IBMX). Radioimmunoassay revealed that all of the three NO donors significantly increased cGMP levels by 22-27-fold above basal levels. Compared with controls, strong cGMP immunoreactivity was observed in axons and cytoplasm of the stimulated neurons. About 80% of cGMP-immunoreactive neurons colocalized with NADPH-diaphorase activity. Some glial cells and giant neurons were not stained by NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry but were cGMP-immunoreactive. The results suggest the existence of a NO/cGMP pathway and indicate NO as an intra- and intercellular signaling molecule in the Helix central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology, University of Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kerschbaum
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hermann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006372:Helix, Snails / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase; D006152:Cyclic GMP