title: Colchicine differentially induces the expressions of nitric oxide synthases in central and peripheral catecholaminergic neurons.
abstract: This study was aimed at elucidating differences in nerve injury induced expression of nitric oxide synthases (NOS) between the peripheral and central catecholaminergic neurons. Colchicine was used to disrupt chemically the neuronal cytoskeletal integrity. A marked increase in the expression of neuronal NOS-IR and NADPH-diaphorase activity, a marker of neuronal NOS (nNOS), was seen in distinct populations of post-ganglionic sympathetic neurons of the superior cervical ganglion after intraganglionic colchicine injection. Similarly, immunoreactivity for the inducible form of NOS (iNOS) was induced in some sympathetic neuron somata. However, this immunoreactivity did not coincide with nNOS-IR. In contrast to the sympathetic neurons, hypothalamic arcuate and periventricular dopaminergic neurons did not show NOS-IR or NADPH-DA either in intact animals or in animals treated with an intracerebroventricular injection of colchicine. Immunoreactivity for the inducible form of NOS revealed no neuronal staining in the hypothalamic neurons in either group, while a large number of glia-resembling cells around the third ventricle showed slight expression of iNOS-IR. The present results show that expression of both neuronal and inducible forms of NOS may be induced by colchicine in some catecholaminergic neurons. It is suggested that these inductions are specific to certain catecholaminergic neuronal systems, like the sympathetic neurons, rather than a general property of catecholaminergic neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Hospital for the Children and Adolescent, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vanhatalo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lumme
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soinila
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D001370:Axonal Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D003078:Colchicine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D007033:Hypothalamus, Middle / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000032:analysis; D009928:Organ Specificity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496322:Nos1 protein, rat; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase; D003078:Colchicine; D009638:Norepinephrine