title: Inhibitors of NO-synthase and donors of NO modulate kainic acid-induced damage in the rat hippocampus.
abstract: The effects of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors, N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine and 7-nitroindazole, and the NOS substrate L-arginine on kainic acid (KA)-induced microglial reactivity and stress response were studied in the hippocampus 7 and 1 days after KA, respectively. Density of peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors was measured as an index of microglial reactivity. Histological damage in hippocampus was evaluated at 7 days by neuronal counting. KA increased the maximal number of binding sites (B(max)) versus controls. Administration of either 7-nitroindazole (25 mg/kg) or N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (20 and 50 mg/kg) 24 hr before KA, further increased B(max). This later effect was abolished by L-arginine (1 g/kg), which given 24 hr before KA decreased B(max) to control values. Also, KA-induced HSP72 stress response was attenuated by pre-treatment with L-arginine. Histological evaluation showed reduced cell numbers in the pyramidal cell layer of the hippocampus in groups receiving KA, either alone or in combination with 7-nitroindazole. Administration of L-arginine before KA attenuated neuronal loss in CA3 but not CA1. A clear protective effect was observed, however, in CA1 and CA3, in rats receiving both L-arginine plus 7-nitroindazole before KA. The results show that the combination of a NO substrate with a NOS inhibitor reduces the neurotoxic effects of KA in the rat hippocampus. This study suggests that extremely fine regulation of NO levels in the different neural cell types can modulate excitotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nucli Universitari de Pedralbes, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gabriel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Friguls
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Sureda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pallas
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Planas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Escubedo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camarasa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Camins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000633:toxicity*; D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007191:Indazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D019335:Nitroarginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects; D000099190:MAP-Kinase-Activated Kinase 2
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D007191:Indazoles; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007546:Isoquinolines; D007608:Kainic Acid; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019335:Nitroarginine; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D000099190:MAP-Kinase-Activated Kinase 2; C080122:7-nitroindazole; C037850:PK 11195