Expression of nitric oxide synthases in the anterior horn cells of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The authors investigated for a correlation between the expression of nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) with the severity of motor neuronal loss in the anterior horns of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Spinal cords from six patients with ALS and from three normal controls were examined. The sections of cervical, lumbar, and sacral cord including Onuf's nucleus, which are seldom degenerated until the late stage, were stained with three antibodies against NOSs (anti-n-NOS, anti-e-NOS, and anti-i-NOS) using ABC methods. Perikarya of motor neurons in ALS, but not in controls, were immunoreactive against anti-n-NOS and e-NOS. Anti-i-NOS did not recognize the motor neurons of ALS or of controls. The immunoreactivity for n- and e-NOSs was approximately the same in the sections of cervical, lumbar, and sacral cord in ALS. No significant differences in immunoreactivity were observed among the patients with ALS. These results suggest that the expression of NOSs does not immediately affect neuronal loss in ALS.
Kashiwado
Koichi
K
Department of Neurology, Chiba University School of Medicine, Japan. gokashi@cc.rim.or.jp
Yoshiyama
Yasumasa
Y
Arai
Kimihito
K
Hattori
Takamichi
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000870:Anterior Horn Cells / Q000201:enzymology*; D001344:Autopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D012016:Reference Values
C496320:NOS1 protein, human; C496319:NOS2 protein, human; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III