Nitric oxide synthase gene expression in injured spinal cord tissue.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate gene expression of three nitric oxide synthase isozymes in injured spinal cord tissue.


METHODS
Thirty-six adult SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: a normal group and five injury groups, with six per each group. Animals in the injury groups were sacrificed at 2, 6, 12, 24, 48 h after injury. A compression injury model on the spinal cord was made according to Nystrom B et al and gene expression of the three NOS isozymes were examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
Gene expression of nNOS and eNOS were detectable in the normal group and were up-regulated quickly after injury, reaching a maximum at 6 h: (0.633 +/- 0.012) and (1.236 +/- 0.207). Gene expression of iNOS was detectable only in the injury groups and it was gradually up-regulated after injury, reaching a maximum at 24 h: (1.043 +/- 0.049).


CONCLUSIONS
Injury to the spinal cord leads to early up-regulation of cNOS and late up-regulation of iNOS. Different NOS isozymes may play different roles in secondary spinal cord injury.
Department of Orthopedics, Zhujiang Hospital, the First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China.
Chenglong
C
Liu
Anmin
A
Jin
Chusong
C
Zhou
Bin
B
Chen
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D008297:Male; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics
D012313:RNA; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496322:Nos1 protein, rat; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat