The effect of L-arginine, a nitric oxide synthase substrate, on retinal cell proliferation in the postnatal rat.
The effects of L-arginine, a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) substrate, on cell proliferation in the developing postnatal rat retina were studied by immunocytochemistry using anti-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) antiserum, and by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL). Densitometric analysis by immunoblotting confirmed that neuronal NOS expression significantly increased in the L-arginine-treated retinas in comparison with the control retinas at postnatal day (P) 5 to P10. In the retinas of the control and L-arginine-treated rats, BrdU-labeled cells were only seen in the neuroblastic layer of the retinas up to P7. BrdU-labeled cells were significantly more numerous in the retinas of L-arginine-treated rats than in control retinas at P5 in the central retina and at P5 and P7 in the peripheral retina. In addition, TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells were more numerous in the retinas of L-arginine-treated rats at P5 and P7. Our results suggest that NO might play an important role in retinal maturation through regulating proliferative phases in the early stages of rat postnatal development.
Kim
Keun-Young
KY
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Moon
Jung-Il
JI
Lee
Eun-Jin
EJ
Lee
Yeon-Jung
YJ
Kim
In-Beom
IB
Park
Chan Kee
CK
Oh
Su-Ja
SJ
Chun
Myung-Hoon
MH
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D051381:Rats; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; C496322:Nos1 protein, rat