Vasoactive intestinal peptide and nitric oxide promote survival of adult rat myenteric neurons in culture.
Several motility disorders originate in the enteric nervous system (ENS). Our knowledge of factors governing survival of the ENS is poor. Changes in the expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in enteric neurons occur after neuronal injury and in intestinal adaptation. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether VIP and nitric oxide (NO) influence survival of cultured, dissociated myenteric neurons. Neuronal survival was evaluated after 0, 4, and 8 days in culture. Influence of VIP and NO on neuronal survival was examined after culturing in the presence of VIP, NO donor, VIP antiserum, or NOS inhibitor. A marked loss of neurons was noted during culturing. VIP and NO significantly promoted neuronal survival. Corroborating this was the finding of an enhanced neuronal cell loss when cultures were grown in the presence of VIP antiserum or NOS inhibitor.
Department of Physiological Sciences, Neuroendocrine Cell Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Katarina
K
Sandgren
Zhong
Z
Lin
Asa
A
Fex Svenningsen
Eva
E
Ekblad
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
D000906:Antibodies; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase