Neuronal nitric oxide synthase is expressed in the axotomized ganglion cells of the rat retina.
This study investigated the expression and cellular localization of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the rat retina following optic nerve transection (ONT). In the normal rat retina, nNOS immunoreactivity was localized to amacrine cells and displaced amacrine cells. A few bipolar cells were also labeled. In the axotomized retina, ganglion cells showed nNOS immunoreactivity from 3 days after ONT, and these cells increased in number, peaking 5 days after ONT. Quantitative evaluation using immunoblotting confirmed that nNOS expression showed a peak value (255% of control levels) 5 days after ONT and decreased to 137% of controls by 28 days. These findings suggest that axotomized ganglion cells degenerate via NO-mediated excitotoxicity.
Lee
Eun-Jin
EJ
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505 Banpo-dong, Socho-gu, Seoul 137-701, South Korea.
Kim
Keun-Young
KY
Gu
Tae-Hyung
TH
Moon
Jung-Il
JI
Kim
In-Beom
IB
Lee
Mun-Yong
MY
Oh
Su-Ja
SJ
Chun
Myung-Hoon
MH
D025042:Amacrine Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy; D002452:Cell Count; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D020221:Optic Nerve Injuries / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D013266:Stilbamidines; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
C049774:2-hydroxy-4,4'-diamidinostilbene, methanesulfonate salt; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013266:Stilbamidines; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; C496322:Nos1 protein, rat