title: Neuronal nitric oxide synthase is expressed in the axotomized ganglion cells of the rat retina.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505 Banpo-dong, Socho-gu, Seoul 137-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Jin
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Keun-Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae-Hyung
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Jung-Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: In-Beom
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mun-Yong
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Su-Ja
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Myung-Hoon
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chun
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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