Nitric oxide is involved in lithium-induced immediate early gene expressions in the adrenal medulla.
This study was conducted to determine if nitric oxide (NO) is involved in lithium-induced expression of c-Fos and inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) in the adrenal gland. Rats received an intraperitoneal injection of isotonic lithium (76 mg/kg) with either an intracerebroventricle (i.c.v., 250 microg) or intraperitoneal (i.p., 30 mg/kg) N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) pretreatment. The adrenal expression of c-Fos and ICER was examined by in situ hybridization 1 h after the lithium injection. The cortical c-Fos/ICER expression induced by lithium was not modulated by L-NAME pretreatment. However, lithium-induced medullary expression of c-Fos was attenuated by central L-NAME, and ICER by systemic L-NAME. These results suggest that nitric oxide is, at least partly, involved in lithium-induced c-Fos/ICER expression in the adrenal medulla, and that central nitric oxide may play a different role from peripheral nitric oxide in lithium-induced activation of adrenal medulla.
Jahng
Jeong Won
JW
Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei Brain Research Institute, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, South Korea. jwjahng@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
Spencer
Corinne M
CM
Choi
Si Ho
SH
Kim
Dong Goo
DG
Houpt
Thomas A
TA
D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D051786:Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early / Q000187:drug effects*; D016762:Genes, fos / Q000187:drug effects; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012097:Repressor Proteins
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D051786:Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008094:Lithium; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester