title: Transcriptional up-regulation of nNOS in the dorsal vagal complex during low endotoxemia.
abstract: The present study analyses the expression and distribution of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the brainstem of animals pre-treated with Escherichia coli or Helicobacter pylori LPS, at doses that modulate gastric motor function. Systemic administration of H. pylori LPS prevented in a dose-dependent manner (5, 40 and 100 microg kg(-1), i.v.) the increase in intragastric pressure induced by 2-deoxy-D-glucose (200 mg kg(-1), i.v.) in urethane-anaesthetized rats. Quantitative analysis showed a significant increase in the amount of nNOS mRNA induced by E. coli or H. pylori LPS (2 h later), in a segment of the brainstem containing the dorsal vagal complex (DVC). Immunohistochemical studies showed nNOS presence in the DVC of vehicle-treated rats. Both E. coli (40 microg kg(-1), i.p.) and H. pylori LPS (100 microg kg(-1), i.p.) significantly increased (2 h later) the number of nNOS immunoreactive cells in this area, mainly at the most rostral level. The present study shows that systemic administration of E. coli or H. pylori LPS induces a transcriptional up-regulation of the nNOS in the DVC of the brainstem and suggests a role for NO synthesis in this area in the control of gastric motor function under endotoxemia.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Anthony P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Juan V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Esplugues
authors.forename: María D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Barrachina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000201:enzymology*; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000201:enzymology*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D011312:Pressure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C442865:lipopolysaccharide, Helicobacter pylori; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; C496322:Nos1 protein, rat