[Effect of methamphetamine on the microglial cells and activity of nitric oxide synthases in rat striatum].
OBJECTIVE
To study the changes in the microglial cells and the activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and constitutive nitric oxide synthase (cNOS) in the striatum of rats with methamphetamine (METH) treatment.


METHODS
The rats were randomly divided into two groups for injections with METH or saline. Specific antibody against OX-42 was used to detect the changes in the morphology and the number of microglia, and the activities of NOS, iNOS and cNOS were compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
The microglial cells were activated and their number significantly increased in the striatum of rats with METH treatment as compared with those in the saline group. The activated microglial cells showed bushy and amoeboid morphologies in the METH group. METH also significantly enhanced the activities of NOS, iNOS and cNOS in the striatum (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Microglial activation and increased NOS activity may participate in METH-induced neurotoxicity in rat striatum.
Li
Yan-hong
YH
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. linan-2002@tom.com
Wang
Hui-jun
HJ
Qiao
Dong-fang
DF
D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D008694:Methamphetamine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III