Study of the nitric oxide system in the rat cerebellum during aging.
BACKGROUND
The cerebellum is the neural structure with the highest levels of nitric oxide, a neurotransmitter that has been proposed to play a key role in the brain aging, although knowledge concerning its contribution to cerebellar senescence is still unclear, due mainly to absence of integrative studies that jointly evaluate the main factors involved in its cell production and function. Consequently, in the present study, we investigate the expression, location, and activity of nitric oxide synthase isoenzymes; the protein nitration; and the production of nitric oxide in the cerebellum of adult and old rats.


RESULTS
Our results show no variation in the expression of nitric oxide synthase isoforms with aging, although, we have detected some changes in the cellular distribution pattern of the inducible isoform particularly in the cerebellar nuclei. There is also an increase in nitric oxide synthase activity, as well as greater protein-nitration levels, and maintenance of nitrogen oxides (NOx) levels in the senescent cerebellum.


CONCLUSIONS
The nitric oxide/nitric oxide synthases system suffers from a number of changes, mainly in the inducible nitric oxide synthase distribution and in overall nitric oxide synthases activity in the senescent cerebellum, which result in an increase of the protein nitration. These changes might be related to the oxidative damage detected with aging in the cerebellum.
Blanco
Santos
S
Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, 23071, Jaén, Spain.
Molina
Francisco J
FJ
Castro
Lourdes
L
Del Moral
Maria L
ML
Hernandez
Raquel
R
Jimenez
Ana
A
Rus
Alma
A
Martinez-Lara
Esther
E
Siles
Eva
E
Peinado
Maria A
MA
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000201:enzymology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III