Gut region-specific rearrangement of the cellular and subcellular compartments of nitric oxide synthase isoforms after chronic ethanol consumption in rats.
We recently provided evidence of cell-type-specific differences in the subcellular distributions of the three nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms in the myenteric neurons, enteric smooth muscle cells and the capillary endothelium of the rat duodenum. We hypothesized that the presence of three NOS isoforms in the same type of cells with differences in subcellular compartmentalization might reflect a functional plasticity. Therefore, investigation of the possible rearrangement of cellular and subcellular NOS compartments in different gut segments following chronic ethanol treatment was the aim of this study. Rats were randomly divided into two groups and received water or 20% ethanol solution, preceded by short periods of adaptation with 10% and 15% ethanol. After 8 weeks, segments of duodenum, ileum and colon of the control and the alcohol-treated rats were processed for post-embedding immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. The quantitative differences in the numbers of gold particles indicative of the different NOSs and their relative mRNA levels between the two experimental groups varied greatly, depending on the gut segment, and also on the cellular and subcellular compartments investigated. The chronic ethanol administration had the opposite effect on the quantitative distribution of the neuronal and endothelial NOS labelling gold particles in the different cellular compartments and resulted in subcellular rearrangement of NOS labels along the gastrointestinal tract. The intestinal region-specific rearrangement of the cellular and subcellular NOS compartments may possibly result in functional plasticity and help to maintain the optimum NO level under pathological conditions.
Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Sciences and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary. bodiniki85@gmail.com.
Nikolett
N
Bódi
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
Zsanett
Z
Jancsó
Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Sciences and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
Petra
P
Talapka
Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Sciences and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
Alexandra
A
Pál
Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Sciences and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
Marietta Zita
MZ
Poles
Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Sciences and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
Mária
M
Bagyánszki
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
Edit
E
Hermesz
Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Sciences and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
Éva
É
Fekete
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004386:Duodenum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000201:enzymology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000201:enzymology; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000201:enzymology; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D007527:Isoenzymes; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase