Regulation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase mRNA expression in the rat magnocellular neurosecretory system

Rungrudee Srisawat, Valerie Bishop, Philip M Bull, Alison Douglas, John Russell, Mike Ludwig, Gareth Leng

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

We examined the activation of nNOS mRNA expression within the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei (SON and PVN) of the hypothalamus. In salt-loaded rats nNOS mRNA expression was significantly increased in both nuclei. In rats given i.p. injections of 1.5 M NaCl (4 ml/kg), a small but significant increase in nNOS mRNA expression in the SON and PVN was found 6 h after injection; no change was detected 2 or 4 h after injection. In rats in which hyponatraemia had been induced experimentally, nNOS mRNA was downregulated in the SON, and expression levels were not increased within 4 h after intense acute osmotic stimuli. Finally, neurons of the SON were antidromically-activated by neural stalk stimulation for 2 h. No increase of nNOS mRNA expression in the SON was observed 2 h after stimulation. Thus, increased electrical activity is not directly coupled to rapidly increased expression of nNOS mRNA, and hence acute increases in nNOS mRNA expression are unlikely to play a role in short-term adaptation of the magnocellular system to osmotic stimulation.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)191-6
Number of pages6
JournalNeuroscience Letters
Volume369
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21 Oct 2004

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Cell Count/methods
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation/physiology
  • In Situ Hybridization/methods
  • Neurosecretory Systems/drug effects
  • Neurosecretory Systems/metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase/genetics
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase/metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I
  • Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus/cytology
  • Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus/metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger/metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Saline Solution, Hypertonic/pharmacology
  • Supraoptic Nucleus/cytology
  • Supraoptic Nucleus/metabolism
  • Time Factors

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