Immunohistochemistry of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and protein nitration in the striatum of the aged rat

To ascertain the possible implications of the nitric oxide (NO● ) producing system in striatal senescence, and by using immunohistochemistry and image-processing approaches, we describe the presence of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS), the NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemical marker, and n...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: del-Moral, María Luisa, Esteban-Ruiz, Francisco José, Hernández-Cobo, Raquel, Blanco-Ruiz, Santos, Molina-Ortega, Francisco Javier, Martínez-Lara, Esther, Siles, Eva, Viedma, Gloria, Ruiz, Alharilla, Pedrosa-Raya, Juan Ángel, Peinado-Herreros, María Ángeles
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2004
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Jaén
Repositorio:RUJA. Repositorio Institucional de la Producción Científica de la Universidad de Jaén
OAI Identifier:oai:ruja.ujaen.es:10953/1830
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.1002/jemt.20081
https://hdl.handle.net/10953/1830
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Brain
Image processing
NADPH-diaphorase
NOS
Descripción
Sumario:To ascertain the possible implications of the nitric oxide (NO● ) producing system in striatal senescence, and by using immunohistochemistry and image-processing approaches, we describe the presence of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS), the NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemical marker, and nitrotyrosine-derived complexes (N-Tyr) in the striatum of adult and aged rats. The results showed neuronal NOS immunoreactive (nNOS-IR) aspiny medium-sized neurons and nervous fibres in both age groups, with no variation in the percentage of immunoreactive area but a significant decrease in the intensity and in the number of somata with age, which were not related to the observed increase with age of the striatal bundles of the white matter. In addition, NADPH-d activity was detected in neurons with morphology similar to that of the nNOS-IR cells; a decrease in the percentage of area per field and in the number of cells, but an increase in the intensity of staining for the NADPH-d histochemical marker, were detected with age. The number of neuronal NADPH-d somata was higher than for the nNOS-IR ones in both age groups. Moreover, N-Tyr-IR complexes were observed in cells (neurons and glia) and fibres, with a significant increase in the percentage of the area of immunoreaction, related to the increase of white matter, but a decrease in intensity for the aged group. On the other hand, we did not detect the inducible isoform (iNOS) either in adult or in aged rats. Taken together, these results support the contention that NADPH-d staining is not such an unambiguous marker for nNOS, and that increased protein nitration may participate in striatal aging.