0000000000852435
AUTHOR
A. Schollmayer
Nitric oxide synthase in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus of rat: evidence from histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and Western blot; and colocalization with VIP
Nitric oxide (NO) is a neuroactive substance of high potency. Physiological results revealed the involvement of NO in circadian regulation of rats. Since neuronal structures containing NO-synthase (NOS) were previously not found in the circadian oscillator, the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), in this species but are present in the hamster, we investigated the distribution of NO-producing structures in the rat SCN by Western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry of NOS, and by histochemistry (NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) activity of NOS). Western blot analysis of SCN homogenates from rat (and, for comparison, hamster) showed a NOS-like immunoreactive (-LI) protein band of apparent mo…
Expression of Nitric Oxide Synthase I Determines the Strength of Adrenergic Cyclic GMP Response in the Rat Pineal Gland
In the rat pineal gland the adrenergic cGMP response is not static but changes during postnatal development and depends on environmental lighting conditions. Since the adrenergic cGMP transduction is mediated by stimulation of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase I (NOS I), we investigated whether changes in the strength of adrenergic cGMP response coincide with the expression of NOS I. Using immunoblot analysis, we found that the increase in adrenergic cGMP transduction in the second postnatal week coincides with enhanced NOS I expression. Similarly, we observed that changes in the intensity of adrenergic cGMP transduction under different environmental lighting conditions correspond to NOS I e…