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A quantitative study of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression in the superficial layers of the adult rat superior colliculus after perinatal enucleation
Author(s) -
BittencourtNavarrete Ruben Ernesto,
GiraldiGuimarães Arthur,
MendezOtero Rosalia
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2004.04.004
Subject(s) - superior colliculus , enucleation , nitric oxide synthase , densitometry , citrulline , chemistry , gene isoform , nitric oxide , blot , retina , endocrinology , medicine , biology , neuroscience , arginine , biochemistry , genetics , amino acid , gene
The level of expression of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the retinorecipient layers of rat superior colliculus (SC) was investigated in adult rats after neonatal enucleation using two biochemical methods: (1) measurement of the in vitro specific‐activity of NOS by the conversion of [ 3 H]‐arginine to [ 3 H]‐citrulline and (2) immunochemical analysis by western blotting and densitometry of immunoreactive bands using antibodies that recognise the three prominent isoforms of nNOS, α, β and γ. A total of 20 Lister rats were used in this study. We have shown that the deprivation of the retinocollicular projections at early postnatal ages induces no significant change in the specific‐activity of nNOS. We also have shown that the deafferentation does not significantly influence either the total amount of nNOS in the SC superficial layers or the relative contribution ratio of nNOS isoforms. In conclusion, the expression and activity of nNOS in the SC retinorecipient layers was shown not to be dependent on the presence of retinal afferents during development.