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Preferential Potentiation by Nitric Oxide of Spontaneous Inhibitory Postsynaptic Currents in Rat Supraoptic Neurones
Author(s) -
Masayuki Ozaki,
Izumi Shibuya,
Kabashima,
) Noguchi,
Ueta,
Inoue Inoue,
Shigematsu,
; Yamashita
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of neuroendocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1365-2826
pISSN - 0953-8194
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2826.2000.00448.x
Subject(s) - supraoptic nucleus , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , excitatory postsynaptic potential , long term potentiation , vasopressin , chemistry , postsynaptic potential , magnocellular cell , glutamate receptor , neuroscience , nitric oxide , neurotransmission , oxytocin , medicine , endocrinology , biophysics , biology , receptor , biochemistry
Magnocellular neurones in the supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus express mRNA for nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and the expression becomes more prominent when the release of vasopressin or oxytocin is stimulated. It has also been reported that NO donors inhibit the electrical activity of supraoptic nucleus neurones, but the mechanism involved in the inhibition remains unclear. In the present study, to know whether modulation of synaptic inputs into supraoptic neurones is involved in the inhibitory effect of NO, we measured spontaneous excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs and IPSCs) from rat supraoptic nucleus neurones in slice preparations identified under a microscope using the whole‐cell mode of the slice‐patch‐clamp technique. The NO donor, S‐nitroso‐N‐acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), reversibly increased the frequency of spontaneous IPSCs mediated by GABA A receptors, without affecting the amplitude, indicating that NO potentiated IPSCs via a presynaptic mechanism. The NO scavenger, haemoglobin, suppressed the potentiation of IPSCs by SNAP. On the other hand, SNAP did not cause significant effects on EPSCs mediated by non‐NMDA glutamate receptors. The membrane permeable analogue of cGMP, 8‐bromo cGMP, caused a significant reduction in the frequency and amplitude of both IPSCs and EPSCs. The results suggest that NO preferentially potentiates the inhibitory synaptic inputs into supraoptic nucleus neurones by acting on GABA terminals in the supraoptic nucleus, possibly via a cGMP‐independent mechanism. The potentiation may, at least in part, account for the inhibitory action of NO on the neural activity of supraoptic neurones.