Nitrergic response to Clostridium perfringens infection in the rat brain regions: effect of red light irradiation

Cent Nerv Syst Agents Med Chem. 2012 Jun;12(2):146-52. doi: 10.2174/187152412800792698.

Abstract

A single intraperitoneal injection of a gram-positive pathogen Clostridium perfringens (Cp) causes a remarkable down-regulation the constitutive nitric oxide synthase (cNOS) with a simultaneous increase in the activity of inducible NOS (iNOS) and the level of reactive nitrogen species in the rat brain major regions (cortex, striatum, hippocampus and hypothalamus) at 48 h post-administration of Cp. Treatment by both a semiconductor laser (SCL) and/or a light-emitting diode (LED) with same wavelength, energy density and time exposure (continuous wave, λ=654 nm, fluence=1.27 J/cm(2), time exposure=600 s) could modulate brain nitrergic response following Cp-infection. Besides, unlike the LED, the SCL-irradiation prevents the cNOS inhibition in all the studied brain regions and might be useful in restoring its function in neurotransmission and cerebral blood flow, along with providing a protective effect against nitrosative stress-induced iNOS-mediated injury in the brain regions.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Clostridium Infections / enzymology
  • Clostridium Infections / radiotherapy*
  • Clostridium perfringens / radiation effects*
  • Hypothalamus / enzymology
  • Hypothalamus / microbiology
  • Hypothalamus / radiation effects*
  • Lasers, Semiconductor / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Nitrergic Neurons / metabolism
  • Nitrergic Neurons / radiation effects*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / adverse effects
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / metabolism
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats
  • Reactive Nitrogen Species / biosynthesis
  • Reactive Nitrogen Species / radiation effects
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Reactive Nitrogen Species
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II