Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase causes delayed neurotoxicity in primary mixed neuronal-glial cortical cultures

Neuropharmacology. 1994 Nov;33(11):1425-30. doi: 10.1016/0028-3908(94)90045-0.

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent biological messenger molecule in the central nervous system (CNS). There are several potential sources of NO production in the CNS, including neurons and endothelial cells which express NO synthase (NOS) constitutively. Astrocytes and microglia can be induced by cytokines to express a NOS isoform similar to macrophage NOS (mNOS). Primary mixed glial cultures exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or a combination of LPS and gamma-interferon (INF-gamma) produce nitrite, a breakdown product of NO formation, in a dose-dependent manner. Nitrite production is detectable at 12 hr, peaks at 48 hr and is sustained for at least 96 hr. The NOS inhibitor, nitro-L-arginine (NArg), inhibits nitrite formation, but the immunosuppressant agent, FK506, does not. In mixed glial-neuronal cultures exposed to 50 ng LPS or 5 ng LPS and 1 microgram INF-gamma, neurons begin to die at 48 hr, approx. 24-36 hr after detectable nitrite production. Neurotoxicity is attenuated by 100 microM NArg. These data indicate that expression of inducible mNOS causes delayed neurotoxicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / biosynthesis*
  • Animals
  • Arginine / analogs & derivatives
  • Arginine / pharmacology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cerebral Cortex / cytology
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects
  • Cerebral Cortex / enzymology*
  • Interferon-gamma / pharmacology
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Nerve Degeneration / drug effects
  • Nerve Degeneration / physiology*
  • Nervous System Diseases / chemically induced
  • Nervous System Diseases / pathology
  • Neuroglia / drug effects
  • Neuroglia / enzymology*
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / enzymology*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Nitrites / metabolism
  • Nitroarginine
  • Rats
  • Tacrolimus / pharmacology

Substances

  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Nitrites
  • Nitroarginine
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Arginine
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Amino Acid Oxidoreductases
  • Tacrolimus