P192 Nicotine-nitric oxide interactions in rat cortex, striatum and nucleus accumbens
- Alonso, J.
- Murias, A.R.
- Weruaga, E.
- Porteros, A.
- Muñoz del Rey, J.R.
- Aijón, J.
- Alonso, J.R.
ISSN: 0953-6205
Año de publicación: 2003
Volumen: 14
Páginas: S86
Tipo: Artículo
Otras publicaciones en: European Journal of Internal Medicine
Resumen
Nicotine exerts its central actions by means of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, showing sexual dimorphism. Nicotine modifies events occurring beyond the nicotinic receptor, including the regulation of nitric oxide (NO) synthases (NOS). The present study was undertaken to analyze the effects of chronic nicotine administration on NO production and neuronal NOS expression and activity within addition-related brain areas. Male and female rats were injected with nicotine (15 days/once daily; 0.4 mg/kg, SC.) or saline (controls). In one set of rats, tissue from striatum, accumbens and cortex was dissected using the micropunching technique. NO2 + NO3 levels from tissue homogenates were measured by the Griess reaction after enzymatic reduction. The other set of animals was fixed, and brain sections were labelled for NOS or NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry. Morphometric and statistical analyses were performed to determine cell densities comparison between treatment groups, sexes, and brain regions analyzed. Nicotine treatment increases NO metabolites significantly in all brain regions as compared to nai’ve or saline treated rats. By contrast, analysis of the planimetric counting of NOS/ND neurones failed to demonstrate any significant effect of the nicotine treatment. A significant decrease was observed in saline-injected female rats as compared to nai‘ve animals, suggesting a stress response. The up- regulation of nitric oxide sources others than neurones is then proposed. Supported by Plan National sobre Drogas, DGES, Fundacion Samuel Solorzano and Junta de Castilla y Leon.