D. Mincgolomb et al., IN-VIVO EXPRESSION OF INDUCIBLE NITRIC-OXIDE SYNTHASE IN CEREBELLAR NEURONS, Journal of neurochemistry, 66(4), 1996, pp. 1504-1509
In the CNS, nitric oxide (NO) functions as both neuromodulator and neu
rotoxic agent. In vivo neuronal expression of NO synthase (NOS) has be
en attributed to constitutive NOS-both the neuronal and the endothelia
l types. The other class of NOS-the inducible NOS (iNOS)-is known to m
ediate toxic effects of NO in various tissues. In this study, we show
for the first time that direct intracerebellar injection of endotoxin
and cytokine (lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma) induced in vivo
neuronal expression of the iNOS gene, as demonstrated by fluorescent
in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical staining analyzed by con
focal laser-scanning microscopy. This raises the possibility that neur
onal iNOS might contribute significantly to the vulnerability of the b
rain to various insults.