Nitric oxide synthesis in locust olfactory neurones (original) (raw)
Journal of Experimental Biology
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The neuronal form of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) synthesizes the messenger molecule nitric oxide (NO). In addition to NO formation, nNOS exhibits a so-called NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) activity. This study focused on the characterization of NADPH-d activity with regard to NO formation in the rat olfactory bulb. In this area of the brain pronounced staining is localized in discrete populations of neuronal somata and in olfactory glomeruli. Diaphorase staining combined with demonstration of nNOS by polyclonal antibodies revealed that NADPH-d activity of neuron somata is associated with nNOS immunoreactivity. It is concluded that neuron somata exhibit NADPH-d activity of nNOS. NADPH-d activity of nNOS did not utilize beta-NADH or alpha-NADPH. Moreover, NADPH-d activity was inhibited in the presence of alpha-NADPH. Dichlorophenolindophenol (DPIP), an artificial electron acceptor and an inhibitor of NO formation, totally suppressed NADPH-d staining of neurons, supporting the ...
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