The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology

The Korean Society of Pharmacology (대한약리학회)
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Nitric Oxide (NO) Inhibites the Neuronal Activities in the Rat Nucleus Tractus Solitarius

  • Kim, Mi-Won (Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chonnam National University) ;
  • Park, Mun-Sung (Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute) ;
  • Ryu, Sun-Youl (Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute) ;
  • Jung, Ji-Yeon (Department of Oral Physiology, College of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute) ;
  • Kim, Sun-Hun (Department of Oral Physiology, College of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute) ;
  • Kim, Min-Seok (Department of Oral Physiology, College of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute) ;
  • Kim, Won-Jae (Department of Oral Physiology, College of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute) ;
  • Jeong, Yeon Jin (Department of Oral Physiology, College of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute)
  • Published : 2004.02.21
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Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) system has been implicated in a wide range of physiological functions in the nervous system. However, the role of NO in regulating the neural activity in the gustatory zone of nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) has not been established. The present study was aimed to investigate the role of NO in the gustatory NTS neurons. Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing about 50 g, were used. Whole cell patch recording and immunohistochemistry were done to determine the electrophysiological characteristics of the rostral gustatory nucleus of the tractus solitaries and distribution of NO synthases (NOS). Neuronal NOS (nNOS) immunoreactivity was strongly detected along the solitary tract extending from rostral to caudal medulla. Resting membrane potentials of NTS neurons were $-49.2{\pm}2\;mV$ and action potential amplitudes were $68.5{\pm}2\;mV$ with a mean duration measured at half amplitude of $1.7{\pm}0.3\;ms$. Input resistance, determined from the response to a 150 ms, -100 pA hyperpolarizing current pulse, was $385{\pm}15\;M{\Omega}$, Superfusion of SNAP or SNP, NO donors, produced either hyperpolarization (68%), depolarization (5%), or no effect (27%). The hyperpolarization was mostly accompanied by a decrease in input resistance. The hyperpolarization caused by SNAP or SNP increased the time to initiate the first action potential, and decreased the number of action potentials elicited by current injection. SNP or SNAP also markedly decreased the number of firing neural discharges of the spontaneous NTS neural activity under zero current. Superfusion of L-NAME, a NOS inhibitor, slightly depolarized the membrane potential and increased the firing rate of NTS neurons induced by current injection. ODQ, a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, ameliorated the SNAP-induced changes in membrane potential, input resistance and firing rates. 8-Br-cGMP, a non-degradable cell-permeable cGMP, hyperpolarized the membrane potential and decreased the number of action potentials. It is suggested that NO in the gustatory NTS has an inhibitory role on the neural activity of NTS through activating soluble guanylate cyclase.

Keywords

References

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