科研之友
微信
新浪微博
Facebook
分享链接
摘要
Neurons containing the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) enzyme are located in brain areas related to defensive behavior, such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vMPFC). Rats exposed to a live predator (a cat) present anxiety-like behavior and an increased number of nNOS-positive neurons in this brain area one-week later. Moreover, stress-related behavioral changes in rodents can be prevented by systemic or local vMPFC nNOS inhibition. In the present study we investigated if acute restraint stress (RS)-induced delayed (one-week) anxiogenic-like effect was associated with increased nNOS expression or activity in the vMPFC. Furthermore, we also tested if local pharmacological nNOS inhibition would prevent stress-induced behavioral changes. Male Wistar rats were submitted to RS for 3 h and tested in the elevated plus maze (EPM) 24 h or 7 days later. Two hours after the EPM test, their brains were removed, processed and nNOS expression in the vMPFC was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Another group of animals was used for measuring NO metabolites (NOx; an indirect measure of NOS activity) immediately after the EPM test, 24 h after RS. Independent groups had guide cannula implanted bilaterally into the prelimbic (PL) portion of vMPFC. Five to six days after surgery, the animals were submitted to RS and 24 h later received local administration of the nNOS inhibitor, N-propyl-L-arginine (NPLA; 0.04 nmol). They were tested in the EPM 10 min later. RS-induced anxiogenic-like effect was accompanied by increased nNOS expression in the PL (p < 0.05), but not in the infralimbic (IL) vMPFC, both 24 h and 7 days after RS. Moreover, open-arm exploration of the EPM was negatively correlated with nNOS expression (p < 0.05) and NOx levels (p < 0.05) in the PL. The anxiogenic-like effect observed 24 h after RS was prevented by NPLA (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that RS-induced anxiogenic-like effect might depend on increased nNOS-mediated signaling in the PL MPFC.
- 出版日期2016-4-21
