[Role of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the apoptosis and p-p38 MAPK signal transduction in rat neurons after spinal cord injury]

Di Yi Jun Yi Da Xue Xue Bao. 2003 Jun;23(6):578-80, 583.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

Objective: To study the role of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ASODN) of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) on the apoptosis and p-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-p38 MAPK) signal transduction of the neurons after spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: Antisense and non-sense oligodeoxynucleotides of iNOS were designed and synthesized, and injected into the subarachnoid space 12 h before the compressive injury was given to the rat spinal cord. Reverse transcription-PCR and flow-cytometry were used to examine the iNOS mRNA expression and the apoptosis of the neurons within the injured spinal cord. The changes of p-p38 MAPK signal transduction pathway were detected by Western blotting.

Results: Obvious increase in iNOS expression and up-regulated p-p38 MAPK were detected after SCI, and neuronal apoptosis was observed in the injured spinal cord. ASODN-iNOS treatment resulted in decreased expression levels of iNOS mRNA and p-p38 MAPK, and the neuronal apoptosis was alleviated.

Conclusion: ASODN-iNOS inhibits iNOS expression and neuronal apoptosis following SCI which may be related to the p-p38 MAPK signal transduction pathway.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Male
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / physiology*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurons / pathology*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / physiology*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / pharmacology*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Spinal Cord Injuries / metabolism
  • Spinal Cord Injuries / pathology*
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

Substances

  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Nos2 protein, rat
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases