An experimental study on the influence of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the influence of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease. Methods Hemi-Parkinsonism rat model was established by stereotaxic 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions in striatum in which nitric oxide synthase (NOS) was inhibited by L-Nitro-Arginine (L-NNA) and apomorphin-induced rotational behavior was measured. The immunohistochemical staining method was used to observe the change of striatal nNOS-positive neurons and nigral tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)-positive neurons. Results L-NNA dramatically protected 6-OHDA-injected rats against indices of severe injury to the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway, including decreases in numbers of TH-positive nigral neurons and rotational behavior. The nNOS-positive neurons showed no changes in numbers. Conclusions These results indicate that NO might mediate, in part, 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity and nNOS-positive neurons might resist the 6-OHDA neurotoxicity. NOS inhibitor may play a role in the protection of 6-OHDA neurons.