Nitric Oxide Synthase in the Magnocellular System During Pregnancy and Lactation

PI：Summy-Long，J.IBN-9724091大脑中产生加压素(VP)和催产素(OT)激素的大细胞组成了大细胞神经内分泌系统。这些细胞还产生一氧化氮(NO)，这是一种调节神经元功能及其相互连接和细胞结构的气体。这些结构变化(称为可塑性)已知发生在妊娠晚期的催产素能神经元上，并在整个哺乳期保持不变。目前的研究表明，在护理过程中，大脑中释放的NO和OT可能是维持催产素能神经元的这些可塑性变化所必需的。在拟议的研究中，假设有更多的巨细胞细胞在哺乳期合成或产生NO，以满足对NO的日益增长的需求，以影响可塑性。目前神经科学中的方法(免疫组织化学和原位杂交)将被用来定位和计数整个大细胞系统中表达不同形式的一氧化氮合酶的细胞数量，一氧化氮合酶是产生一氧化氮的酶。具体地说，我们将确定在哺乳期间大细胞神经元中是否存在一氧化氮合酶的表达增加。这些拟议研究的结果将阐明NO在哺乳期大细胞系统可塑性调节中的作用。除了对我们了解哺乳期的神经内分泌学做出了公认的贡献外，这些研究还有可能增加我们对NO在神经系统中的作用的了解，并对学习和记忆的神经生物学以及神经退行性疾病的治疗产生影响。

PI: Summy-Long, J. IBN-9724091 Large cells in the brain that produce the hormones vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) comprise the magnocellular neuroendocrine system. These cells also make nitric oxide (NO), a gas that regulates the function of neurons and their interconnections and cellular structure. These structural changes (termed plasticity) are known to occur on oxytocinergic neurons late in pregnancy and are maintained throughout lactation. Current research indicates that NO, as well as OT, released within the brain during nursing, may be necessary to maintain these plastic changes in the oxytocinergic neuron. In the proposed research it is postulated that more magnocellular cells synthesize or produce NO during lactation to meet the increasing demand for NO to influence plasticity. Current methods in neuroscience (immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization) will be used to localize and count the number of cells throughout the magnocellular system that express different forms of NO synthase, the enzyme needed to produce NO. Specifically, we will determine if an increased expression of NO synthase occurs in magnocellular neurons during lactation. Findings from these proposed studies will clarify a role for NO in regulating plasticity of the magnocellular system during lactation. Aside from the recognized contribution to our understanding of the neuroendocrinology of lactation, these studies have the potential to increase our knowledge regarding the action of NO on the nervous system with implications for the neurobiology of learning and memory and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.