TITLE:
Immunohistochemical Analysis of Citrulline-Nitric Oxide Cycle Enzymes and Glutamine Synthetase in Different Regions of Brain in Epilepsy Rat Model
AUTHORS:
Mummedy Swamy, Intan Nurfirdaus Mat Zin, K. N. S. Sirajudeen, Zulkarnain Mustapha, Chandran Govindasamy
KEYWORDS:
Citrulline-Nitric Oxide Cycle Enzymes, Epilepsy, Glutamine Synthetase, Immunohistochemistry, Kainic Acid, Rat Brain
JOURNAL NAME:
Neuroscience and Medicine,
Vol.5 No.3,
June
9,
2014
ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was
to determine the immunoreactivity of neuronal and inducible nitric oxide
synthetase, argininosuccinate synthetase, argininosuccinate lyase, glutamine
synthetase in different regions of brain in rats of kainic acid mediated
epilepsy. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. The
acute group animals were sacrificed after 2 hours and the chronic group animals
were sacrificed after 5 days of a single subcutaneous injection of kainic acid
(15 mg/kg body weight). The cerebral cortex, cerebellum and brain stem slices
were fixed and immunohistostained for the above enzymes. Images were captured
and analyzed. In acute group, argininosuccinate synthetase and inducible nitric oxide
synthetase were increased in cerebral cortex and cerebellum, neuronal nitric
oxide synthetase increased in cerebral cortex and brain stem, and there was no
change in argininosuccinate lyase immunoreactivity compared to control group.
In chronic group, glutamine synthetase was decreased and all other enzymes
immunoreactivity was increased in all the brain regions tested. This study
demonstrated the up-regulation of citrul-line-nitric oxide cycle enzymes and may
contribute to enhancing recycling of citrulline to arginine to support the
increased production of nitric oxide in epilepsy. The decreased glutamine synthetase
may increase glutamate in chronic epilepsy and may lead to neurodegeneration.