Actions of nitric oxide and expression of the mRNA encoding nitric oxide synthase in rat vagal afferent neurons

Abstract

The present study has investigated whether nitric oxide (NO) is involved in neurotransmission of rat vagal afferent neurons. The diethylamine-NO complex (diethylamine-NO, 10-100 μM) and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (3-100 μM) both elicited a concentration-dependent depolarisation of the isolated rat nodose ganglion preparation. Pre-treatment with 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 300 nM), 6-(phenylamino)-5,8-quinolinedione (LY83,583, 30 μM) and Methylene blue (100 μM) all caused a significant shift to the right in the concentration-response curve to diethylamine-NO. Incubation of rat nodose ganglion sections with a 35S-labeled antisense oligonucleotide to neuronal NO synth..