Amyloid-β (25–35) increases activity of neuronal NO-synthase in rat brain

Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical with multiple functions in the nervous system. NO plays an important role in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease. The main source of NO in the brain is an enzymatic activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). The aim of the present study was to analyze the expression and activity of both neuronal (nNOS) and inducible (iNOS) isoenzymes in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of rats after intracerebroventricular administration of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide fragment Aβ(25–35). NADPHd histochemistry as well as immunohistochemistry were also used to investigate nNOS and iNOS expression in rat brain. The data presented here show that Aβ(25–35) did not influence levels of nNOS or iNOS mRNA or protein expression in both structures studied. Aβ(25–35) activated nNOS in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus without effect on iNOS activity. Aβ(25–35) decreased the number of NADPHd-expressing neurons in the neocortex, but it did not significantly influence the number NADPHd-positive cells in the hippocampus. The peptide had no effect on the number of nNOS containing cells. We hypothesize that increased synthesis of NO induced by Aβ(25–35) is related to qualitative alterations of nNOS molecule, but not to changes in NOS protein expression.