Neuronal nitric oxide synthase contributes to pentylenetetrazole-kindling-induced hippocampal neurogenesis

• PTZ kindling up-regulates nNOS expression and its enzymatic activity.
• Selective Inhibition of nNOS decreased PTZ-kindling-induced new born cells proliferation in hippocampal DG.
• Selective Inhibition of nNOS suppressed PTZ-kindling-induced new born cells survival in hippocampal DG.

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), the major nitric oxide synthase isoform in the mammalian brain, is implicated in the pathophysiology of several neurological conditions, including epilepsy. Neurogenesis in hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) persists throughout life in the adult brain. Alterations in this process occur in many neurological diseases, including epilepsy. Few studies, however, have addressed the role of nNOS in hippocampal DG neurogenesis in epileptic brain. The present study, therefore, investigated the role of nNOS in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindling-induced neurogenesis in hippocampal DG. Our results showed that nNOS expression and enzymatic activity were significantly increased in the hippocampus of PTZ-kindled mice. Meanwhile, these PTZ-kindled mice were characterized by significant enhancement of new born cells proliferation and survival in hippocampal DG, and these survived cells are co-labeled with NeuN and GFAP. Selective inhibition of nNOS by 7-NI, however, suppressed PTZ-kindling-induced hippocampal DG new born cells proliferation and survival, suggesting that nNOS contributes to PTZ-kindling-induced hippocampal neurogenesis.