ALTERED NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE AND PKC ACTIVITIES IN CEREBELLUM OF GAMMA-IRRADIATED NEONATAL RATS

MARÍA A. ZORRILLA ZUBILETE; HUGO RIOS; DAFNE MAGALI SILBERMAN; LAURA R GUELMAN; MARÍA J RICATTI; ANA M GENARO; LUIS M ZIEHER

BRAIN RESEARCH

Elsevier

Año: 2005 vol. 1051 p. 8 - 16

0006-8993

In this study, we show that one single dose of gamma-irradiation at birth induces an inhibition of the cerebellar calcium dependent nitricoxide synthase (NOS) activity, probably correlated to the motor abnormalities and the disarrangement in the cerebellar cytoarchitectureobserved in adult rats. This decrease in calcium dependent NOS activity could be associated with an increased protein kinase C (PKC)activity. PKC inhibition partially restores calcium dependent NOS activity, indicating that PKC activity could be negatively modulating thecatalytic activity of calcium dependent NOS. These findings suggest that a decrease in nitric oxide (NO) production and the related increasein PKC activity could be intracellular events that participate in the onset of motor and cerebellar abnormalities induced by postnatal gammairradiationat early stages of life.