Nitric oxide and carbon monoxide as possible retrograde messengers in hippocampal long-term potentiation

Cyclic nucleotide analogs as biochemical tools and prospective drugs

Cyclic AMP (cAMP) and cyclic GMP (cGMP) are key second messengers involved in a multitude of cellular events. From the wealth of synthetic analogs of cAMP and cGMP, only a few have been explored with regard to their therapeutic potential. Some of the first-generation cyclic nucleotide analogs were promising enough to be tested as drugs, for instance N(6),O(2)'-dibutyryl-cAMP and 8-chloro-cAMP (currently in clinical Phase II trials as an anticancer agent). Moreover, 8-bromo and dibutyryl analogs of cAMP and cGMP have become standard tools for investigations of biochemical and physiological signal transduction pathways. The discovery of the Rp-diastereomers of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate and guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate as competitive inhibitors of cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinases, as well as subsequent development of related analogs, has proven very useful for studying the molecular basis of signal transduction. These analogs exhibit a higher membrane permeability, increased resistance against degradation, and improved target specificity. Furthermore, better understanding of signaling pathways and ligand/protein interactions has led to new therapeutic strategies. For instance, Rp-8-bromo-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate is employed against diseases of the immune system. This review will focus mainly on recent developments in cyclic nucleotide-related biochemical and pharmacological research, but also highlights some historical findings in the field.

Heme oxygenase type 2 plays a role in formalin-induced nociception

Although much attention has been focused in recent years on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) as an enzyme intimately involved in many types of nociceptive signaling, the enzyme heme oxygenase (HO) has received little attention. Yet, HO produces gaseous second messenger molecule CO which, like NO, has proven to be an important neurotransmitter in the CNS. In these studies we provide detailed evidence that HO activity is critical to formalin-induced licking behavior in mice. The HO inhibitor tin protoporphyrin (Sn-P) dose-dependently reduced formalin-stimulated licking behavior in both phases of the formalin assay. This apparent analgesic effect was unlikely due to the non-specific effects of this agent as Sn-P did not alter rotarod performance, and the blood-brain barrier impermeant HO inhibitor zinc protoporphyrin (Zn-P) had little effect on licking times. We also hypothesized that heme oxygenase type 2 (HO-2) was the specific isoform of HO involved in nociception. Mice with a targeted disruption of the HO-2 gene were found to have greatly reduced licking times. Furthermore, Sn-P did not further reduce licking times when administered to HO-2 knockout animals. Taken together our evidence indicates that HO plays an important role in nociceptive signaling related to inflammatory-type pain, and that HO-2 is the isozyme mediating this nociception.

Roles of NMDA receptor activity and nitric oxide production in brain development

The concept that neural activity is important for brain maturation has focused much research interest on the developmental role of the NMDA receptor, a key mediator of experience-dependent synaptic plasticity. However, a mechanism able to link spatial and temporal parameters of synaptic activity during development emerged as a necessary condition to explain how axons segregate into a common brain region and make specific synapses on neuronal sub-populations. To comply with this developmental constraint, it was proposed that nitric oxide (NO), or other substances having similar chemical and biological characteristics, could act as short-lived, activity-dependent spatial signals, able to stabilize active synapses by diffusing through a local volume of tissue. The present article addresses this issue, by reviewing the experimental evidence for a correlated role of the activity of the NMDA receptor and the production of NO in key steps of neural development. Evidence for such a functional coupling emerges not only concerning synaptogenesis and formation of neural maps, for which it was originally proposed, but also for some earlier phases of neurogenesis, such as neural cell proliferation and migration. Regarding synaptogenesis and neural map formation in some cases, there is so far no conclusive experimental evidence for a coupled functional role of NMDA receptor activation and NO production. Some technical problems related to the use of inhibitors of NO formation and of gene knockout animals are discussed. It is also suggested that other substances, known to act as spatial signals in adult synaptic plasticity, could have a role in developmental plasticity. Concerning the crucial developmental phase of neuronal survival or elimination through programmed cell death, the well-documented survival role related to NMDA receptor activation also starts to find evidence for a concomitant requirement of downstream NO production. On the basis of the reviewed literature, some of the major controversial issues are addressed and, in some cases, suggestions for possible future experiments are proposed.

Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction: molecular components and mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity

Understanding the mechanisms that mediate synaptic plasticity is a primary goal of molecular neuroscience. The Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction provides a particularly useful model for investigating the roles of synaptic components in both structural and functional plasticity. The powerful molecular genetics of this system makes it possible to uncover new synaptic components and signaling molecules, as well as their function in the intact organism. Together with the mouse hippocampus and Aplysia dissociated cell culture, the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction has been among the most valuable model systems for examining the molecular and cellular basis of neuronal plasticity.

Nitric oxide and carbon monoxide modulate oscillations of olfactory interneurons in a terrestrial mollusk

Spontaneous or odor-induced oscillations in local field potential are a general feature of olfactory processing centers in a large number of vertebrate and invertebrate species. The ubiquity of such oscillations in the olfactory bulb of vertebrates and analogous structures in arthropods and mollusks suggests that oscillations are fundamental to the computations performed during processing of odor stimuli. Diffusible intercellular messengers such as nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) also are associated with central olfactory structures in a wide array of species. We use the procerebral (PC) lobe of the terrestrial mollusk Limax maximus to demonstrate a role for NO and CO in the oscillatory dynamics of the PC lobe: synthesizing enzymes for NO and CO are associated with the PC lobes of Limax, application of NO to the Limax PC lobe increases the local field potential oscillation frequency, whereas block of NO synthesis slows or stops the oscillation, the bursting cells of the PC lobe that drive the field potential oscillation are driven to higher burst frequency by application of NO, the nonbursting cells of the PC lobe receive trains of inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, presumably from bursting cells, due to application of NO, and application of CO to the PC lobe by photolysis of caged CO results in an increase in oscillation frequency proportional to CO dosage.

Final common pathways in neurodegenerative diseases: regulatory role of the glutathione cycle

Attempts to unify diverse mechanisms of neurotoxicity have led to the concept of final common pathways which characterize frequently occurring cellular responses to disruption of homeostasis. The clinical presentation and common patho-biochemistry of reactive oxygen intermediates of Guam's disease have suggested that such pathways may be operative in three major neurodegenerative disorders: Alzheimer's dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. A candidate-signaling pathway in this regard is characterized by the cascade arachidonic acid/HPETE/*OH/cGMP followed by activation of cGMP-dependent kinase and phosphorylation of NF-kB proteins and possibly CREB. This sequence may lead to apoptosis as well as long-term potentiation and memory and constitutes a biochemical correlate to excitotoxicity. The predominant control of *OH release from HPETE, a checkpoint in this pathway, is exerted by the glutathione cycle, a central biochemical process that is also intimately associated with the synthesis of the neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA and is connected to energy metabolism. Modifications in the activity of the glutathione cycle may provide treatment options.

Ontogeny of nitric oxide synthase I and III protein expression and enzymatic activity in the guinea pig hippocampus

60. NOS enzymatic activity increased throughout prenatal and postnatal life, and attained highest activity in the adult. The developmental profile of NOS III protein expression was similar to that for NOS enzymatic activity. There was differential expression of NOS I protein, which was low in the GD 50 fetus and increased rapidly during fetal development to attain adult level by GD 62. These data suggest that the guinea pig is a reliable animal model in which to investigate the roles of NO in normal hippocampal development and in mediating neuronal injury in this brain region.

Nitric oxide acts as a postsynaptic signaling molecule in calcium/calmodulin-induced synaptic potentiation in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons

Postsynaptic injection of Ca(2+)/calmodulin (Ca(2+)/CaM) into hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons induces synaptic potentiation, which can occlude tetanus-induced potentiation (Wang and Kelly, 1995). Because Ca(2+)/CaM activates the major forms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) to produce nitric oxide (NO), NO may play a role during Ca(2+)/CaM-induced potentiation. Here we show that extracellular application of the NOS inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or postsynaptic co-injection of L-NAME with Ca(2+)/CaM blocked Ca(2+)/CaM-induced synaptic potentiation. Thus, NO is necessary for Ca(2+)/CaM-induced synaptic potentiation. In contrast, extracellular perfusion of membrane-impermeable NO scavengers N-methyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate/ferrous sulfate mixture (MGD-Fe) or 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5, 5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (carboxy-PTIO) did not attenuate Ca(2+)/CaM-induced synaptic potentiation, even though MGD-Fe or carboxy-PTIO blocked tetanus-induced synaptic potentiation. This result indicates that NO is not a retrograde messenger in Ca(2+)/CaM-induced synaptic potentiation. However, postsynaptic co-injection of carboxy-PTIO with Ca(2+)/CaM blocked Ca(2+)/CaM-induced potentiation. Postsynaptic injection of carboxy-PTIO alone blocked tetanus-induced synaptic potentiation without affecting basal synaptic transmission. Our results suggest that NO works as a postsynaptic (intracellular) messenger during Ca(2+)/CaM-induced synaptic potentiation.

Phosphorylation of proteins in chick ciliary ganglion under conditions that induce long-lasting changes in synaptic transmission: phosphoprotein targets for nitric oxide action

Production of nitric oxide and the activation of protein kinases are required for long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission at the giant synapses in chicken ciliary ganglion. In the present study, we investigated the ability of nitric oxide to regulate the phosphorylation of endogenous proteins under conditions that induced long-term potentiation in intact ciliary ganglion and the protein kinases responsible for the phosphorylation of these proteins in lysed ciliary ganglion. Using Calcium Green-1 we showed that the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside did not change the intraterminal Ca2+ dynamics in ciliary ganglion. Two dimensional phosphopeptide analysis of 32Pi-labelled intact ciliary ganglion showed that the sodium nitroprusside (300 microM) increased the phosphorylation of several phosphopeptides (P50a, P50b and P41) derived from proteins at 50,000 and 41,000 mol. wts which we have called nitric oxide-responsive phosphoproteins. A similar stimulation of phosphorylation was achieved by 8-bromo-cyclic AMP (100 microM), which also induced long-term potentiation, but not by phorbol dibutyrate (2 microM) that does not induce long-term potentiation in ciliary ganglion. When subcellular fractions from lysed ciliary ganglion were labelled in vitro by [gamma-32P]ATP in the presence of purified cGMP-dependent, cAMP-dependent or Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinases, we identified cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase substrates that gave rise to phosphopeptides co-migrating with P50a, P50b and P41 from 32Pi-labelled intact ciliary ganglion. P50a and P41 were derived from soluble proteins while P50b was derived from a membrane-associated protein. The proteins giving rise to P50a, P50b and P41 were also substrates for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, but not for calcium and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase in vitro, suggesting that nitric oxide-responsive phosphoproteins are convergence points in information processing in vivo and their phosphorylation might represent an important mechanism in nitric oxide-mediated synaptic plasticity in ciliary ganglion.

The role of nitric oxide in development of the patch-cluster system and retinocollicular pathways in the rodent superior colliculus

Nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated as a retrograde signal in the process of refining axonal pathways during brain development. To determine some of the factors involved in this process, we have used two model pathway systems in the rat and mouse superior colliculus (SC). The first, the patch-cluster system, consists of clusters of neurons in the intermediate gray layer (igl) which transiently express NO during development and which receive input from a cholinergic pathway from the parabrachial brainstem as well as from other pathways containing different transmitters. The second system, the retinocollicular pathway, consists of glutamatergic fibers that project to the superficial gray layer. We have used both nitric oxide synthase inhibition (nw-nitro-L-arginine, NoArg) and single (nNOS) and double (nNOS and eNOS) gene knockout mice to examine the effect that reduction in NOS has upon the development of these two systems. The onset of NOS expression in rat, as revealed by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) labeling, occurred in igl cells as early as postnatal day P5, with clusters being well-established by P14. Cholinergic fibers were first visible at P10 and formed obvious patches and tiers by P14. Intraperitoneal injections of NoArg from P1-P22 had no effect upon the development of these cholinergic patches. The pathway also developed normally in both single and double-knockout mice. In contrast, the ipsilateral retinocollicular pathway was altered in the double, but not in the single knockout mouse. This pathway is exuberant during the first week of life, being distributed across much of the mediolateral axis of the rostral SC. By P8-P15, this pathway has retracted to the most mediorostral SC. This refinement was delayed substantially in the double NOS gene knockout mouse. Ipsilateral fibers were found within 3-5 separate medio-lateral patches within the rostral 600 microns of SC at P15, and patches of abnormal size and extent were also seen at P18. We conclude from these results that NO plays a role in pathway development in the rodent SC, but only in glutamatergic pathways and only when both endothelial and neuronal forms of NOS have been deleted. The mechanism of this effect must involve pathway elimination in situations where there is non-correlated electrical activity. It is likely that NO promotes fiber retraction rather than fiber stabilization in these developing nerve fibers.

Neurochemistry and pharmacology of the major hippocampal transmitter systems: synaptic and nonsynaptic interactions

Hippocampus plays a crucial role in important brain functions (e.g. memory, learning) thus in the past two decades this brain region became a major objective of neuroscience research. During this period large number of anatomical, neurochemical and electrophysiological data have been accumulated. While excellent reviews have been published on the anatomy and electrophysiology of hippocampal formation, the neurochemistry of this area has not been thoroughly surveyed. Therefore the aim of this review is to summarize the neurochemical and pharmacological data on the release of the major neurotransmitters found in the hippocampal region: glutamate (GLU), gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), acetylcholine (ACh), noradrenaline (NA) and serotonin (5-HT). In addition, this review analyzes the synaptic and nonsynaptic interactions between hippocampal neuronal elements and overviews how auto- and heteroreceptors are involved in the presynaptic modulation of transmitter release. The presented data clearly show that transmitters released from axon terminals without synaptic contact play an important role in the fine tuning of communication between neurons within a neuronal circuit.

Expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase during embryonic development of the rat cerebral cortex

The expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) during the development of the rat cerebral cortex from embryonic day (E) 13 to postnatal day (P) 0 was analyzed by immunocytochemical procedures using a specific antibody against rat brain nNOS. Expression of nNOS was first seen on E14 in cells of Cajal-Retzius morphology located in the marginal zone. Neuronal NOS immunoreactivity persisted in this layer throughout the embryonic period and only began to decrease on E20, when neuronal migration is coming to an end. From E17 onwards, migrating neurons expressing nNOS were observed in the intermediate zone with their leading processes directed towards the cortical plate. At the same time, efferent nNOS-immunoreactive axons originating from cortical plate cells entered the intermediate zone. From E19 onwards, cells expressing nNOS and with the morphological characteristics of migrating cells were observed in and near the subventricular zone. Confocal analysis of double immunostaining for nNOS and glial fibrillary acidic protein or nestin showed no coexpression of nNOS and glial markers in these cells, suggesting that nNOS-positive cells leaving the subventricular zone were not glial cells. Commissural, callosal and fimbrial fibers were seen to express nNOS on E18 and E19. This expression decreased from E20 and was very weak on E21 and P0. The observations suggest that nitric oxide is synthesized during embryonic life in relation to maturational processes such as the organization of cerebral lamination, and is involved in controlling migrational processes and fiber ingrowth.

A delayed role for nitric oxide-sensitive guanylate cyclases in a migratory population of embryonic neurons

Neuronal differentiation requires a coordinated intracellular response to diverse extracellular stimuli, but the role of specific signaling mechanisms in regulating this process is still poorly understood. Soluble guanylate cyclases (sGCs), which can be stimulated by diffusible free radical gasses such as nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) to produce the intracellular messenger cGMP, have recently been found to be expressed within a variety of embryonic neurons and implicated in the control of both neuronal motility and differentiation. Using the enteric nervous system (ENS) of the moth, Manduca sexta, we examined the role of NO and NO-sensitive sGCs during the migration and differentiation of an identified set of migratory neurons (the EP cells). Shortly after the onset of their migration, a subset of EP cells began to express NO-sensitive sGC activity (visualized with an anti-cGMP antiserum). Unlike many neurons in the central nervous system, the expression of sGC activity in the EP cells was not transient but persisted throughout subsequent periods of axon elongation and terminal branch formation on the gut musculature. In contrast, nitric oxide synthase activity (visualized using NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry) was undetectable in the vicinity of the EP cells until the period of synapse formation. Manipulations designed to alter sGC and NOS activity in an in vivo embryonic culture preparation had no discernible effect on either the migration or axonal outgrowth of the EP cells. In contrast, inhibition of both of these enzymes resulted in a significant reduction in terminal synaptic branch formation within the postmigratory neurons. These results indicate that while NO-sensitive sGC activity is expressed precociously within the EP cells during their initial migratory dispersal, a role for this signaling pathway can only be demonstrated well after migration is complete, coincident with the formation of mature synaptic connections.

Real-time patch-cram detection of intracellular cGMP reveals long-term suppression of responses to NO and muscarinic agonists

Cyclic GMP (cGMP) is a crucial intracellular messenger in neuronal, muscle, and endocrine cells. The intracellular concentration of cGMP is regulated by various neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine (ACh) and nitric oxide (NO). While much is known about the biochemical steps leading to cGMP synthesis, little is known about cGMP kinetics in intact cells. Here, we use "patch-cramming," in which an excised, inside-out membrane patch containing cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels is used as a biosensor, to obtain the first real-time measurements of cGMP in intact cells. Patch-cramming experiments on neuroblastoma cells show that both muscarinic agonists and NO rapidly elevate cGMP. NO elicits cGMP responses repeatedly without decrement, whereas responses to muscarinic agonists exhibit a profound and prolonged desensitization. Remarkably, muscarinic agonists also cause long-term (>30 min) suppression (LTS) of cGMP responses elicited by NO. Biochemical measurements reveal that rat sympathetic neurons also exhibit LTS of cGMP, suggesting that LTS is a widespread mechanism that may contribute to synaptic plasticity.

Influence of carbon monoxide, and its interaction with nitric oxide, on the adrenocorticotropin hormone response of the normal rat to a physico-emotional stress

We determined whether the gas carbon monoxide (CO) altered the adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) response to mild inescapable electrofootshocks, and whether it interacted with nitric oxide (NO). Peripheral injection of the NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor Nwnitro-L-arginine-methylester (L-NAME), a compound which readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, produced the expected blunting of the ACTH response to the shocks. This effect was mimicked by other arginine analogues such as L-nitroarginine (L-NNA) and NG-methyl-L-arginine (NMMA). The subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of the heme oxygenase (HO) blockers tin mesoporphyrin (SnMP) or tin protoporphyrin (SnPP) significantly decreased brain HO levels, indicating that both compounds had penetrated the brain. Blood pressure showed a modest increase in response to SnMP, and no change after SnPP. SnMP and SnPP both decreased shock-induced ACTH release, though the magnitude of this effect was slightly less than that of L-NAME. The influence of SnPP was further augmented in rats with concomitant blockade of NO formation, which suggests that both NO and CO are necessary for the full response of this axis to electrofootshocks. Finally, the ability of SnPP to significantly blunt the expression of the mRNA for the immediate early gene NGFI-B in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of rats exposed to shocks, indicates that the influence of CO was exerted on hypothalamic neuronal activity. Collectively, our results show that NO and CO exert a stimulatory effect on the HPA axis response to mild electrofootshocks, and that at least part of this influence takes place on hypothalamic neurons and/or their afferents.

Metamorphic control of cyclic guanosine monophosphate expression in the nervous system of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

During metamorphosis of Manduca sexta, defined sets of neurons show a dramatic accumulation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Although many of these cells show low but detectable levels of cGMP during specific developmental windows, these levels are enhanced dramatically during dissection of the central nervous system (CNS). The ability of these neurons to show this induced cGMP expression depends on the developmental stage. Larvae do not show this capacity but it appears during the transition from the larval to the pupal stage. There are two different classes of response: the early expressing neurons start to show a cGMP response at the beginning of the prepupal stage while the late expressing cGMP neurons start at different times during the pupal-adult transition. The former set includes larval neurons that will likely be remodeled during metamorphosis, and a number of them are serotonergic. The late-expressing group also includes some larval cells, but most are adult-specific neurons. At least for one adult-specific cluster, the antennal lobe neurons, the cGMP expression parallels the maturation phase of these cells.

Developing grasshopper neurons show variable levels of guanylyl cyclase activity on arrival at their targets

The ability of certain grasshopper neurons to respond to exogenously applied donors of nitric oxide (NO) by producing cyclic GMP (cGMP) depends on their developmental state. ODQ, a selective blocker of NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase, blocks cGMP production at 10(-5) M, thus confirming the nature of the response. Experiments in which the distal axon is separated from its proximal stump before application of an NO donor show that guanylyl cyclase is distributed uniformly throughout the neuron. In the locust abdomen, where segments are formed sequentially, the pattern of guanylyl cyclase up-regulation is predictable and sequential from anterior to posterior. There are two patterns of innervation by cGMP-expressing motor neurons. In the first, typified by muscle 187, an innervating neuron begins to be NO responsive on arrival at its muscle and continues to be so over most of the remainder of embryonic development, including the formation of motor end plates. In the second, typified by a neuron innervating muscle 191, the neuron extends well along the muscle, apparently laying down a number of sites of contact with it, before it becomes NO responsive. In both patterns, however, NO responsiveness marks the neuron's transition from growth cone elongation to the production of lateral branches. Individual muscles receive innervation from multiple motor neurons, some of which express transient NO sensitivity during development and others which do not. With the exception of the leg motor neuron SETi, the first motor neuron to reach any muscle is usually not NO responsive. We suggest that cGMP plays a role in, or reflects, the early stages of communication between a target and specific innervating neurons.

Developmental expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HSP32) in rat brain: an immunocytochemical study

Heme oxygenase (HO) is a microsomal enzyme that oxidatively cleaves heme molecules to produce bile pigments, iron and carbon monoxide. In normal adult rat brain, HO-2 is the most abundant isozyme whereas HO-1 is present at very low levels except in select cell populations. Because its promoter region has NF-kB and AP-1 sites, heat-shock and heme-responsive elements, the HO-1 isozyme can be induced by a variety of stimuli. Since the expression and activity of several transcription factors such as NF-kB, Fos/Jun, and CREB show specific changes during development, we postulated that HO-1 expression may show similar developmental regulation. Using immunocytochemistry and Western blotting, this study demonstrates the development changes of HO-1 protein expression in normal brain from rats at postnatal day 7 (P7), P14, P21, and adult. Brain HO-1 immunoreactivity was highest at P7 in most brain regions including the white matter in areas of myelinogenesis, cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and hypothalamus and, in the blood vessel endothelial cells throughout the brain. In most regions, the adult pattern was reached by P21 with HO-1 protein localized almost exclusively to the dentate regions of hippocampus, some thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei, with little or no staining of endothelium, white matter and cortex. In a few select areas such as the substantia nigra, globus pallidus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus and the lateral preoptic nuclei area, little or no cellular HO-1 staining was observed at P7 whereas increased staining was found with maturation and adulthood. These results show that HO-1 protein expression is regulated in different cell types of specific regions of the rat brain during development.

Postsynaptic PKA controls quantal size and reveals a retrograde signal that regulates presynaptic transmitter release in Drosophila

Two distinct mechanisms regulate synaptic efficacy at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ): a PKA-dependent modulation of quantal size and a retrograde regulation of presynaptic release. Postsynaptic expression of a constitutively active PKA catalytic subunit decreases quantal size, whereas overexpression of a mutant PKA regulatory subunit (inhibiting PKA activity) increases quantal size. Increased PKA activity also decreases the response to direct iontophoresis of glutamate onto postsynaptic receptors. The PKA-dependent modulation of quantal size requires the presence of the muscle-specific glutamate receptor DGluRIIA, since PKA-dependent modulation of quantal size is lost in homozygous viable DGluRIIA- mutants. Furthermore, elevated postsynaptic PKA reduces the quantal amplitude and the time constant of miniature excitatory junctional potential (mEJP) decay to values that are nearly identical to those observed in DGluRIIA mutants. The PKA-dependent reduction in quantal size is accompanied developmentally by an increase in presynaptic quantal content, indicating the presence of a retrograde signal that regulates presynaptic release.

Genetic analysis of synaptic development and plasticity: homeostatic regulation of synaptic efficacy

When experimentally challenged with perturbations in synaptic structure and function, neurons have the remarkable ability to regulate their synaptic efficacy back to the normal range. Recent genetic analysis has provided insights into the mechanisms controlling this form of synaptic homeostasis, with implications for our understanding of synaptic development and plasticity.

Retrograde signaling in the development and modification of synapses

Retrograde signaling from the postsynaptic cell to the presynaptic neuron is essential for the development, maintenance, and activity-dependent modification of synaptic connections. This review covers various forms of retrograde interactions at developing and mature synapses. First, we discuss evidence for early retrograde inductive events during synaptogenesis and how maturation of presynaptic structure and function is affected by signals from the postsynaptic cell. Second, we review the evidence that retrograde interactions are involved in activity-dependent synapse competition and elimination in developing nervous systems and in long-term potentiation and depression at mature synapses. Third, we review evidence for various forms of retrograde signaling via membrane-permeant factors, secreted factors, and membrane-bound factors. Finally, we discuss the evidence and physiological implications of the long-range propagation of retrograde signals to the cell body and other parts of the presynaptic neuron.

Influence of long-term hyper-gravity on the reactivity of succinic acid dehydrogenase and NADPH-diaphorase in the central nervous system of fish: a histochemical study

In the course of a densitometric evaluation, the histochemically demonstrated reactivity of succinic acid dehydrogenase (SDH) and of NADPH-diaphorase (NADPHD) was determined in different brain nuclei of two teleost fish (cichlid fish Oreochromis mossambicus, swordtail fish Xiphophorus helleri), which had been kept under 3g hyper-gravity for 8 days. SDH was chosen since it is a rate limiting enzyme of the Krebs cycle and therefore it is regarded as a marker for metabolic and neuronal activity. NADPHD reactivity reflects the activity of nitric oxide synthase. Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous intercellular messenger that has been suggested to play a major role in several different in vivo models of neuronal plasticity including learning. Within particular vestibulum-connected brain centers, significant effects of hyper-gravity were obtained, e.g., in the magnocellular nucleus, a primary vestibular relay ganglion of the brain stem octavolateralis area, in the superior rectus subdivision of the oculomotoric nucleus and within cerebellar eurydendroid cells, which in teleosts possibly resemble the deep cerebellar nucleus of higher vertebrates. Non-vestibulum related nuclei did not respond to hyper-gravity in a significant way. The effect of hyper-gravity found was much less distinct in adult animals as compared to the circumstances seen in larval fish (Anken et al., Adv. Space Res. 17, 1996), possibly due to a development correlated loss of neuronal plasticity.

New physiological importance of two classic residual products: carbon monoxide and bilirubin

Heme oxygenase the rate-limiting step in the degradation of heme to bilirubin, generates carbon monoxide. This gaseous molecule plays important roles in neuronal signaling and modulation of vascular tone. Additionally, carbon monoxide is involved in some pathological conditions (e.g., ischemia, endotoxic shock, excitotoxicity) as a protective or toxic factor. Bilirubin, another heme metabolite, exhibits intriguing biological activities as an antioxidant, an antimutagen, and an anti-complement agent. Vital functions and the dual nature displayed by these two heme metabolites are discussed.

Carbon monoxide formation in the guinea pig hippocampus: ontogeny and effect of in vitro ethanol exposure

Carbon monoxide (CO) is considered to be a novel neuronal messenger in the brain, similar to nitric oxide. The ontogeny of CO formation in transverse hippocampal slices of the guinea pig was elucidated at selected prenatal and postnatal ages, and the effect of in vitro ethanol exposure on hippocampal CO formation was determined. There was a higher rate of hippocampal CO formation in the fetus at gestational day (GD) 50 and GD 62 (term, about GD 68) compared with the adult. In vitro ethanol exposure (50 and 100 mM) decreased hippocampal CO formation in the GD 62 fetus, which was prevented by incubation with 500 microM L-glutamate.

Nitric oxide, the enigmatic neuronal messenger: its role in synaptic plasticity

The discovery of the intercellular messenger nitric oxide (NO) stimulated new concepts of how synaptic plasticity could be induced in the nervous system. While initial reports found evidence that NO is of importance for the formation of long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission (LTP) and spatial learning in rats, later reports failed to confirm these results. Novel approaches such as deletion of the gene that encodes NO synthase in mice showed that the neuronal and the endothelial isoforms are expressed in neurones. Deletion of both isoforms reduced the inducibility of LTP. Furthermore, novel selective inhibitors of NO synthase impaired spatial learning. These results support the hypothesis that NO plays an important role in synaptic transmission and explain some but not all previously contradictory results.

Regulation of cyclic GMP levels in the rat frontal cortex in vivo: effects of exogenous carbon monoxide and phosphodiesterase inhibition

A microdialysis method combined with a sensitive radioimmunoassay was used to monitor cGMP release in the frontal cortex of the anesthetized rats in vivo. We assessed the relative contribution of endogenous nitric oxide (NO), and effects of exogenous carbon monoxide (CO) and phosphodiesterase activity, as possible regulators of cortical CGMP levels. Perfusion with CO-saturated aCSF (approximately 1 mM CO) failed to significantly stimulate cortical cGMP levels. For comparison, cerebellar cGMP levels increased by 2-fold during CO stimulation, followed by a prolonged response that was fully reversible with the NO synthase inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Cortical perfusion with zinc protopophyrin-IX (100 microM), a widely used inhibitor of the CO-generating enzyme heme oxygenase, suppressed cGMP levels by 50%, a response that spontaneously recovered in spite of the continuous presence of the metalloporphyrin. Perfusion with isobutylmethyl xanthine IBMX (1 mM) resulted in 5-fold increase in cortical cGMP levels, as compared to basal levels without IBMX. In the presence of IBMX, L-NAME suppressed basal cortical cGMP levels by 70% indicating that NO synthase activity generates the bulk of cGMP in this brain region, as previously shown for basal cGMP production in the hippocampus and the cerebellum. These data also emphasize a crucial role for phosphodiesterase activity in the maintenance of cGMP levels in vivo in the frontal cortex. The relatively weak responses to exogenous CO lend little support for a role of this gas in regulating basal cortical cGMP levels in vivo.

Heme oxygenase activity and acute and chronic ethanol exposure in the hippocampus, frontal cerebral cortex, and cerebellum of the near-term fetal guinea pig

Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes the oxidation of heme to produce carbon monoxide, which is considered to be a novel neuronal messenger in the brain and may play a role in neuronal development. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of in vitro, acute in vivo, and chronic in vivo ethanol exposure on HO activity in the hippocampus, frontal cerebral cortex, and cerebellum of the near-term fetal guinea pig. HO activity was determined using a gas chromatographic method to quantitate CO formation in the microsomal fraction of the homogenate of each selected brain region, incubated with saturating concentrations of heme, NADPH, and O2. Fetal body, brain, hippocampal, and cerebellar weights were recorded. In vitro ethanol exposure (25-100 mM) did not affect hippocampal, cerebral cortical, or cerebellar HO activity of the fetal guinea pig at gestational day (GD) 62 (term, about GD 68). Acute maternal oral administration of 4 g ethanol/kg maternal body weight at GD 62 did not affect HO activity in these three fetal brain areas compared with control fetuses (maternal administration of isocaloric sucrose or water). For chronic daily maternal oral administration of 4 g ethanol/kg maternal body weight throughout gestation, fetal body, brain, hippocampal, and cerebellar weights were decreased at GD 62 compared with isocaloric-sucrose/pair-fed and water treatment control groups. Furthermore, isocaloric-sucrose/pair-feeding treatment decreased fetal body and brain weights compared with water treatment. Chronic in vivo ethanol exposure did not alter HO activity in the near-term fetal hippocampus, frontal cerebral cortex, or cerebellum. This is the first study of the effect of ethanol exposure on HO activity in the developing brain of any species. The data demonstrate, for ethanol CNS teratogenesis in the guinea pig manifesting as fetal brain growth restriction, there is no associated change in HO activity in the hippocampus, frontal cerebral cortex, or cerebellum.

The heme oxygenase system: a regulator of second messenger gases

The heme oxygenase (HO) system consists of two forms identified to date: the oxidative stress-inducible protein HO-1 (HSP32) and the constitutive isozyme HO-2. These proteins, which are different gene products, have little in common in primary structure, regulation, or tissue distribution. Both, however, catalyze oxidation of heme to biologically active molecules: iron, a gene regulator; biliverdin, an antioxidant; and carbon monoxide, a heme ligand. Finding the impressive heme-degrading activity of brain led to the suggestion that "HO in brain has functions aside from heme degradation" and to subsequent exploration of carbon monoxide as a promising and potentially significant messenger molecule. There is much parallelism between the biological actions and functions of the CO- and NO-generating systems; and their regulation is intimately linked. This review highlights the current information on molecular and biochemical properties of HO-1 and HO-2 and addresses the possible mechanisms for mutual regulatory interactions between the CO- and NO-generating systems.

Nitric oxide-sensitive guanylate cyclase activity is associated with the maturational phase of neuronal development in insects

Many developing insect neurones pass through a phase when they respond to nitric oxide (NO) by producing cyclic GMP. Studies on identified grasshopper motoneurones show that this NO sensitivity appears after the growth cone has arrived at its target but before it has started to send out branches. NO sensitivity typically ends as synaptogenesis is nearing completion. Data from interneurones and sensory neurones are also consistent with the hypothesis that NO sensitivity appears as a developing neurone changes from axonal outgrowth to maturation and synaptogenesis. Cyclic GMP likely constitutes part of a retrograde signalling pathway between a neurone and its synaptic partner. NO sensitivity also appears in some mature neurones at times when they may be undergoing synaptic rearrangement. Comparative studies on other insects indicate that the association between an NO-sensitive guanylate cyclase and synaptogenesis is an ancient one, as evidenced by its presence in both ancient and more recently evolved insect groups.

Rat hippocampal neurons express genes for both rod retinal and olfactory cyclic nucleotide-gated channels: novel targets for cAMP/cGMP function

Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels are Ca(2+)-permeable, nonspecific cation channels that can be activated through direct interaction with cAMP and/or cGMP. Recent electrophysiological evidence for these channels in cultured hippocampal neurons prompted us to investigate the expression of CNG channel genes in hippocampus. PCR amplification detected the expression of transcripts for subunit 1 of both the rod photoreceptor (RCNGC1) and the olfactory receptor cell (OCNGC1) subtype of CNG channel in adult rat hippocampus. In situ hybridization detected expression of both channel subtypes in most principal neurons, including pyramidal cells of the CA1 through CA3 regions and granule cells of the dentate gyrus. From the hybridization patterns, we conclude that the two genes are colocalized in individual neurons. Comparison of the patterns of expression of type 1 cGMP-dependent protein kinase and the CNG channels suggests that hippocampal neurons can respond to changes in cGMP levels with both rapid changes in CNG channel activity and slower changes induced by phosphorylation. Future models of hippocampal function should include CNG channels and their effects on both electrical responses and intracellular Ca2+ levels.

Nitric oxide but not carbon monoxide is involved in spatial learning of mice

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the role of carbon monoxide (CO) in learning and to compare it with that of nitric oxide (NO). Effects of an inhibitor of heme oxygenase which produces CO, Zn-protoporphyrin IX, on passive avoidance learning and spatial learning in mice were examined using step through, step down and water maze tests. Zn-protoporphyrin IX (10, 20 nmol, i.c.v.) affected neither type of learning. In contrast, N-omega-nitro-L-arginine (40 nmol, i.c.v.), an inhibitor of NO synthase, impaired spatial learning, but not passive avoidance learning. These results suggest that NO but not CO is involved in spatial learning.

Transient induction of heme oxygenase after cortical stab wound injury

Heme oxygenase (HO) exists as two isoenzymes designated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2). HO-1 has been identified as a heat shock or stress protein and is inducible whereas HO-2 is largely refractory to induction. HO-2 is the predominant isoenzyme in normal brain and appears to have a predominantly neuronal distribution in cerebral cortex. Cortical stab wound injury resulted in HO-1 induction as determined by Western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical analysis suggested that induced HO-1 was largely restricted to reactive astrocytes and macrophage-like cells. Enhanced HO-1 immunoreactivity was observed in hypertrophied, GFAP+ reactive astrocytes near the wound margin as early as 12 h after injury. Very rarely were HO-1+ neurons observed and then only up to 6 h after stabbing. Maximal numbers of HO-1+ astrocytes were found 3 days after stabbing. Their numbers declined thereafter. By 5 days after stab injury few HO-1+ reactive astrocytes were observed although GFAP+ reactive astrocytes were still prominent near the wound margin. HO-1+ macrophage-like cells were initially observed between 1 and 3 days after injury and they persisted in the margin of the wound for at least 14 days. The proximity of HO-1+ cells to the wound margin suggests that factors associated with injury contribute to the regulation of HO-1 in injured cortex.

Oscillations and gaseous oxides in invertebrate olfaction

Olfactory systems combine an extraordinary molecular sensitivity with robust synaptic plasticity. Central neuronal circuits that perform pattern recognition in olfaction typically discriminate between hundreds of molecular species and form associations between odor onsets and behavioral contingencies that can last a lifetime. Two design features in the olfactory system of the terrestrial mollusk Limax maximus may be common elements of olfactory systems that display the twin features of broad molecular sensitivity and rapid odor learning: spatially coherent oscillations in the second-order circuitry that receives sensory input; and involvement of the interneuronal messengers nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) in sensory responses and circuit dynamics of the oscillating olfactory network. The principal odor processing center in Limax, the procerebrum (PC) of the cerebral ganglion, contains on the order of 10(5) local interneurons and receives both direct and processed input from olfactory receptors. Field potential recordings in the PC show an oscillation at approximately 0.7 Hz that is altered by odor input. Optical recordings of voltage changes in local regions of the PC show waves of depolarization that originate at the distal pole and propagate to the base of the PC. Weak odor stimulation transiently switches PC activity from a propagating mode to a spatially uniform mode. The field potential oscillation in the PC lobe depends on intercellular communication via NO, based on opposing effects of reagents that decrease or increase NO levels in the PC. Inhibition of NO synthase slows the field potential oscillation, while application of exogenous NO increases the oscillation frequency. A role for CO in PC dynamics is suggested by experiments in which CO liberation increases the PC oscillation frequency. These design features of the Limax PC lobe odor processing circuitry may relate to synaptic plasticity that subserves both connection of new receptors throughout the life of the slug and its highly developed odor learning ability.

NADPH-diaphorase reactivity in the Mauthner cells of the swordtail fish, Xiphophorus helleri

The presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPHDH) in fixed tissue was histochemically demonstrated in the Mauthner cells of the teleost fish Xiphophorus helleri. This is the first detection of the enzyme in these giant neurons (which are restricted to fishes and amphibians) of a gnathostomate vertebrate. NADPHDH reactivity in fixed tissue is thought to reflect the activity of nitric oxide synthase. Thus, nitric oxide, a gaseous intercellular messenger, is probably synthesized in the Mauthner cells.

Nitric oxide acts as a retrograde messenger during long-term potentiation in cultured hippocampal neurons

We examined long-term potentiation (LTP) at synapses between hippocampal neurons in dissociated cell culture following presynaptic, postsynaptic, or extracellular application of a nitric oxide (NO) scavenger, an inhibitor of NO synthase, and a membrane-impermeant NO donor that releases NO only upon photolysis with UV light. Our results indicate that NO is produced in the postsynaptic neuron, travels through the extracellular space, and acts directly in the presynaptic neuron to produce long-term potentiation, supporting the hypothesis that NO acts as a retrograde messenger during LTP.

A sensitive microassay reveals marked regional differences in the capacity of rat brain to generate carbon monoxide

Heme oxygenase activity is the sole known physiological source for the production of carbon monoxide (CO), a gaseous messenger candidate. A sensitive radioenzymatic microassay was validated to study regional distribution of heme oxygenase activity within the rat brain. The assay utilized a 14,000 X g supernatant of brain homogenate and [14C]heme as the substrate. Thin layer chromatography revealed that incubation of cerebellar supernatant with (14C]heme yielded a single reaction product, indistinguishable from bilirubin, that was selectively extracted into toluene. Radioactivity in toluene increased linearly in respect to time and added protein, was totally dependent on NADPH and was not detected with boiled homogenate. The reaction was dose-dependently inhibited by Zn-protoporphyrin IX (IC50 0.3 microM) and by an antibody generated against rat NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase indicating specific involvement of heme oxygenase. As little as 36 fmol [14C]bilirubin/min could be readily detected requiring only microgram-quantities of cerebellar homogenate. Heme oxygenase activity measurements from discrete brain regions revealed for the first time marked differences in enzyme activity with the increasing order: frontal cortex < cerebellum = caudate-putamen < hippocampus = hypothalamus = colliculi << trapezoid body. This activity pattern closely reflects the distribution of immunoreactivity and mRNA for heme oxygenase. The present microassay should offer a valuable tool for studies directly assessing a possible role for CO in neural signaling.

Pyrogen - prostaglandin coupling in the pathogenesis of fever: evidence against a role for nitric oxide

There is much debate on the mechanism by which blood-borne pyrogens trigger prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis in brain and fever. This investigation was undertaken to determine whether nitric oxide qualifies as a signal transducer for pyrogens at the interface between blood and brain. Experiments were carried out in vitro and in vivo using, respectively, preparations of cerebral tissue and microvessels from the rat, and the conscious, chronically instrumented cat. In vitro preparations produced PGE2 and its production increased during a 30-min treatment with interleukin 1 (brain tissue) or endotoxin (microvessels). In addition, both pyrogens increased cyclic GMP levels in cerebral microvessels. In both brain tissue and microvessels, NG-nitro-L-arginine had no effect on basal PGE2 release, while it curtailed the pyrogen-stimulated release. The same treatment reduced the cyclic GMP accumulation brought about by pyrogens in the microvessels. Conversely, in the conscious cat, inhibitors of nitric oxide synthesis (NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, NG-nitro-L-arginine) had no effect on fever and the concomitant elevation of PGE2 in cerebrospinal fluid, regardless of the pyrogen used (endotoxin, interleukin 1) and the route of administration (intravenous, intracerebroventricular). We conclude that nitric oxide may serve as a pyrogen mediator in brain. This mediator function, however, is seemingly not important in the development of fever.

How multiple-synapse boutons could preserve input specificity during an interneuronal spread of LTP

A model is proposed whereby the spread of long-term potentiation (LTP) between potentiated and neighboring neurons is initiated by a retrograde signal that is restricted to the synaptic clefts of the potentiated neurons. Next, a change, such as enhanced release of neurotransmitter, occurs in the presynaptic boutons that are associated with potentiated synapses. This change affects all synapses that are located on the potentiated boutons, and leads to LTP at synapses on neighboring neurons that share multiple-synapse boutons with the initially potentiated neurons. In this model, restricting the retrograde signal to the potentiated synaptic clefts ensures the axonal-input specificity of LTP, and the induction of the secondary LTP requires the same cellular mechanisms as those of induction of the primary LTP.

The biochemistry of learning and memory

An overview of some of the biochemical and molecular events involved in the process of learning and memory are presented in a short review. Two invertebrate models of learning are considered: the gill-withdrawal reflex of Aplysia and avoidance learning in Drosophila melanogaster. Particular attention is paid to the biochemical mechanisms underlying both the development of long-term potentiation (LTP) and passive avoidance learning (PAL) in the young chick. The role of several biological molecules in learning and memory are considered, for example, protein kinase C (PKC), Ca(++)-Calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII), GAP-43, and glutamate receptors.

Activity-dependent long-term enhancement of transmitter release by presynaptic 3',5'-cyclic GMP in cultured hippocampal neurons

Long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampus is a type of synaptic plasticity that is thought to be involved in learning and memory. Several lines of evidence suggest that LTP involves 3',5'-cyclic GMP (cGMP), perhaps as an activity-dependent presynaptic effector of one or more retrograde messengers (refs 2-12, but see ref. 13). However, previous results are also consistent with postsynaptic effects of cGMP. This is difficult to test in hippocampal slices, but more rigorous tests are possible in dissociated cell culture. We have therefore developed a reliable method for producing N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-dependent LTP at synapses between individual hippocampal pyramidal neurons in culture. We report that inhibitors of guanylyl cyclase or of cGMP-dependent protein kinase block potentiation by either tetanic stimulation or low-frequency stimulation paired with postsynaptic depolarization. Conversely, application of 8-Br-cGMP to the bath or injection of cGMP into the presynaptic neuron produces activity-dependent long-lasting potentiation. The potentiation by cGMP involves an increase in transmitter release that is in part independent of changes in the presynaptic action potential. These results support a presynaptic role for cGMP in LTP.

Retrograde signaling and the development of transmitter release properties in the invertebrate nervous system

The dynamics of presynaptic transmitter release are often matched to the functional properties of the postsynaptic cell. In organisms ranging from cats to crickets, evidence suggests that retrograde signaling is essential for matching these presynaptic release properties to individual postsynaptic partners. Retrograde interactions appear to control the development of presynaptic, short-term facilitation and depression.