Long-term depression requires nitric oxide and guanosine 3':5' cyclic monophosphate production in rat cerebellar Purkinje cells

Eur J Neurosci. 1993 Aug 1;5(8):1079-82. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.1993.tb00961.x.

Abstract

In patch-clamped Purkinje cells, bath application of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-methyl-L-arginine consistently prevents the induction of long-term depression (LTD) of parallel fibre-mediated excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) induced by their pairing with calcium spikes. On the other hand, bath application of nitric oxide donors and of 8-bromoguanosine 3':5' cyclic monophosphate is able to reproduce an LTD-like phenomenon. LTD of parallel fibre-mediated EPSPs also occurs when nitric oxide donors or guanosine 3':5' cyclic monophosphate are directly dialysed into Purkinje cells, and this effect partially occludes LTD induced by pairing protocols. These results show that nitric oxide does play a role in LTD induction, and demonstrate for the first time that its site of action is probably the soluble guanylate cyclase of Purkinje cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate / pharmacology
  • Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Animals
  • Arginine / analogs & derivatives
  • Arginine / pharmacology
  • Cyclic GMP / metabolism*
  • Cyclic GMP / pharmacology
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Long-Term Potentiation / drug effects*
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide / physiology
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Purkinje Cells / metabolism*
  • Purkinje Cells / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Time Factors
  • omega-N-Methylarginine

Substances

  • 8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate
  • omega-N-Methylarginine
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Arginine
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Amino Acid Oxidoreductases
  • Cyclic GMP