An immunohistochemical study on the presence of nitric oxide synthase isoforms (nNOS, iNOS, eNOS) in the spinal cord and nodose ganglion of rats receiving ionising gamma radiation to their liver

This study investigates how exposing the liver to radiation affects the presence of certain substances (nitric oxide synthase isoforms) in the spinal cord and a specific nerve cluster called the nodose ganglion in rats. Rats were exposed to radiation, and then researchers looked at the spinal cord and nodose ganglion to see where and how much of these substances were present using a special staining technique. The study found that radiation does change the presence of these substances, suggesting a connection between liver damage from radiation and changes in the nervous system.

• 1
  nNOS immunoreactivity was found in the superficial lamina (lamina I–II) of the spinal cord of the rats with ionising radiation insult to the liver, and to a lesser extent in lamina III–IV.
• 2
  Inducible NOS was intensely stained in the ependymal cells of the spinal cord from the first day, and this staining weakened day by day.
• 3
  In the nodose ganglion, mild diffuse cytoplasmic staining in neurons on the first day, intense local cytoplasmic staining on the second day, and nuclear staining on the third day were determined for eNOS.