Possible involvement of NO/NOS signaling in hippocampal amyloid-beta production induced by transient focal cerebral ischemia in aged rats.

In the present study, to define the roles of nitric oxide (NO) signaling in amyloid-beta (A beta) production after transient cerebral ischemia, extracellular levels of NO and A beta were monitored by intracerebral microdialysis in the hippocampus of aged rats exposed to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R). The results indicated that 1-h MCAO significantly upregulated hippocampal NO and A beta levels. In addition, the NO elevation preceded the A beta changes. The Western blotting suggested that acute hypoperfusion could increase the expression of beta-secretase 1 (BACE1) but not BACE2. The enhanced NO concentration in acute stage of MCAO/R was coincident with increased eNOS expression, while in subacute stage was coincident with increased iNOS and nNOS. Our results also indicated that pretreatment of L-NAME, one non-selective NOS inhibitor could decrease the BACE1 expression, reverse both NO and A beta changes and rescue the delayed neuronal death. These preliminary findings indicated that activation of NOS/NO signaling system could trigger A beta production through BACE1 pathway during acute ischemic episode. The present data may be important in understanding, at least in part, the pathological role of NO/NOS system involved in hippocampal A beta production and neuronal damage induced by transient cerebral ischemia.