Effect of nitric oxide donor on neurogenesis after transient focal cerebral ischemia in adult rat hippocampus

AIM To determine whether NO is involved in neurogenesis in dentate gyrus after cerebral ischemia. METHODS The middle cerebral artery in rats was occluded for 1.5 h by an intraluminal filament and then reperfused to prepare transient focal cerebral ischemia. Normal saline 10 μL containing 0.1 mmol·L -1 sodium nitroprusside(SNP) and 0.4 mmol·L -1 vitamin C (V C) was infused into ipsilateral hippocampus 1 h after cerebral ischemia. A bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling method was used to identify the postproliferation cells in dentate gyrus 120 h after ischemia. The measurement of inducible nitric oxide synthase activity and NO concentration in the hippocampus were performed at 24 h after reperfusion. RESULTS The density of BrdU positive cells in the ipsilateral dentate gyrus increased about 5 fold 8 d after ischemia, compared with the contralateral one. SNP and V C infusion significantly increased ischemia induced cells proliferation in the dentate gyrus. CONCLUSION NO takes place an important effect in ischemia stimulated cell reproducing in the dentate gyrus of adult rats.