Exogenous nitric oxide causes collapse of retinal ganglion cell axonal growth cones in vitro

J Neurobiol. 1996 Apr;29(4):415-28. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4695(199604)29:4<415::AID-NEU1>3.0.CO;2-B.

Abstract

We show that nitric oxide (NO) from applied NO-donating chemicals induces collapse of ganglion cell axonal growth cones extending from explants of tadpole retina in culture. Peroxynitrite, a neurotoxic product of NO and superoxide reaction, did not induce collapse, and oxyhemoglobin, which binds NO, blocked the highly effective collapsing activity of the NO donor S-nitrosocysteine. Membrane-permeable analogs of cyclic guanosine monophosphate had no collapsing activity. Inhibitors of NO synthase did not induce collapse. NO is a potential retrograde messenger through which postsynaptic neurons signal to their inputs to modify synaptic efficacy following NMDA receptor activation. Our results suggest a role for NO as such a messenger during development of the retinotectal projection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Axons / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured / cytology
  • Cells, Cultured / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured / ultrastructure
  • Cysteine / pharmacology
  • Free Radical Scavengers / pharmacology
  • Mercaptoethanol*
  • Molsidomine / analogs & derivatives
  • Molsidomine / pharmacology
  • Neurites / drug effects*
  • Nitrates / pharmacology
  • Nitric Oxide / pharmacology*
  • Nitrites / pharmacology
  • Nitroprusside / pharmacology
  • Nitroso Compounds / pharmacology
  • Penicillamine / analogs & derivatives
  • Penicillamine / pharmacology
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells / cytology
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells / drug effects*
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells / ultrastructure
  • S-Nitroso-N-Acetylpenicillamine
  • S-Nitrosothiols*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Sulfhydryl Reagents / pharmacology
  • Time Factors
  • Vasodilator Agents / pharmacology
  • Xenopus laevis

Substances

  • Free Radical Scavengers
  • Nitrates
  • Nitrites
  • Nitroso Compounds
  • S-Nitrosothiols
  • Sulfhydryl Reagents
  • Vasodilator Agents
  • Nitroprusside
  • peroxynitric acid
  • Nitric Oxide
  • linsidomine
  • Mercaptoethanol
  • S-nitrosomercaptoethanol
  • S-Nitroso-N-Acetylpenicillamine
  • Molsidomine
  • Penicillamine
  • Cysteine