ARTICLE

Distribution of NADPH-diaphorase and Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) in Different Regions of Porcine Oviduct During the Estrous Cycle

Correspondence to: Barbara Gawronska, Pennington Biomedical Research Center Louisiana State U., 6400 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70808. E-mail: gawronB@pbrc.edu

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is responsible for the biological production of nitric oxide (NO) in several organs, including those of the reproductive tract. We investigated potential changes in NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) activity (marker for NOS activity) and the presence and distribution of NOS in the porcine oviduct. Tissues were obtained from gilts (n=16) on different days of the estrous cycle. One fallopian tube was used for histo- and immunohistochemistry and the other for Western blotting analysis. NADPH-d activity was much higher in the epithelium of the mucosa than in the myosalpinx. The highest activity of NADPH-d was always found in the epithelium of the isthmus. The intensity of the reaction (arbitrary units ± SEM) in isthmus epithelium increased from the postovulatory period until early proestrus (96.2 ± 11.2) and then gradually decreased. The lowest intensity of NADPH-d reaction in the epithelium of the isthmus was seen at estrus (58.4 ± 7.7). The most intense NADPH-d activity in myosalpinx of all parts of the oviduct was observed at the postovulatory stage of the estrous cycle (isthmus 38.3 ± 2.5; ampulla 35.6 ± 4.2; infundibulum 24.7 ± 0.8) and then decreased during the remaining stages of the estrous cycle (p< 0.001). The presence of endothelial NOS (eNOS) was detected in epithelial cells of mucosa and in endothelium of vascular tissues and myosalpinx during all studied days of the estrous cycle. The positive reaction for inducible NOS (iNOS) was restricted only to the endothelium of lymph vessels and some blood vessels. Because our Western blotting analysis revealed that porcine oviduct contains eNOS but not iNOS, we suggest that eNOS is the main isoform of NOS expressed in the porcine oviduct. We concluded that the different activity of NADPH-d in the various regions of the oviduct, accompanied by changes in its activity during the course of the estrous cycle, could indicate an important role of NO in regulation of tubal function. (J Histochem Cytochem 48:867–875, 2000)

Key Words: NADPH-diaphorase, nitric oxide synthase, oviduct, pig

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Lapointe, M. Roy, I. St-Pierre, S. Kimmins, D. Gauvreau, L. A. MacLaren, and J.-F. Bilodeau Hormonal and Spatial Regulation of Nitric Oxide Synthases (NOS) (Neuronal NOS, Inducible NOS, and Endothelial NOS) in the Oviducts Endocrinology, December 1, 2006; 147(12): 5600 - 5610. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S E Ulbrich, S Rehfeld, S Bauersachs, E Wolf, R Rottmayer, S Hiendleder, M Vermehren, F Sinowatz, H H D Meyer, and R Einspanier Region-specific expression of nitric oxide synthases in the bovine oviduct during the oestrous cycle and in vitro J. Endocrinol., February 1, 2006; 188(2): 205 - 213. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. J. Skarzynski, J. J. Jaroszewski, M. M. Bah, K. M. Deptula, B. Barszczewska, B. Gawronska, and W. Hansel Administration of a Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitor Counteracts Prostaglandin F2-Induced Luteolysis in Cattle Biol Reprod, May 1, 2003; 68(5): 1674 - 1681. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Zhan, D. Li, and R. A. Johns Expression of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase in Ciliated Epithelia of Rats J. Histochem. Cytochem., January 1, 2003; 51(1): 81 - 87. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Guidelines | Subscriptions | About | exPRESS - Current - Archive | Business Information | Contact

The Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry is owned, published, and licensed by The Histochemical Society © 2000