Salt-sensitive splice variant of nNOS expressed in the macula densa cells.

ABSTRACT: Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), which is abundantly expressed in the macula densa cells, attenuates tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF). We hypothesize that splice variants of nNOS are expressed in the macula densa, and nNOS-beta is a salt-sensitive isoform that modulates TGF. Sprague-Dawley rats received a low-, normal-, or high-salt diet for 10 days and levels of the nNOS-alpha, nNOS-beta, and nNOS-gamma were measured in the macula densa cells isolated with laser capture microdissection. Three splice variants of nNOS, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-mRNAs, were detected in the macula densa cells. After 10 days of high-salt intake, nNOS-alpha decreased markedly, whereas nNOS-beta increased two- to threefold in the macula densa measured with real-time PCR and in the renal cortex measured with

SUBMITTER: Lu D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2886819 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature