Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is implicated in inflammation and hypothalamic-pituitary responses to immune stimuli; however, the specific role of NO from neurons during stress-induced immune responses remains unspecified. We measured antigen-specific delayed-type-hypersensitivity (DTH) responses in the skin of wild-type (WT) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase knockout (nNOS(-/-)) mice at baseline and after 2 h of restraint. Baseline corticosterone concentrations were higher in nNOS(-/-) than WT mice. However, stress-induced increases in corticosterone were dampened in nNOS(-/-) mice, and restraint suppressed DTH only in WT animals. Furthermore, WT mice lost more body mass after stress, and exhibited more anxiety-like behavior in the open field, than nNOS(-/-) mice. Neuronal NO appears to be involved in the neuroendocrine-immune response to stress, perhaps via glucocorticoid regulation.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Behavior, Animal
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Body Mass Index
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Corticosterone / blood
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Hypersensitivity, Delayed / enzymology*
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Hypersensitivity, Delayed / genetics*
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Hypersensitivity, Delayed / prevention & control
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Immunosuppression Therapy
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Isoenzymes / deficiency
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Isoenzymes / genetics
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Male
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Mice, Knockout
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Motor Activity / genetics
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Motor Activity / immunology
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / deficiency
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / physiology
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Neurons / enzymology*
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Neurons / immunology
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Nitric Oxide Synthase / deficiency*
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Nitric Oxide Synthase / genetics*
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Nitric Oxide Synthase / physiology
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Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I
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Restraint, Physical
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Stress, Physiological / enzymology*
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Stress, Physiological / genetics*
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Stress, Physiological / immunology
Substances
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Isoenzymes
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Nitric Oxide Synthase
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Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I
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Nos1 protein, mouse
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Corticosterone