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  • Title: N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) stimulates release of alpha-MSH from the rat hypothalamus through release of nitric oxide.
    Author: Wayman CP, Pike NV, Wilson JF.
    Journal: Brain Res; 1994 Dec 15; 666(2):201-6. PubMed ID: 7882030.
    Abstract:
    Superfusion of rat hypothalamic slices with 10(-4) M N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) resulted in increased release of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH). Peptide release was blocked by 10(-6) M NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) a specific competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase but not by the inactive enantiomer D-NAME at 10(-6) M. The inhibition by L-NAME was reversed by the addition of 10(-5) mM L-arginine, an excess of enzyme substrate. Release of nitric oxide products into tissue superfusates was stimulated by a 50 mM concentration of potassium ions and by 10(-4) M NMDA. Potassium-stimulated release was blocked by L-NAME. Basal, potassium-stimulated and NMDA-stimulated release of nitric oxide products were significantly inhibited by the NMDA-receptor antagonist D(-)-2-amino-5-phosphopentanoic acid (AP5) at 10(-4) M and by the NMDA-channel blocker ketamine at 10(-4) M. We conclude that nitric oxide mediates the stimulatory action of glutamic acid on the release of alpha-MSH from the rat hypothalamus.
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