AdministraÃÃo de L-Arginina em ratos lactentes normais e desnutridos: efeitos sobre os neurÃnios que contÃm NADPH-diaforase, no cÃrtex visual

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2004

RESUMO

The present study investigated the effect of L-Arginine administration in suckling rats, reared in different litter sizes, on body weights and morphometric parameters of NADPH-diaphorase-positive neurons on primary visual cortex. Wistar rats reared in litters with 6 or 12 pups (respectively N6 and N12 groups) received per gavage, from postnatal days 7 to 28, either distilled water (group H2O) or L-Arginine (ARG) or L-Histidine (HIST). An additional group was studied without any treatment (ingenuous group â ING). At 90-120 days of life, the animals were perfused with saline+formaldehyde and their brains were processed for histochemical reaction to reveal NADPH-diaphorase-positive neurons following the malic enzyme indirect method. In N12-rats, body and brain weights were smaller when compared to their respective well-nourished groups (p<0,05). Dendritic orientation and total number of neurons were similar in all groups. Soma area and perimeter; as well as dendritic bifurcation points, fractal dimension, area and volume of dendritic field did not show any difference in the 4 groups analysed for these parameters (H2O-N6, H2O-N12, ARG-N6, ARG-N12). Arginine treatment was associated with increased density of dendrite varicosities and of dendrite branching frequency, suggesting plasticity, even in malnurished rats. The results indicate that NADPH-d cells are resistant to nutritional damage. Data are considered of interest for studies of synaptic plasticity during neural development and its relationships to aggressive agents like malnutrition

ASSUNTO(S)

nutricao desnutriÃÃo l-arginina nadph-diaforase-positivos ratos lactentes

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