NITRIC-OXIDE AND ADENOSINE MEDIATE VASODILATION DURING FUNCTIONAL ACTIVATION IN CEREBELLAR CORTEX

Activation of the cerebellar parallel fibers (PF) releases glutamate and leads to depolarization of Purkinje cells and interneurons. These cells, in turn, release GABA. We have studied the role of glutamate, GABA, nitric oxide (NO) and adenosine in the increases in cerebellar cortex blood flow (BFcrb) elicited by PF stimulation. In anesthetized rats (halothane 1%) the cerebellar vermis was exposed and the site was superfused with Ringer (37 degrees C, pH 7.4). The PF were stimulated electrically (50-100 mu A; 30 HZ) and the increases in BFcrb were recorded using a laser-Doppler flowmeter. Field potentials were recorded using glass microelectrodes. During Ringer superfusion, PF stimulation increased BFcrb by 58 +/- 5% (P < 0.001; analysis of variance; n = 6). Superfusion with the broad spectrum glutamate receptor antagonist kynurenic acid (Kyn; 5mM) abolished the negative component of the field potential (n = 4), a finding reflecting lack of depolarization of Purkinje cells and interneurons, and blocked the increase in BFcrb (P > 0.05 from Ringer; n = 6). In contrast, Kyn did not influence the increase in BFcrb evoked by hypercapnia (pO(2) 55.4 +/- 1.1 mmHg) or by superfusion with the NO donor SIN-1 (0.1, 1 mM; P > 0.05; n = 6). Superfusion with the adenosine receptor antagonist 8-sulphophenyltheophylline (8-SPT; 100 mu M) reduced the elevation in BFcrb by 45 +/- 4% (P < 0.05; n = 6) and co-application of 8-SPT and of the NO synthase inhibitor nitro-L-arginine (L-NA; 1 mM) attenuated the vasodilation further (-82 +/- 4% from Ringer; P < 0.01 from 8-SPT alone). The vasodilation elicited by SIN-I (n = 6) and the held potentials evoked by PF stimulation (n = 4) were not affected by 8-SPT or by 8-SPT plus L-NA. The GABA receptor antagonist bicuculline (300 mu M) produced the expected changes in the field potentials (n = 4) but did not affect the vascular response to PF stimulation (P > 0.05; n = 5). The data suggest that release of glutamate from PF leads to production of NO and adenosine in Purkinje cells and/or interneurons. NO and adenosine may mediate the vasodilation by diffusing toward resistance arterioles and producing smooth muscle relaxation.