Diabetes-Related Induction of the Heme Oxygenase System and Enhanced Colocalization of Heme Oxygenase 1 and 2 with Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase in Myenteric Neurons of Different Intestinal Segments

Figure 6

Quantitative evaluation of the total number of HO2-IR neurons (a), the number of nNOS-HO2-IR neurons (b), the proportion of HO2-IR neurons colocalizing with nNOS (c), and the proportion of nNOS-IR neurons colocalizing with HO2 (d) in the myenteric ganglia of the duodenum, ileum, and colon of control and diabetic rats. The total number of HO2-IR neurons and the number of nNOS-HO2-IR myenteric neurons largely increased in the ileum of diabetic rats. The percentage of HO2-IR neurons colocalizing with nNOS was elevated only in the diabetic ileum. However, the proportion of nNOS-IR neurons colocalizing with HO2 was enhanced in each gut segment of diabetics. The largest increase, more than 6-fold, was observed in the ileal ganglia. Data are expressed as means ± SEM. , , , and (between controls and diabetics). C: controls; D: diabetics.

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