Abstract: Objective To observe how exogenous estrogen influences the distribution and the expression of NOS positive neurons in the supraoptic nuclei of hypothalamus in the overiectomized female rats. Methods The 2-3-month-old female rats(EM>n/EM>=40) were selected as the healthy and nulli-copulatory experimental animals. Rats were divided into following groups: normal control group(EM>n/EM>=10), ovariectomized control group(EM>n/EM>=10), and two experimental groups that have been injected with estrogen for post-operative 40 days(EM>n/EM>=10) and for post-operative 70 days(n=10). Finally, all the animals were infused and the brains were removed. Immunohistochemical (SABC) method was adopted to count the number of NOS poitive neurons and observed the NOS poitive neuronal morphology under the light microscope. The image analysis system was used to test the average gray value of immunoreactivity in NOS positive neurons. Results In the ovariectomized control group, the density of NOS positive neurons in supraoptic nucleus was significantly increased and their shapes were bigger than that of the normal control group(EM>P/EM><0.05). The density and the form of the NOS positive neurons in supraoptic nucleons had no apparent difference between the estrogen for post-operative 40 days group and the ovariectomizeed control group(EM>P/EM>>0.05).In the group after estrogen-injection 2 months compared with the normal control group, and the ovariectomized control group, both of the NOS positive neurons’ density and the size become significantly decreased, and the staining of cells was lesser in the group injected with estrogen for post-operation 70 days. Conclusion The present results suggest that exogenous estrogen may influence the distribution and the expression of NOS positive neurons in supraoptic nucleus of hypothalamus of ovariectomized female rats.

Key words: Nitricoxide synthase, Supraoptic nucleus, Overiectomized, Estrogen, Immunohistochemistry, Female rat