A new histo- and cytochemical method for demonstration of cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in retinal rod photoreceptor cells of the rat

Cyclic 3',5'-mononucleotide phosphodiesterase (cyclic nucleotide PDEase) activity was studied histo- and cytochemically in the retinal rod photoreceptor cells of the rat by means of a newly developed technique utilizing the intrinsic 5' nucleotidase activity instead of an exogenous 5' nucleotidase source (snake venom). Cyclic GMP and was used as a substrate, the intense activity of phosphodiesterase (PDEase) was distributed over the entire rod outer segments; reaction product was observed on the plasmalemma and on the disk membranes of the outer segments. A slight reaction was also observed on the plasmalemma of the inner segments. However, no precipitate was found in the perinuclear and synaptic regions of the rod photoreceptors. In contrast, when cyclic AMP was utilized as a substrate, a moderate reaction was seen in the synaptic region of the plexiform layer. The intensity of the reaction in the outer segments was much reduced in comparison to the results with cyclic GMP. The enzyme activity was almost completely inhibited by 2 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) or 2 mM theophylline, which were potent inhibitors of PDEase. To confirm the propriety of our new cytochemical method, the localization of 5' nucleotidase was also studied utilizing 5' AMP or 5' GMP as substrates. In contrast to the activity of cyclic nucleotide PDEase, the activity of 5' nucleotidase was distributed on all membranes of the photoreceptors from the synaptic outer plexiform layer to the tip of outer segments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)