Impact of inhaled nitric oxide on the sulfatide profile of neonatal rat brain studied by TOF-SIMS imaging

Despite advances in neonatal intensive care leading to an increased survival rate in preterm infants, brain lesions and subsequent neurological handicaps following preterm birth remain a critical issue. To prevent brain injury and/or enhance repair, one of the most promising therapies investigated in preclinical models is inhaled nitric oxide (iNO). We have assessed the effect of this therapy on brain lipid content in air and iNO-exposed rat pups by mass spectrometry imaging using a time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) method. This technique was used to map the variations in lipid composition of the rat brain and, particularly, of the white matter. Triplicate analysis showed a significant increase of sulfatides (25%-50%) in the white matter on Day 10 of life in iNO-exposed animals from Day 0-7 of life. These robust, repeatable and semi-quantitative data demonstrate a potent effect of iNO at the molecular level.