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- Hansson, M, et al.
(författare)
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Ingrowth of sympathetic innervation occurs concomitantly with a decrease of ANP in the growing rat cardiac ventricles.
- 2001
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Ingår i: Anatomy and Embryology. - 0340-2061 .- 1432-0568. ; 203:1, s. 35-44
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The relationship between the immunohistochemical expression of atrial natriuretic peptide and the occurrence of sympathetic nerve fibres, as visualized by staining for tyrosine hydroxylase, in the growing rat heart was evaluated. Rats were investigated at four different stages from birth to 21 days postnatally. The effects of chemical destruction of sympathetic nerve terminals in neonatal rats on the cardiac atrial natriuretic peptide content were furthermore examined by use of radioimmunoassay. There was in principle a reciprocal pattern of immunoreaction for atrial natriuretic peptide and tyrosine hydroxylase positive innervation in the ventricular myocardium, atrial natriuretic peptide reaction becoming less and less pronounced with the ingrowth of innervation positive for tyrosine hydroxylase. Furthermore, in the peripheral Purkinje fibre network, there was a marked atrial natriuretic peptide immunoexpression and scarce or no nerve fibres throughout the examination period. The radioimmunoassay measurements showed that chemical sympathectomy lead to elevated cardiac levels of atrial natriuretic peptide. The study shows that sympathetic innervation grows into the ventricular parts concomitantly with the occurrence of a decline in atrial natriuretic peptide expression during development of the heart. Furthermore, it is shown that a reversion of the in growth of sympathetic innervation by destruction of cardiac sympathetic nerves at an early stage leads to increased levels of atrial natriuretic peptide in the heart. The results give new evidence to the phenomenon that the atrial natriuretic peptide levels in the ventricular myocardium and the peripheral parts of the conduction system are under influence of the presence of sympathetic innervation.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Westermark, T, et al.
(författare)
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Increase in bombesin-like peptides in the spinal cord after dexamethasone treatment of adrenalectomized rats
- 1999
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Ingår i: Neuroscience Letters. - 0304-3940 .- 1872-7972. ; 275:3, s. 179-182
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The potential influence of corticosteroids on the bombesin (BN)-like peptide family is unknown. Therefore, the effects of adrenalectomy (ADX) on the nervous system of Sprague-Dawley rats, some of them being treated with high doses of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX), were investigated. After 8-10 days of treatment, the rats were sacrificed and tissues were prepared for radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunohistochemical examination. We found an increase in BN-like immunoreactivity in the superficial layers of the dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord in the ADX + DEX animals. This increase was confirmed by RIA (P < 0.05). The observations show that the expression of BN-like peptides is influenced by glucocorticoids. The altered levels of BN-like peptides may be related to the trophic and antinociceptive effects previously reported for these peptides. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 4. |
- Westermark, T, et al.
(författare)
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Increased content of bombesin/GRP in human synovial fluid in early arthritis : different pattern compared with substance P
- 2001
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Ingår i: Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. - 0392-856X .- 1593-098X. ; 19:6, s. 715-720
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective Bombesin (BN) and the mammalian homologue gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) are known trophic factors, neurotransmitters and paracrine hormones. BN/GRP has not previously been demonstrated in synovial fluid. In this study, the amounts of BN/GRP and substance P (SP) present in synovial fluid from the knee joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and of healthy, controls were measured. Methods Synovial fluid from the knee joint was collected from patients with either longstanding RA (n = 32) or early arthritis (symptoms for < 12 months; n = 9) and from control subjects, i.e., individuals without known joint disease (n = 10). These samples were analyzed using radioimmunoassays. Results Levels of BN/GRP-like peptide were below the assay detection limits in synovial fluid from controls. Detectable levels of immunoreactive BN/GRP were present in the majority of patients with either longstanding RA or early arthritis. The levels were significantly higher in the synovial fluid from patients classified as having early, arthritis compared with those with longstanding RA (p < 0.05). There was a strong correlation between BN/GRP levels and the number of leukocytes in the synovial fluid in the patients with early arthritis. The levels of SP-like peptide in the patients, whether with early arthritis or longstanding RA, were significantly elevated compared with controls. However there was no difference in the levels between these two patient groups. Conclusions These observations show that BN/GRP-like peptide is present in the synovial fluid of joints affected by arthritis and that the pattern of BN/GRP increase differs from that of SP It appears as if the presence of BN/GRP is particularly related to the early processes of joint involvement. These observations are of interest because BN/GRP has well-known trophic and paracrine effects and chondrocytes have recently been shown to produce neuropeptides such as BN/GRP.
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