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Results for “Peripheral Nervous System”

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At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources

PubMed2005

The presence and distribution of crustacean cardioactive peptide in the central and peripheral nervous system of the stick insect, Baculum extradentatum.

Crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP)-like immunoreactivity was localized and quantified in the central and peripheral nervous system of the Vietnamese stick insect, Baculum extradentatum, using immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The brain, frontal ganglion, suboesophageal ganglion and ventral nerve cord displayed neurons and processes with CCAP-like immunoreactivity. The brain, in comparison to the other parts of the central nervous system, contained the greatest amount of CCAP (167 +/- 18 fmol), and showed CCAP-like staining in neurons, neuropil regions and the central complex. There were also CCAP-like varicosities and processes associated with the corpus cardiacum. The alimentary canal of B. extradentatum contained CCAP with the largest amount localized in the midgut (1110 +/- 274 fmol CCAP equivalents). The midgut contained numerous endocrine-like cells which stained positively for CCAP, whereas the foregut and hindgut revealed an extensive network of CCAP-like immunoreactive axons and varicosities. Based on physiological assays, the hindgut of the stick insect was found to be sensitive to CCAP, showing dose-dependent increases in contractions with threshold at 10(-10) M CCAP and maximal response at 5 x 10(-7) M CCAP. There were negligible quantities of CCAP in the oviducts and no CCAP-like immunoreactivity was associated with the oviducts. CCAP had no effect on spontaneous contractions of the oviducts. The presence of CCAP in the central nervous system, the stomatogastric nervous system, the corpus cardiacum and the alimentary canal, suggest broad ranging roles for CCAP in B. extradentatum.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Distribution and intraneuronal trafficking of a novel member of the chromogranin family, NESP55, in the rat peripheral nervous system.

NESP55 (neuroendocrine secretory protein of M(r) 55000) is a novel member of the chromogranin family. In the present study, we have investigated the distribution, axonal transport and proteolytic processing of NESP55 in the peripheral nervous system. The amount of NESP55 immunoreactivity in adrenal gland was more than 240 times higher than that in the vas deferens. Double or triple immunostaining demonstrated that NESP55 immunoreactivity was highly co-localized with tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in bundles of thin axons and postganglionic sympathetic neurons; that NESP55 immunoreactivity also co-existed with vesicular acetylcholine transporter immunoreactivity in large-sized axons in sciatic nerves, and that NESP55 immunoreactivity overlapped with calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity in some large-sized axons, but NESP55 immunoreactivity was not detected in sensory neurons. Strong NESP55 immunoreactivity was found in cell bodies and axons, but it was not detectable in any terminal region by immunohistochemistry. In crush-operated sciatic nerves, NESP55 immunoreactivity could be found as early as 1 h after operation, and accumulated amounts increased substantially with time. However, NESP55 immunoreactivity was only observed in axons proximal to the crush, but none or very little distal to the crush, which was consistent with the data from radioimmunoassay. Finally, extracts of the normal and crushed sciatic nerve and vas deferens were subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography followed by radioimmunoassay. The results indicate that NESP55 is processed slowly to small peptides (GAIPIRRH) during axonal transport. NESP55 immunoreactivity was only detected in axons proximal to the crush. The data in the present study indicate that NESP55 immunoreactivity is widely distributed in adrenergic, cholinergic, and peptidergic neurons, but not in sensory neurons, and that this peptide is anterogradely, but not retrogradely, transported with fast axonal transport and slowly processed to smaller peptides during axonal transport in the peripheral nervous system.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Macrophages and endothelial cells express intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in immune-mediated demyelination but not in Wallerian degeneration of the rat peripheral nervous system.

BACKGROUND: Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) plays an important role in immune responses, especially in T cell/endothelial cell and T cell/macrophage interactions. This study reports the cellular localization of ICAM-1 during immune-mediated demyelination of the peripheral nervous system induced by adoptive transfer of P2 specific T cells. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Cryosections 1 micron thick of ventral roots of rats with experimental autoimmune neuritis were labeled with a monoclonal antibody against rat ICAM-1. RESULTS: Numerous ICAM-1 positive cells were present before and shortly after the onset of clinical disease from days 4 to 6 after cell transfer. By day 8, their number had greatly decreased. ICAM-1 positive infiltrating cells could be identified as ED1 positive macrophages. Moreover, endothelial cells expressed ICAM-1. Schwann cells and T cells were ICAM-1 negative. While at early stages of experimental autoimmune neuritis, ICAM-1 and Ia colocalized on macrophages but not endothelial cells, Ia persisted for a longer period in nerve roots than ICAM-1. After nerve transection, macrophages entering the distal stump and endothelial cells did not express ICAM-1. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of ICAM-1 immunoreactivity in peripheral nerve indicates an underlying immune-mediated process. Among other cytokines interferon-gamma, which is transiently expressed in nerves during immune-mediated demyelination but not after nerve transection, could be one mediator that induces ICAM-1 in immune-mediated demyelination of the peripheral nervous system.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) protein: a novel and unique marker for cholinergic neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Acetylcholine (ACh) is synthesized in nerve terminals from choline and acetyl coenzyme A by the cytoplasmic enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). The neurotransmitter is thereafter transported into synaptic vesicles, where it is stored until release. cDNA clones encoding a vesicular ACh transporter (VAChT) were recently isolated. In this paper, we report on the generation of highly specific goat polyclonal antisera to the rat VAChT protein by using a synthetic carboxy-terminal 20-amino-acid peptide sequence as an immunogen. Characterization of the antisera revealed recognition of VAChT, but not vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) protein, in transfected CV-1 cells. VAChT immunoreactivity was also detected in cells that endogenously express the protein, such as in PC12 cells and in primary cultures of spinal motoneurons. Absorption controls showed that the VAChT antisera could be completely blocked at the 10(-5) M concentration by cognate peptide used for immunization. The antisera cross-reacted with the VAChT protein in rat and mouse but not in guinea pig, rabbit, or cat. Immunohistochemistry and confocal laser microscopy, using the goat VAChT antisera, showed strong immunoreactivity in discrete fibers and neuronal cell bodies of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Within cell bodies and axonal nerve terminals, as well as in dendrites, the staining appeared granular, presumably representing labeling of synaptic vesicles containing ACh. In the rat central nervous system, VAChT-positive cell bodies were demonstrated in the cerebral cortex, striatum, septum, nucleus basalis, medial habenula, mesopontine complex, cranial, and autonomic and spinal motor nuclei and in the intermediomedial region near the central canal. High densities of VAChT-immunoreactive axonal fibers were encountered in areas such as the olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, striatum, basal forebrain, amygdala, thalamus, hypothalamus including median eminence, hippocampal formation, superior colliculus, interpeduncular nucleus, and pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei. In cranial and spinal motor nuclei, particularly large varicosities were seen in close proximity to the motoneuron cell somata and their proximal dendrites. In the peripheral nervous system, VAChT immunoreactivity was also detected in motor endplates of skeletal muscle as well as in fibers of sympathetic and parasympathetic abdominal ganglia, heart atrium, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, adrenal medulla, male genitourinary tract, and salivary and lacrimal glands. Direct double labeling revealed colocalization of VAChT and ChAT immunoreactivity in neurons. The results show that VAChT antisera represent novel and unique tools for the study of cholinergic neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

achaete, but not scute, is dispensable for the peripheral nervous system of Drosophila.

The achaete-scute complex of Drosophila has been the focus of extensive genetic and developmental analysis. Of the four genes at this locus, achaete and scute appear to act redundantly to specify the peripheral nervous system. They share cis-regulatory elements and are co-expressed at the same locations. A mutation removing scute activity has been previously described; it causes a loss of some sensory bristles. Thus, when Scute is absent, the activity of achaete allows formation of the remaining bristles. However, all existing achaete mutants are rearrangements affecting regulatory sequences common to both achaete and scute. To determine the level of redundancy between the two genes, we have used a P element approach to generate a null allele of achaete, which leaves scute and all cis-regulatory elements intact. We find that the peripheral nervous system of achaete null mutant larvae and imagos lacks any detectable phenotype. However, when the levels of Scute are limiting, then some sensory organs are missing in achaete mutant flies. achaete and scute are thought to have arisen from a duplication event about 100 Myr ago. The difference between achaete and scute null flies is surprising and raises the question of the retention of both genes during the course of evolution.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Development and optimization of herpes simplex virus vectors for multiple long-term gene delivery to the peripheral nervous system.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) has often been suggested as a suitable vector for gene delivery to the peripheral nervous system as it naturally infects sensory nerve terminals before retrograde transport to the cell body in the spinal ganglia where latency is established. HSV vectors might therefore be particularly appropriate for the study and treatment of chronic pain following vector administration by relatively noninvasive peripheral routes. However parameters allowing safe and efficient gene delivery to spinal ganglia following peripheral vector inoculation, or the long-term expression of delivered genes, have not been comprehensively studied. We have identified combinations of deletions from the HSV genome which allow highly efficient gene delivery to spinal dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) following either footpad or sciatic nerve injection. These vectors have ICP34.5 deleted and have inactivating mutations in vmw65. We also report that peripheral replication is probably necessary for the efficient establishment of latency in vivo, as fully replication-incompetent HSV vectors allow efficient gene expression in DRGs only after peripheral inoculation at a high virus dose. Very low transduction efficiencies are otherwise achieved. In parallel, promoters have been developed that allow the long-term expression of individual or pairs of genes in DRGs by using elements from the latently active region of the virus to confer a long-term activity onto a number of promoters which otherwise function only in the short term. This work further defines elements and mechanisms within the latently active region that are necessary for long-term gene expression and for the first time allows multiple inserted genes to be expressed from HSV vectors during latency.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Inflammatory cells in the peripheral nervous system in motor neuron disease.

We examined post-mortem material of the peripheral nervous system of 26 cases of motor neuron disease (MND) for the presence of lymphocyte subsets and macrophages. Findings were quantified and compared with those in control nerves. Lymphocytes in chronic and acute axonal degeneration were studied in sural nerve biopsy and animal material. Signs of demyelination were studied in MND and controls with infiltrates of T cells. A few T lymphocytes were scattered diffusely within the fascicles. The numbers did not differ between MND and controls. About half of the T cells was positive for CD45RA, the other half being positive for CD45RO. T cells were negative for CD25, CD54 and major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-class II. There were hardly any B lymphocytes. The numbers of lymphocytes in nerves with and without axonal degeneration did not differ. Increased MHC class II expression was present on denervated Schwann cells and macrophages in MND and in sural nerves with axonal degeneration. Macrophages were increased in number and in size, both in MND and in control material with axonal degeneration. No signs of demyelination were present either in MND or in controls. It is concluded that a T cell-mediated process in peripheral nerves in MND is very unlikely.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1982

Axonal transport of lectins in the peripheral nervous system.

The binding and axonal transport of six lectins were studied in the peripheral nervous system of adult mice by an immunocytochemical method. After injection into muscle and subcutaneous sites, lectins known to bind preferentially N-acetylglucosamine or mannose sugars were transported axonally to ventral horn and dorsal root ganglion neurons. Twelve to 96 hr postinjection, these lectins were bound at the injection site to neuromuscular junctions, muscle spindles, and cutaneous nerves. Lectins known to bind preferentially N-acetylgalactosamine or galactose sugars, by contrast, were transported only to dorsal root ganglion neurons. Except for Sophora japonica agglutinin, these lectins were bound at the injection site only to cutaneous nerves. These differences in axonal transport were seen also when the lectins were applied directly to the proximal end of a transected mixed nerve.

Afferent Pathways↗

PubMed1962