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Morphological changes of sensory CGRP-immunoreactive and sympathetic nerves in peripheral tissues following chronic denervation

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Summary

The morphological relationship between sensory and sympathetic nerves was studied in tissues of the eye and the oral cavity following chronic sympathetic or sensory denervation. Immunoreactivities for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) were used as indexes to assess the changes of the two nerve populations after denervation.

Following surgical sympathectomy, a marked increase of CGRP-containing fibres was seen in all tissues studied, while TH-imunoreactive fibres were totally depleated. Conversely, after capsaicin treatment, an increase of TH-immunoreactive nerves was found in the same tissues, concomitant with a sharp decrease of CGRP-immunoreactive nerves. These changes were particularly evident in iridial stroma and around blood vessels in all tissue, where sensory and sympathetic nerves have a closely overlap** distribution pattern.

The altered proportion of sensory peptide-and catecholamine-containing nerves following sympathetic and sensory denervation suggest that there is a reciprocal trophic influence between the two nerve subsets, possibly with the intervention of neurotrophic substances such as nerve growth factor. These results indicate a close interaction between sensory peptidergic and sympathetic nervous systems in peripheral organs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Histochemistry Department, Royal Postgraduated Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, W12 OHS, London, UK

    G. Terenghi & J. M. Polak

  2. Ophthalmology Institute, Judd Street, WC1, London, UK

    S -Q. Zhang & W. G. Unger

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  1. G. Terenghi
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  2. S -Q. Zhang
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  3. W. G. Unger
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  4. J. M. Polak
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Terenghi, G., Zhang, S.Q., Unger, W.G. et al. Morphological changes of sensory CGRP-immunoreactive and sympathetic nerves in peripheral tissues following chronic denervation. Histochemistry 86, 89–95 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00492350

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00492350

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