Temperature and agonist dependency of tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonist potencies in rat isolated superior cervical ganglion

Extended secondhand tobacco smoke exposure induces plasticity in nucleus tractus solitarius second-order lung afferent neurons in young guinea pigs

Infants and young children experiencing extended exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) have an increased occurrence of asthma, as well as increased cough, wheeze, mucus production and airway hyper-reactivity. Plasticity in lung reflex pathways has been implicated in causing these symptoms, as have changes in substance P-related mechanisms. Using whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings and immunohistochemistry in brainstem slices containing anatomically identified second-order lung afferent nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) neurons, we determined whether extended SHS exposure during the equivalent period of human childhood modified evoked or spontaneous excitatory synaptic transmission, and whether those modifications were altered by endogenous substance P. SHS exposure enhanced evoked synaptic transmission between sensory afferents and the NTS second-order neurons by eliminating synaptic depression of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (eEPSCs), an effect reversed by the neurokinin-1-receptor antagonist (SR140333). The recruitment of substance P in enhancing evoked synaptic transmission was further supported by an increased number of substance P-expressing lung afferent central terminals synapsing onto the second-order lung afferent neurons. SHS exposure did not change background spontaneous EPSCs. The data suggest that substance P in the NTS augments evoked synaptic transmission of lung sensory input following extended exposure to a pollutant. The mechanism may help to explain some of the exaggerated respiratory responses of children exposed to SHS.

Electrophysiological effects of tachykinin agonists on sympathetic ganglia of spontaneously hypertensive rats

This study investigated the cellular basis for the enhanced ganglionic responsiveness to NK1 agonists in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) in comparison to their normotensive counterpart, the Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat. Rats for in vivo studies were anesthetized with pentobarbital and treated with chlorisondamine (10.5 micromol/kg). Extracellular recordings from the external carotid nerve showed a greater responsiveness of decentralized SHR superior cervical ganglia (SCG) to intravenous injection of SP (32 nmol/kg). Blood pressure and heart rate were increased in SHRs, whereas WKY rats responded with a decrease in blood pressure and only slight tachycardia. Membrane properties of SCG neurons, as shown by intracellular microelectrode recordings, were similar between strains. Picospritzer application of the NK1 agonist GR-73632 (100 microM, 1 s) evoked slow depolarization and increased neuron excitability. Spontaneous firing was evoked only in some neurons. Depolarization amplitudes were similar between strains; however, the NK1 agonist depolarized a greater number of neurons in hypertensive rats. In conclusion, SHRs are more responsive to ganglion stimulation by NK1 agonists due to a greater number of responsive cells within the SCG rather than an enhanced responsiveness of individual neurons.

Increased ganglionic responses to substance P in hypertensive rats due to upregulation of NK(1) receptors

Intravenous injection of substance P (SP) increases renal nerve firing and heart rate in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKYs) by stimulating sympathetic ganglia. Blood pressure is increased in SHRs but lowered in WKYs. This study assesses the role of neurokinin-1 (NK(1)) receptors in mediating the ganglion actions of SP. Rats for functional studies were anesthetized and then treated with chlorisondamine. Renal nerve, blood pressure, and heart rate responses to intravenous injection of the NK(1) receptor agonist GR-73632 were similar but less than those to equimolar doses of SP in SHRs. GR-73632 only slightly increased renal nerve firing and heart rate and lowered blood pressure in WKYs. The NK(1) receptor antagonist GR-82334 (200 nmol/kg iv) blocked the ganglionic actions of GR-73632 and the pressor response to SP in SHRs. It reduced the renal nerve and heart rate responses by 52 and 35%. This suggests that the pressor response to SP is mediated by ganglionic NK(1) receptors and that NK(1) receptors also have a prominent role in mediating the renal nerve and heart rate responses to SP. Quantitative autoradiography showed that NK(1) receptors are more abundant in the superior cervical ganglia of SHRs. RT-PCR showed increased abundance of NK(1) receptor mRNA in SHRs as well. These observations suggest that the greater ganglionic stimulation caused by SP in SHRs is due to upregulation of NK(1) receptors.

Lack of evidence for tachykinin NK1 receptor-mediated neutrophil accumulation in the rat cutaneous microvasculature by thermal injury

The effect of the non-peptide selective tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonist SR140333 has been investigated on oedema formation and neutrophil accumulation induced by thermal injury (50 degrees C for 5 min), mustard oil, substance P, the tachykinin NK1 agonist GR73632, and interleukin-1beta in the abdominal skin of the anaesthetised rat. SR140333 significantly inhibited (120 nmol/kg i.v.) or prevented (240 nmol/kg i.v.) the early oedema formation (0-10 min) induced by thermal injury. However, a dosing strategy which blocked NK1 receptors for 5 h (SR140333, 240 nmol/kg i.v. + 240 nmol/kg s.c.) failed to influence neutrophil accumulation measured 5 h after thermal injury. Thus, the neurogenic component mediated by NK1 receptors is important to elicit the early oedema formation, but does not influence subsequent neutrophil accumulation. Topical application of mustard oil (2%), a neurogenic inflammation stimulant, caused NK1 receptor-mediated early neurogenic plasma extravasation, but did not induce cutaneous neutrophil accumulation over 5 h. Substance P and GR73632 at high doses (1 nmol/site) also failed to elicit neutrophil accumulation. Neutrophil accumulation induced by interleukin-1beta (0.03-3 pmol i.d.) was not affected by SR140333 pretreatment. In conclusion, despite an early pronounced tachykinin NK1 receptor-dependent oedema response after thermal injury, the results suggest that subsequent neutrophil accumulation is not mediated by NK1 receptors. Furthermore, we have not obtained any evidence to suggest that either endogenous or exogenous tachykinins can directly induce neutrophil accumulation in the rat cutaneous microvasculature.

Two affinities for a single antagonist at the neuronal NK1 tachykinin receptor: evidence from quantitation of receptor endocytosis

1. In smooth muscle contractility assays, many NK1 receptor (NK1r) antagonists inhibit responses to the neurotransmitter, substance P (SP), and its analogue, septide, with markedly different potency, leading to the proposal that there is a septide-preferring receptor related to the NK1r. 2. We used fluorescence immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy to visualize agonist-induced NK1r endocytosis and analyse agonist/antagonist interactions at native NK1r in neurons of the myenteric plexus of guinea-pig ileum. 3. SP and septide gave sigmoid log concentration-response curves and were equipotent in inducing NK1r endocytosis. 4. The NK1r antagonists, CP-99994 (2S,3S)-3-(2-methoxybenzyl)amino-2-phenylpiperidine dihydrochloride and MEN-10581, cyclo(Leu,[CH2NH]Lys(benzyloxycarbonyl)-Gln-Trp-Phe-betaAla) were both more potent in inhibiting endocytosis (50 x and 8 x greater respectively) against septide than against SP. 5. The results suggest that SP and septide interact differently with the NK1r, and that a single antagonist can exhibit different affinities at a single NK1r population, depending on the agonist with which it competes. Thus it may not be necessary to posit a separate septide-preferring tachykinin receptor.