Release and spread of immunoreactive neurokinin A in the cat spinal cord in a model of acute arthritis.
Antibody microprobes were used to study the release of immunoreactive neurokinin A into the spinal cord of anaesthetised cats during and following injection of a knee joint with kaolin and carrageenan. A basal level of immunoreactive neurokinin A was detected prior to any noxious stimuli. Innocuous mechanical joint stimuli (flexion or pressure) did not alter this basal level of release. However, on injection of kaolin and carrageenan into a knee joint, evidence of release into the ipsilateral spinal cord was immediately observed. Initially, immunoreactive neurokinin A was detected in 2 regions: one at the dorsal surface of the spinal cord and the other centred on the superficial dorsal horn. Within 1 h of joint injection, however, immunoreactive neurokinin A was detected throughout the dorsal horn and the adjacent white matter. The extensive spread and persistence of immunoreactive neurokinin A in the spinal cord may underlie some of the prolonged excitability changes evoked by brief noxious stimuli and peripheral inflammation reported by other laboratories.
Hope
P J
PJ
Department of Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Summerhall, U.K.
Jarrott
B
B
Schaible
H G
HG
Clarke
R W
RW
Duggan
A W
AW
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D001345:Autoradiography; D002351:Carrageenan; D002415:Cats; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007616:Kaolin; D015335:Molecular Probes; D015288:Neurokinin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D015335:Molecular Probes; D007616:Kaolin; D015288:Neurokinin A; D002351:Carrageenan