Capsaicin-sensitive tachykinin-like immunoreactivity in the thymus of rats and guinea-pigs.
Capsaicin-sensitive, substance P-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI) has been detected recently in rat thymus. Other tachykinins are frequently present with SP. In the present study, tachykinin-like immunoreactivity (TK-LI) was measured in guinea-pig, rat, mouse and hamster thymus with the amount detectable being greatest in guinea-pig, less in rat and least in mouse; it was not detectable in hamsters. In guinea-pig and rat thymus, but not in mouse, TK-LI was markedly reduced by pretreatment with capsaicin. TK-LI levels correlated significantly with those of SP-LI in both guinea-pig and rat thymus. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fractions considered to represent neurokinin A, eledoisin and neuropeptide K were present in guinea-pig thymus but only the first two were present in rat thymus.
Geppetti
P
P
Institute of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Florence, Italy.
Theodorsson-Norheim
E
E
Ballerini
G
G
Alessandri
M
M
Maggi
C A
CA
Santicioli
P
P
Amenta
F
F
Fanciullacci
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006224:Cricetinae; D004600:Eledoisin / Q000032:analysis; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D051379:Mice; D015288:Neurokinin A; D015287:Neurokinin B; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis; D015320:Tachykinins; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000032:analysis*
D009479:Neuropeptides; D015320:Tachykinins; C045206:neuropeptide K; D013373:Substance P; D004600:Eledoisin; D015288:Neurokinin A; D015287:Neurokinin B; D002211:Capsaicin