Heart innervation after ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD).
Distribution and amount of neuropeptide Y- and synaptophysin-immunoreactive nervous structures within the heart were investigated in dogs 4 days after ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). In the right atrium and posterior left ventricular regions, which were taken as (non-infarcted) control areas, neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive paravascular nerves and a perivascular nerve plexus running within the adventitia of the coronary arteries and their branches down to the arterioles were observed. Morphometric measurements of the area density revealed 0.099 +/- 0.014% for synaptophysin- and 0.037 +/- 0.0072% for neuropeptide Y-immunoreactivity within the posterior wall of the left ventricular myocardium. Four days after ligation of the LAD only single synaptophysin- and neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive nerve fibers were very rarely detected in the infarcted region of the anterior wall of the left ventricle. Above the ligature larger than normal neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive axons within nerves along the LAD indicated a blockage of the axoplasmic transport of this peptide. When investigating this model of experimental myocardial infarction, mechanical traumatization of peri- and paravascular nerves of the LAD by the ligature has to be considered as a major pathogenetic factor, in addition to ischemia leading to denervation of infarcted as well as non-ischemic myocardium.
Trautner
H
H
Department of Anatomy, University of Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Gerstheimer
F
F
Aidonidis
I
I
Brachmann
J
J
Kölb
J
J
Kübler
W
W
Metz
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D003331:Coronary Vessels; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000294:innervation; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000294:innervation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000032:analysis; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000032:analysis; D016708:Synaptophysin; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D016708:Synaptophysin