Noxious distention of viscera results in differential c-Fos expression in second order sensory neurons receiving 'sympathetic' or 'parasympathetic' input.
Visceral organs receive dual innervation from primary afferents commonly referred to as 'sympathetic' and 'parasympathetic' afferents. We have previously reported a significantly greater induction of immediate-early genes in the viscerotopically appropriate spinal cord segments receiving 'parasympathetic' afferent innervation (pelvic nerve) compared with those receiving 'sympathetic' afferent innervation (hypogastric nerve) following noxious colorectal distention. In this study, the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and viscerotopically appropriate spinal cord segments were labeled immunocytochemically for c-Fos following noxious gastric or esophageal distention to determine if the differential labeling following 'sympathetic' (spinal) and 'parasympathetic' (vagal) visceral afferent input is a general phenomenon of the gastrointestinal tract. Gastric distention and esophageal distention induced considerable c-Fos in the NTS and virtually none in the thoracic spinal segments. These data suggest that 'parasympathetic' visceral afferents may be different than 'sympathetic' visceral afferents with respect to their ability to induce c-Fos following noxious visceral distention.
Traub
R J
RJ
Department of Pharmacology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242.
Lim
F
F
Sengupta
J N
JN
Meller
S T
ST
Gebhart
G F
GF
D000818:Animals; D017776:Autonomic Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D004064:Digestive System / Q000294:innervation; D004068:Digestive System Physiological Phenomena; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology*; D016762:Genes, fos; D008297:Male; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017552:Solitary Nucleus / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*