title: The innervation of guinea pig epicardial coronary veins: immunohistochemistry, ultrastructure and vasomotility.
abstract: The innervation and vasomotor responses to several vasoactive agents of guinea pig epicardial coronary veins were investigated by means of immunohistochemical, histochemical, ultrastructural and in vitro pharmacological techniques. The use of an antiserum to the general neuronal marker protein gene product 9.5 revealed that coronary veins are supplied by a network of fine varicose nerve fibres in the adventitia. The majority of the nerve fibres possessed neuropeptide Y (NPY) and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity. Only a few nerve fibres displayed substance P, neuropeptide K (NK) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactivity. In double stained preparations substance P immunoreactivity was co-localized with NK and CGRP in the same nerve fibres. Nerve fibres containing vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) immunoreactivity or acetylcholinesterase activity were not detected. Endothelin immunoreactivity was also found in the vein endothelial cells. Ultrastructural studies revealed the presence of axon varicosities at the adventitial-medial border. In vitro pharmacological studies showed that endothelin-1 and -2 elicited a significant contractile response of epicardial vein segments. Noradrenaline, NPY, serotonin and uridine 5'-triphosphate induced only a relatively weak contractile response in the vein segments. Although vasodilatory responses were difficult to examine in these preparations, it was found that substance P, CGRP and VIP elicited a relaxation of the vein segments. These results indicate that guinea pig epicardial coronary veins are innervated by several nerve populations, however, the control of vasomotor tone of coronary veins appears to be predominantly regulated by 'non-neuronal' vasoactive agents such as endothelin and 5-HT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Gulbenkian Institute of Science, Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gulbenkian
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Saetrum Opgaard
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Barroso
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wharton
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Polak
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Edvinsson
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000294:innervation*; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000494:pharmacology; D016232:Endothelins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; D014544:Uridine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014680:Veins / Q000294:innervation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016232:Endothelins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D015237:Dinoprost; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; D014544:Uridine Triphosphate