title: Occurrence, distribution and possible role of the regulatory peptide endothelin in the nasal mucosa.
abstract: Nasal blood flow is finely regulated by local release of neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and other bioactive molecules acting via paracrine mechanisms. We have investigated the occurrence and distribution in human nasal mucosa of endothelin, a potent vasoconstrictor peptide, by immunocytochemistry and the effect of systemic administration of endothelin-1 on vascular perfusion of rabbit nasal mucosa by laser Doppler flowmetry. Endothelin-like immunoreactivity was demonstrated within vascular endothelial cells in both developing and mature human mucosa. Nasal epithelial cells and some connective tissue cells, presumed to be macrophages, also displayed specific immunostaining. In rabbits injected with endothelin-1, a potent and prolonged nasal vasoconstriction was observed. It is suggested that endothelin released locally may participate in the regulation of nasal blood flow via paracrine mechanisms. Since endothelin has growth-promoting actions on several cell types, it is also tentatively proposed that this regulatory peptide may play a role during development of the nose.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Histology and Embryology, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casasco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benazzo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casasco
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Cornaglia
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Springall
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calligaro
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mira
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Polak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016232:Endothelins / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000098:blood supply / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins