title: Nitric oxide and parasympathetic vascular and secretory control of the dog nasal mucosa.
abstract: Nasal vascular and secretory responses to local intra-arterial injection of acetylcholine (ACh) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and to electrical stimulation of the nasal parasympathetic nerve fibres were recorded in dogs anaesthetized with pentobarbital. The influence of pretreatment with atropine and propranolol and the nitric oxide synthetase (NOS) inhibitor Nomega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) was analysed. As a marker for NOS, NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry was studied in the sphenopalatine ganglion, trigeminal nerve and nasal mucosa. Local intra-arterial infusion of ACh and VIP evoked dose-dependent vasodilatation and nasal secretion which were not modified in the presence of L-NNA. The NO donor nitroprusside induced dose-dependent vasodilatation but no secretion. Atropine did not reduce the vasodilatation evoked by the parasympathetic nerve stimulation, but did reduce the secretory response by 55% (p < 0.05). During L-NNA infusion, the atropine-resistant vasodilatation evoked by parasympathetic nerve stimulation was reduced by a further 80% (p < 0.01) and the non-cholinergic secretory response was reduced by a further 30% (p < 0.05). Simultaneous infusion of the NO donor nitroprusside reversed the secretory response but not the vasodilator response to parasympathetic nerve stimulation. Histochemical studies revealed that NADPH-d activity was co-localized with VIP in parasympathetic axons. These observations suggest that NO could act as a non-cholinergic parasympathetic neurotransmitter in the vascular and secretory control of the dog nasal mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lacroix
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McLachlan
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004285:Dogs; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D008297:Male; D008438:Maxillary Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D019335:Nitroarginine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D017777:Parasympathetic Fibers, Postganglionic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000201:enzymology; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D009599:Nitroprusside; D019335:Nitroarginine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D001285:Atropine; D011433:Propranolol; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase; D000109:Acetylcholine