title: Control of negative inotropic vagal preganglionic neurons in the dog: synaptic interactions with substance P afferent terminals in the nucleus ambiguus?
abstract: Previous research from this laboratory has shown that substance P-immunoreactive (SP) terminals synapse upon negative chronotropic vagal preganglionic neurons (VPNs), but not upon negative dromotropic VPNs, of the ventrolateral nucleus ambiguus (NA-VL). Moreover, SP agonists injected into NA-VL cause bradycardia without decreasing AV conduction. In the current study, we have: (1) defined the electron microscopic characteristics of the SP neurons of NA-VL in dog; and (2) tested the hypothesis that SP nerve terminals synapse upon negative inotropic VPNs of NA-VL, retrogradely labeled from the cranial medial ventricular (CMV) ganglion. Numerous SP terminals and a few SP neurons were observed in the vicinity of retrogradely labeled neurons. SP terminals were observed forming synapses with unlabeled dendrites and with SP dendrites, but never with the retrogradely labeled neurons. Together, these results and earlier findings suggest that SP agonists may be able to induce bradycardia without decreasing AV conduction or ventricular contractility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Howard University College of Medicine, 50 W Street, NW, Washington, DC 20059, USA.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Blinder
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Dickerson
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lauenstein
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Newsome
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bingaman
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Gatti
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gillis
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Massari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000502:physiology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013373:Substance P / Q000502:physiology*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D013373:Substance P