title: Central and peripheral expression of neurokinin-1 and neurokinin-3 receptor and substance P-encoding messenger RNAs: peripheral regulation during formalin-induced inflammation and lack of neurokinin receptor expression in primary afferent sensory neurons.
abstract: The neurokinin-1 receptor and its tachykinin neuropeptide ligand substance P are associated with the mediation of nociception. Substance P released from primary afferent sensory neurons activates neurokinin receptors on both central and peripheral targets that mediate specific aspects of central sensitization and inflammatory function; however, an autoreceptor function for the neurokinin-1 receptor remains highly controversial. Activation of the neurokinin-1 receptor by substance P during chronic nociception increases neurokinin-1 receptor gene expression in the spinal cord. Similarly, neurokinin-3 receptors on peripheral or target tissues or neurons could play an important role in the sensitization of sensory neurons. Therefore, this study (i) mapped the steady-state levels of substance P-encoding preprotachykinin, neurokinin-1 and neurokinin-3 receptor messenger RNAs in central and peripheral tissues including sensory ganglia, and (ii) investigated whether formalin-evoked nociception altered the quantity or location of neurokinin-1 or neurokinin-3 receptor messenger RNAs in the sensory ganglia or inflamed peripheral targets for substance P. Solution hybridization-nuclease protection assays quantified neurokinin receptor messenger RNA levels in central and peripheral tissues from normal and formalin-inflamed rats. High concentrations of the neurokinin-1 receptor were found in whole brain, spinal cord, and peripheral target organs innervated by substance P-containing neurons. Measurable levels of neurokinin-3 receptor messenger RNA were found only in brain, spinal cord and urinary bladder. Results also show that neither neurokinin-1 nor neurokinin-3 receptor messenger RNAs were detectable in primary afferent sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia of normal or formalin-inflamed rats. Neurokinin-1 receptor messenger RNA levels were, however, significantly increased in hindpaw tissues inflamed by formalin for 6 h. These results indicate that the plasticity of neurokinin-1 receptor gene expression in non-neuronal peripheral cells could regulate sensitivity to substance P in a manner similar to that in the spinal cord dorsal horn. Altered neurokinin-1 receptor gene expression provides a useful marker of long-term nociceptive activation and may mediate peripheral mechanisms of hyperalgesia and cellular sensitization during inflammation. Importantly, inflammation does not induce a phenotypic change in afferent sensory neurons providing neurokinin receptor targets for the direct sensitization of these neurons by substance P.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66160-7417, USA.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: McCarson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000633:toxicity*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009443:Neuritis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D015347:RNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018042:Receptors, Neurokinin-3 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012260:Ribonucleases; D013373:Substance P / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D015347:RNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1; D018042:Receptors, Neurokinin-3; D005557:Formaldehyde; D013373:Substance P; D012260:Ribonucleases