title: Detection of endothelin receptors in rat and guinea-pig airway nerves by immunohistochemistry.
abstract: We investigated the existence of endothelin (ET) receptor subtypes in airway neurones from the rat and guinea-pig and determined the ability of these receptors to modulate contractile function. Rat tracheal neuron cultures as well as rat and guinea-pig whole mount preparations were labelled with antibodies to the cholinergic nerve marker choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), the neuron specific marker protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) and to ET(A)and ET(B)receptors. Following incubation with fluorescent secondary antibodies, fluorescence was detected using confocal microscopy with dual emission protocols. Specific fluorescence was detected both in whole mount preparations and neuron cultures, in association with the primary antibodies. Specific fluorescence associated with either ET(A)and ET(B)receptors was colocalized with that for PGP 9.5. Despite the presence of ET(A)and ET(B)receptors on airway nerves, ET-1 failed to significantly alter cholinergic, excitatory or inhibitory non-adrenergic-non-cholinergic nerve-mediated responses in guinea-pig airways. This is in sharp contrast to ET-1-induced potentiation of responses to cholinergic nerve-evoked contraction in rat trachea. Thus, although ET(A)and ET(B)receptors exist in airway cholinergic neurons in whole mount preparations and in primary neuron cultures from rat and guinea-pig trachea, the influence of these receptors on contractile function appears to be species-dependent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, 6907, Australia.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: D'Aprile
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Spalding
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Pudney
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Goldie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D001980:Bronchi / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism; D005453:Fluorescence; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism; D014132:Trachea / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017466:Receptors, Endothelin