title: Role of galanin receptor 1 in peristaltic activity in the guinea pig ileum.
abstract: Galanin effects are mediated by distinct receptors, galanin receptor 1 (GAL-R1), GAL-R2 and GAL-R3. Here, we analyzed 1) the role of GAL-R1 in cholinergic transmission and peristalsis in the guinea-pig ileum using longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus preparations and intact segments of the ileum in organ bath, and 2) the distribution of GAL-R1 immunoreactivity in the myenteric plexus with immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. Galanin inhibited electrically stimulated contractions of longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus preparations with a biphasic curve. Desensitization with 1 microM galanin suppressed the high potency phase of the curve, whereas the GAL-R1 antagonist, RWJ-57408 (1 microM), inhibited the low potency phase. Galanin (3 microM) reduced the longitudinal muscle contraction and the peak pressure, and decreased the compliance of the circular muscle. All these effects were antagonized by RWJ-57408 (1 or 10 microM). RWJ-57408 (10 microM) per se did not affect peristalsis parameters in normal conditions, nor when peristalsis efficiency was reduced by partial nicotinic transmission blockade with hexamethonium. In the myenteric plexus, GAL-R1 immunoreactivity was localized to neurons and to fibers projecting within the plexus and to the muscle. GAL-R1 was expressed mostly by cholinergic neurons and by some neurons containing vasoactive intestinal polypeptide or nitric oxide synthase. This study indicates that galanin inhibits cholinergic transmission to the longitudinal muscle via two separate receptors; GAL-R1 mediates the low potency phase. The reduced peristalsis efficiency could be explained by inhibition of the cholinergic drive, whereas the decreased compliance is probably due to inhibition of descending neurons and/or to the activation of an excitatory muscular receptor. Endogenous galanin does not appear to affect neuronal pathways subserving peristalsis in physiologic conditions via GAL-R1.
authors.affiliation: CURE Digestive Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Division, Veterans Administration Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA. csternin@ucla.edu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sternini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Anselmi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guerrini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cervio
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Balestra
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vicini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baiardi
authors.forename: G-L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: D'agostino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonini
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D019004:Galanin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007082:Ileum / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010528:Peristalsis / Q000502:physiology*; D044091:Receptor, Galanin, Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D044091:Receptor, Galanin, Type 1; D019004:Galanin; D000109:Acetylcholine