Secretoneurin in the peripheral ocular innervation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether secretoneurin represents a sensory neuropeptide innervating the anterior segment of the eye.


METHODS
The presence and distribution of secretoneurin was investigated in human eyes by radioimmunoassay and immunofluorescence and compared with that of the rat eye. The source of secretoneurin-positive nerves in the eye was established by measuring the concentration in eye tissues, the trigeminal and superior cervical ganglia both in control rats and in rats treated with capsaicin, and by performing immunofluorescence in one rat subjected to sympathectomy. In the rat trigeminal ganglion, the corresponding mRNA was verified by in situ hybridization and the processing of secretogranin II into secretoneurin by gel filtration chromatography.


RESULTS
In human eyes, the highest levels of the peptide were found in the choroid. Nerve fibers were visualized in both species in the upper corneal and limbal stroma; in the trabecular meshwork; in the ciliary muscle, the ciliary body stroma, and processes; and in clear association with the dilator muscle, which disappeared after sympathetic denervation in rats; and also innervating the sphincter muscle in the iris and the choroidal stroma and surrounding blood vessels. Significant amounts of secretoneurin were present in the rat trigeminal ganglion and rat eye tissues. Capsaicin pretreatment led to a 57.0% +/- 4.3% and 59.1% +/- 11.9% decrease of the concentration in the trigeminal ganglion and the iris/ciliary body complex, respectively. Despite high levels in the rat superior cervical ganglion, sympathetic denervation failed to lower the concentration in eye tissues. The secretogranin II probe labeled numerous small-sized ganglion cells within the rat trigeminal ganglion, and the precursor of the peptide was found to become completely processed into secretoneurin.


CONCLUSIONS
Apart from the sympathetically innervated dilator muscle, there is unequivocal evidence that secretoneurin represents a constituent of capsaicin-sensitive sensory neurons in the rat trigeminal ganglion and of unmyelinated C-fibers in the rat iris/ciliary body complex, which indicates a participation of this peptide in the ocular irritative response, a model for neurogenic inflammation in lower mammals. Because of the association of nerves with blood vessels and potent angiogenic properties, secretoneurin may be involved in neovascularization processes.
Troger
Josef
J
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. josef.troger@uibk.ac.at
Doblinger
Alfred
A
Leierer
Johannes
J
Laslop
Andrea
A
Schmid
Eduard
E
Teuchner
Barbara
B
Opatril
Markus
M
Philipp
Wolfgang
W
Klimaschewski
Lars
L
Pfaller
Kristian
K
Göttinger
Wolfgang
W
Fischer-Colbrie
Reiner
R
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000294:innervation*; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D053381:Secretogranin II; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013562:Sympathectomy; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
D009479:Neuropeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053381:Secretogranin II; C081159:secretoneurin; D002211:Capsaicin