title: Adventitial neuronal somata.
abstract: Confocal analysis of the whole-mount rat mesenteric branch arteries (MBA) revealed nucleated structures with axonal processes which immunostained for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Immunocytochemistry ruled out the possibility that these were immune elements (macrophages and mast or dendritic cells) in close proximity with nerve fibers. To test our hypothesis that beta-CGRP is expressed in the rat MBA, we performed RT-PCR using total RNA isolated from the mesenteric artery arcade and intron spanning primers designed to amplify 188 bp of the beta-CGRP and 333 bp of alpha-CGRP cDNA. The PCR yielded an amplicon of the predicted size which was cloned into the pCR 3.1 vector. DNA sequence analysis of the insert showed 100% homology with the beta-CGRP cDNA, indicating that mRNA encoding beta-CGRP is expressed in the vessel. To learn whether neuronal cell bodies are located in the adventitia of MBA, we performed a limited collagenase digestion of isolated segments and plated the resulting cells in Ham's F12 medium with 10% horse serum on polyornithine-coated cover glasses. The medium was replaced after 48 h with Ham's F12 nutrient mixture containing N2 supplement. This resulted in a mixed population of fibroblasts, a small number of smooth muscle cells and a subset of cells that sprouted axons and immunostained positively for neuronal cell adhesion molecule and CGRP antigens. Fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells did not label with these antibodies. These data demonstrate, for the first time, that a population of adventitial neuronal somata (termed ANNIES), possibly of sensory nerve origin, is located in small mesenteric arteries.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Disease Research Program, Biomedical Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA. csomasundaram@nccu.edu
authors.forename: Chandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Somasundaram
authors.forename: Debra I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Diz
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Bukoski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000032:analysis; D001483:Base Sequence; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D048430:Cell Shape; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003239:Connective Tissue Cells / Q000737:chemistry*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000737:chemistry*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D000098902:CD163 Antigen
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D000098902:CD163 Antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C036763:monocyte-macrophage differentiation antigen; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide