title: Distribution of substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide in the spinal cord of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels affected by symptomatic syringomyelia.
abstract: The causes of clinical signs associated with syringomyelia in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS) are incompletely understood. In this study we compared expression of two pain-related neuropeptides: substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), in the spinal cord dorsal horn of normal dogs with that in CKCS with and without clinical signs of syringomyelia. There was a decrease in expression of both peptides in CKCS with 'symptomatic' syringomyelia that was also associated with significant asymmetry in SP-I and similar, though non-significant, asymmetry in CGRP-I compared with other groups. The asymmetric distribution of these pain-related peptides may be a consequence of syrinx-associated damage to grey matter but may also play a role in generation of pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK.
authors.forename: Hilary Zhaoxu
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rusbridge
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Constantino-Casas
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jeffery
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D013373:Substance P; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide