Neuropeptide Y: presence in sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation of the nasal mucosa

Abstract

The occurrence of neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI) in the sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation of the nasal mucosa was studied in various species including man. A dense network of NPY-immunoreactive (IR) fibres was present around arteries and arterioles in the nasal mucosa of all species studied. NPY was also located in nerves around seromucous glands in pig and guinea-pig, but not in rat, cat and man. The NPY-IR glandular innervation corresponded to about 20% of the NPY content of the nasal mucosa as revealed by remaining NPY content determined by radioimmunoassay after sympathectomy. These periglandular NPY-positive fibres had a distribution similar to the VIP-IR and PHI-IR nerves but not to the noradrenergic markers tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) or dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH). The NPY nerves around glands and some perivascular fibres were not influenced by sympathectomy and probably originated in the sphenopalatine ganglion where NPY-IR and VIP-IR ganglion cells were present. The venous sinusoids were innervated by NPY-positive fibres in all species except the cat. Dense NPY and DBH-positive innervation was seen around thick-walled vessels in the pig nasal mucosa; the latter may represent arterio-venous shunts. Double-labelling experiments using TH and DBH, and surgical sympathectomy revealed that the majority of NPY-IR fibres around blood vessels were probably noradrenergic. The NPY-positive perivascular nerves that remained after sympathectomy in the pig nasal mucosa also contained VIP/PHI-IR. The major nasal blood vessels, i.e. sphenopalatine artery and vein, were also densely innervated by NPY-IR fibres of sympathetic origin. Perivascular VIP-IR fibres were present around small arteries, arterioles, venous sinusoids and arterio-venous shunt vessels of the nasal mucosa whereas major nasal vessels received only single VIP-positive nerves. The trigeminal ganglion of the species studied contained only single TH-IR or VIP-IR but no NPY-positive ganglion cells. It is concluded that NPY in the nasal mucosa is mainly present in perivascular nerves of sympathetic origin. In some species, such as pig, glandular and perivascular parasympathetic nerves, probably of VIP/PHI nature, also contain NPY.

Intranasal administration of neuropeptide Y in man: systemic absorption and functional effects

“…Neuropeptide Y (NPY) coexists with noradrenaline (NA) in postganglionic perivascular sympathetic nerves in several organs, including the nasal mucosa in various species (Lundberg et al, 1982;Lacroix et al, 1990). NPY is released with NA from nasal sympathetic nerve fibres and produces long-lasting vasoconstriction in the nasal mucosa of the pig in vivo (Lacroix, 1989).…”

A Novel Model of Dexamethasone-Induced Hypertension: Use in Investigating the Role of Tyrosine Hydroxylase

“…As mentioned above, this could also be associated with a-MPT central effects. More importantly, HR maintenance could be due to opposing responses of the parasympathetic nervous system to reduced sympathetic activity (Dickson et al, 1981;Levy, 1984;Lacroix et al, 1990), in addition to potential cardiovascular supersensitivity to catecholamines that may occur immediately after a-MPT administration (Brus et al, 1970;Tripovic et al, 2010). In contrast, decreased HR upon DEX administration is probably a reflex central response to the elevated blood pressure.…”

An electron microscopic study of acetylcholinesterase-activity and vasoactive intestinal peptide- and neuropeptide Y-immunoreactivity of the intraepithelial nerve fibers in the nasal gland of the guinea pig.

“…Conversely, the dense intraepithelial supply of the ACNE-positive nerves to the intercalated duct implies that the epithelial cells in this duct possess some unknown but important cellular functions as suggested in the ejaculatory duct of the monkey (YOKOYAMA, 1989). VIP-or NPY-immunoreactive nerves have been often demonstrated in the accessory glands of the mammalian respiratory tract, including the nasal cavity, and are considered to play an important role in neural regulation of the glandular secretion (UDD-MAN et al, 1978, 1980, 1984DEY et al, 1981;HAKAN-SON et al, 1983;LAITINEN et al, 1985;BARNES, 1987;LUTS and SUNDLER, 1989 ;LARCOIX et al, 1990). There is little doubt that both VIP and NPY have certain effects on the secretory activity of the nasal gland in the guinea-pig.…”

“…Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), which is a potent vasodilator distributed extensively both in the central and peripheral nervous system, has been shown to be present in the nasal parasympathetic nerves of several mammals including man (UDDMAN et al, 1978;LUNDBERG et al, 1981;LUTS and SUNDLER, 1989), originating in the sphenopalatine ganglion (UDDMAN et al, 1980;LARCOIX et al, 1990). A potent vasoconstrictor, neuropeptide Y (NPY), which is well known to co-exist with noradrenaline in post ganglionic sympathetic nerves (see LUNDBERG and HOKFELT, 1986), has recently been shown to be localized in the nasal parasympathetic nerves of the pig and the guinea-pig (LARCoIx et al, 1990). After the perfusion fixation, the mucosa of the lower part of the nasal septum was removed, cut on an autochopper into sections of 100 um thickness and immersed for 8-12 h at 4C in the same fixative as used at the perfusion fixation.…”