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Plasticity of autonomic nerves: Differential effects of long‐term guanethidine sympathectomy on the sensory innervation of the rat uterus during maturation
Author(s) -
Brauer M.M.,
Lincoln J.,
Milner P.,
Sarner S.,
Blundell D.,
Passaro M.,
Corbacho A.,
Burnstock G.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/0736-5748(94)90065-5
Subject(s) - guanethidine , calcitonin gene related peptide , endocrinology , medicine , sympathectomy , substance p , calcitonin , denervation , uterine horns , uterus , ganglionectomy , neuropeptide , receptor , stimulation , pathology , alternative medicine
The sensory nerves, containing substance P and calcitonin gene‐related peptide, and noradrenaline‐containing sympathetic nerves of the rat uterus were analyzed following long‐term sympathectomy with guanethidine in prepubertal (four weeks), young adult (eight weeks) and fully adult animals (18 weeks). Immunohistochemical and histochemical methods were used in association with nerve density measurements and biochemical assays. The main findings were as follows: (1) long‐term guanethidine treatment completely abolished the noradrenergic innervation of the uterine horn and parametrial tissue and markedly reduced the tissue levels of noradrenaline in both regions at the three ages analysed; (2) in the uterine hom guanethidine treatment had no effect on the tissue levels of either calcitonin gene‐related peptide or substance P or on the density of calcitonin gene‐related peptide‐containing nerves, at any of the three ages studied; (3) in the parametrial tissue increased levels of calcitonin gene‐related peptide were observed at 8 and 18 weeks of age, together with a significant increase in the density of calcitonin gene‐related peptide‐containing nerves. Substance P levels showed a transient increase in this tissue at eight weeks. In conclusion, long‐term sympathectomy with guanethidine resulted in an increase in calcitonin gene‐related peptide and substance P in sensory nerves in the parametrial tissue, but not in the uterine horn. The changes in the parametrial tissue only occurred after puberty. It is suggested that sensory nerves in the uterine horn may be less responsive to sympathetic denervation since loss of sympathetic nerves occurs as part of a normal physiological process during pregnancy in this region.