Browsing by Subject "Neuropeptides"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Bioinformatic and gene expression analysis of the somatostatin/cortistatin gene family in the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata).
    Campos Sánchez, Jose Carlos; Serna‑Duque, Jhon A.; Guardiola, Francisco A.; Cuesta, Alberto; Esteban Abad, María Ángeles; Biología Celular e Histología
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    Different putative neuromodulators are present in the nerves which distribute to the teleost skeletal muscle
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 1998) Radaelli, G.; Domeneghini, C.; Arrighi, S.; Mascarello, F.; Veggetti, A.
    The presence of putative neuromodulators in the nerve fibres was investigated in white skeletal muscle of two teleost fish not taxonomically correlated and showing different patterns of innervation (multiple versus focal innervation). Cryostat sections of epaxial, hypaxial and adductor mandibulae (AM) muscles of Sparus aurata and Anguilla anguilla were stained histochemically for reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase. Other sections were used for indirect immunohistochemistry (streptavidin-biotin and rhodamine immunofluorescence methods), employing antibodies specific for putative excitatory or inhibitory peptides, including CGRP, substance P, met-enkephalin, bombesin, and VIP. In addition, ultrastructural observations were performed in order to describe the morphology of the motor endplates. A strong immunoreactivity for CGRP and substance P was found in many nerve terminals. Met-enkephalin, bombesin and VIP immunoreactivities were less frequently observed. No immunoreactivity was observed to CCK, NPY or 5-HT. NADPH-diaphorase was identified in nerve fibres of the AM complex only of A. anguilla. Electron microscopy observations evidenced more than one type of synaptic vesicle in motor endplates. Some differences in putative neuromodulator distributions were observed in the two species and muscle complexes, which may be related to the different taxonomical position as well as the different pattern of innervation of white muscle fibres.
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    Distribution of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity in the brain of Salmo salar and Gambusia affinis
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 1992) García-Fernández, J.M.; Del Brío, M.A.; Cernuda-Cernuda, R.; Coto, A.; Riera, P.
    Through the imrnunohistochernical PAP technique, the distribution of irnrnune positive neurons and fibres for an antibody anti-NPY in the encephalon of salrnon fixed in Bouin have been located and studied. NPY-positive neurons are found forming three important nuclei: in the ventrolateral telencephalon; in the tegmentum mesencephali; and in the locus coemleus. Neurons in the optic tecturn, in the thalarnic region and a few in the preoptic recess have also been located. The fibres were found throughout the brain, with the exception of the cerebellurn, presenting a greater density in three regions: in the dorsal telencephalon; in the mesencephalon; and in the visceral lobes in the rhombencephalon. With the airn of proving if this distribution is found in other groups of teleosts, we processed, with the sarne technique, the advanced teleost Gambusia affinis, in order to compare it with the prirnitive teleost Salmo salar. The results show that in both fish this neuropeptide has the same pattem of distribution. The results also suggest that in fish this neuropeptide can be involved in severa1 functions of the central nervous systern, as has been dernonstrated for rnarnmals. The innervation of the visceral lobes and also the presence of NPY-fibres in the posterior hypothalarnus are anatornical supports of the studies which suggest that NPY is related to the control of the food intake.
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    Distribution of neuropeptide-containing nerve fibers in the salamander taste organs
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 1998) Kawakami, T.; Kusakabe, T.; Matsuda, H.; Hiruma, H.; Gono, Y.; Kurihara, K.; Takenaka, T.
    Salamander taste organs were recognized as oval cell clusters within the dorsal surface of the tongue. A moderate number of SP, CGRP, VIP, NPY, and GAL immunoreactive nerve fibers terminated in the cell clusters, and some of them penetrated into the basal half of the cell clusters. Around the glands, VIP, NPY, and GAL fihers were numerous, and SP and CGRP fibers were less numerous. Immunoreactivity of SOM and FMRF was not detected either in the nerve fibers associated with the cell clusters or those around the glands. These findings suggest that the chemosensory mechanisms of the salamander gustatory organs are under the control of peptidergic innervation. In addition, the present study indicates that the caudate taste organs are structurally primitive but functionally mature.
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    Neuropeptides, apoptosis and ion changes in prostate cancer. Methods of study and recent developments
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 2004) Vilches, J.; Salido, M.; Fernández-Segura, E.; Roomans, G.M.
    It has been suggested that neuroendocrine (NE) cells provide paracrine stimuli for the propagation of local carcinoma cells and that NE differentiation is associated with the progression of prostate cancer toward an androgen-independent state. Apoptosis comprises a critical intracellular defense mechanism against tumorigenic growth and is associated with a number of changes in the elemental content of the cell. The neuropeptides bombesin and calcitonin, which inhibit etoposide-induced apoptosis, also inhibit the etoposide-induced elemental changes in prostate carcinoma cells. This important fact strengthens the link between apoptosis and changes in the intracellular elemental content. This protective effect on etoposideinduced apoptosis appears to be quite similar in androgen-dependent and androgen-independent cell lines. This confirms that neuropeptides confer antiapoptotic capabilities on non-neuroendocrine cells in close proximity to neuroendocrine cells. It can therefore be speculated that certain neuroendocrine peptides can increase the survival and further growth of neighboring cells and may thereby contribute to the aggressive clinical course of prostate tumors containing neuroendocrine elements. In addition, this correlation provides an objective basis for the study of neuropeptide target points and may be helpful for alternative therapeutic protocols using neuropeptide inhibitors in the treatment of patients with advanced prostatic carcinoma. The culture techniques described were, thus, designed in order to achieve two important goals. First, the development of an in vitro model that allows an approach to neuroendocrine differentiation in prostate cancer and its role in apoptosis blockage. Second, the method has been designed in order to permit rapid cryofixation of intact cell monolayers for subsequent xray microanalysis.
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    Ontogenic attendance of neuropeptides in the embryo chicken retina
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 2003) Prada Oliveira, J. A.; Verastegui, C.; Gómez Luy, C.; Collantes Ruiz, J.
    We have examined the ontogeny of somatostatin-, Glucagon-, Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide-, Substance P-, Neuropeptide Y, and Calcitonin gene-related peptide-Iike structures in the chicken retina by immunocytochemistry. Neuroblastic cells containing Substance P-Iike immunoreactivity (IR) first appeared at embryonic day 5 in the peripheral portion of the retina. Somatostatin-like immunoreactivity was detected as early as embryonic day 11 in the innermost level of the inner neuroblastic layer. The distribution pattern of amacrine cells containing Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide-Iike immunoreactivity was similar to that for Neuropeptide Y- and Calcitonin generelated peptide-Iike immunoreactive cells. These three types of IR cell appeared at embryonic day 13. Glucagon-like immunoreactive cells first appeared in the retina at embryonic day 15, in the innermost part of the inner nuclear layer. From the 13th to 15th day of incubation, the number and intensity of Calcitonin generelated peptide-, Somatostatin-, Neuropeptide Y- and Substance P-Iike immunoreactive cells increased and then decreased progressively before hatching. Glucagon immunoreactive cells increased in number on the last day before hatching. After embryonic day 15, the amacrine cells containing Vasoactive intestinal peptide- Iike immunoreactivity decreased notably in number. Our study showed that development of these immunoreactive structures was different for each neuropeptide. These differences in development may reflect the diverse neurophysiological roles of these neuroactive peptides, which could act as neurotransmitters/neuromodulators at the chick retinal level. Their presence may indicate roles as neuronal differentiation or growth factors.
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    Peptidergic innervation in
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 1995) Kusakabe, T.; Tawakami, T.; Takenaka, T.
    The amphibian carotid labyrinth, which corresponds to the mammalian carotid body and carotid sinus, is innervated by nerve fibers containing substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), neuropeptide Y (NPY). FMRFamide (FMRF). and somatostatin (SOM). SP, CGRP, VIP, and NPY immunoreactive varicose fibers are more densely distributed in the peripheral portion of the carotid labyrinth than FMRF and SOM fibers. The time of appearance of SP, CGRP. and VIP is different for each. First CGRP fibers, then SP fibers appear at an early stage of larva1 development, and finally VIP fibres are detected at a later stage of larva1 development. Most SP fibres show coexistence with CGRP, and some SP fibres which show coexistence with NPY immunoreactivity are assumed to be continuous with those demonstrating VIP immunoreactivity. This indicates the possibility of coexistence of four different peptides in the same nerve fibers within the labyrinth. In various vasculatures of mammals, it has been shown that SP, CGRP, VIP, and NPY have a vasoactive nature in relation to the vascular smooth muscle cells. On this basis, it seems that the target of the peptidergic innervation in the amphibian carotid labyrinth is the smooth muscle cells which are abundantly distributed in the intervascular stroma. Accordingly, the peptidergic innervation may be involved in the vascular regulatory function of the labyrinth, although the possibility that these peptides participate in the chemoreception cannot be ruled out. In addition, the vascular regulatory function of the labyrinth may be modulated by the interaction of multiple neuropeptides.
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    The distribution of peptide-containing nerves in the synovia of the cat knee joint
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 1991) Abramobici, A.; Daizade, I.; Yosipovitch, Z.; Gibson, S.J.; Polak, J.M.
    Synovial capsule in cats is extensively innervated by a network with axonal diameter ranging from 0.6-3 pm according to its position and neuropeptide content. Nerve markers such as Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE) and Neurofilament triplet protein (NF) could be observed only when the axonal fibre attained a critical diameter of over the 3 pm limit. The relatively thick fibres (1-3 pm) show positive immunoieactivity for Substance P (SP), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP), and seldom coreact with NSE and NF. whereas, the thinnest fibres (0.6-0.8 pm) characterized to contain either Methionine or Leucine Enkephalin (M-Enk, L-Enk) did not coreact positively with axonal markers. We found that different anesthetics may effect variably the immunoreactivity of some neuropeptides (SP. L-Enk, 5-HT) while others (VIP, M-Enk) remained unaffected. Based on our data and the few reported ones in the pertinent literature, it is judged that urethane is the anesthetic of choice in experimental studies of neuropeptides. Our findings of isolated positive immunoreactive cell bodies to enkephalin in synovia might suggest the presence of intrinsic relay system, where the enkephalin acts as suppressor of SP and VIP release from the sunovium nerve terminals. Such a local inter-relationship between different neuropeptide systems might have a practical role on the understanding of the pathogenesis of different arthritic processes as well as therapeutic strategy in the future.