Summary
The occurrence and distribution of nerve fibres containing gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) were investigated in the respiratory tract of several mammals using immunocytochemistry. A moderate supply of nerve fibres displaying GRP immunoreactivity was seen in the middle ear mucosa, the nasal mucosa and the tracheobronchial wall. Generally, the fibres were distributed around blood vessels and seromucous glands. In addition, scattered GRP fibres were seen in the smooth muscle of the tracheal wall. The distribution of GRP fibres in the respiratory tract suggests multiple functions of GRP such as regulation of local blood flow, glandular secretion and smooth muscle activity.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Anastasi A, Erspamer V, Bucci M (1971) Isolation and structure of bombesin and alytesin, two analogous active peptides from the skin of the European amphibians, Bombina and Alytes. Experientia 27: 166–167
Änggård A (1974) The effects of parasympathetic nerve stimulation on the microcirculation and secretion in the nasal mucosa of the cat. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 78: 98–105
Brown M, Allen R, Villarreal J, Rivier J, Vale W (1978) Bombesin-like activity: radioimmunologic assessment in biological tissues. Life Sci 23: 2721–2728
Coburn RF, Tomita T (1973) Evidence for nonadrenergic inhibitory nerves in the guinea pig trachealis muscle. Am J Physiol 224: 1072–1080
Coons AH, Leduc EH, Connolly JM (1955) Studies on antibody production. I. A method for the histochemical demonstration of specific antibody and its application to a study of the hyperimmune rabbit. J Exp Med 102: 49–55
Costa M, Buffa R, Furness JB, Solcia E (1980) Immunohistochemical localization of polypeptides in peripheral autonomic nerves using whole mount preparations. Histochemistry 65: 157–165
Deschodt-Lanckman M, Robberecht P, De Neef P, Lammens M, Christophe J (1976) In vitro action of bombesin and bombesin-like peptides on amylase secretion, calcium efflux, and adenylate cyclase activity in the rat pancreas. J Clin Invest 58: 891–898
Dockray GJ, Vaillant C, Walsh JH (1979) The neuronal origin of bombesin-like immuno-reactivity in the rat gastrointestinal tract. Neuroscience 4: 1561–1568
Erspamer V, Melchiorri P (1973) Active polypeptides of the amphibian skin and their synthetic analogues. Pure Appl Chem 35: 463–494
Erspamer V, Melchiorri P (1975) Actions of bombesin on secretions and motility of the gastrointestinal tract. In: Thompson JC (ed) Gastrointestinal hormones. University of Texas Press, Austin and London, pp 575–589
Erspamer V, Melchiorri P, Broccardo M, Falconieri Erspamer G, Falaschi P, Improta G, Negri L, Renda T (1981) The brain-gut-skin triangle: New peptides. Peptides (Suppl 2) 2: 7–16
Ghatei MA, Jung RT, Stevenson JC, Hillyard CJ, Adrian TE, Lee YC, Christofides ND, Sarson DL, Mashiter K, MacIntyre I, Bloom SR (1982) Bombesin: Action on gut hormones and calcium in man. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 54: 980–985
Impicciatore M, Bertaccini G (1973) The bronchoconstrictor action of the tetradecapeptide bombesin in the guinea-pig. J Pharm Pharmacol 25: 872–875
Leander S, Ekman R, Uddman R, Sundler F, Håkanson R (1984) Neuronal cholecystokinin, gastrin-releasing peptide, neurotensin and β-endorphin in guinea-pig intestine. Distribution and possible motor functions. Cell Tissue Res (in press)
Malm L, Uddman R, Sundler F (1980) Effects of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) on resistance and capacitance vessels in the nasal mucosa. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 90: 304–308
Matsuzaki Y, Hamasaki Y, Said SI (1980) Vasoactive intestinal peptide: A possible transmitter of nonadrenergic relaxation of guinea pig airways. Science 210: 1252–1253
McDonald TJ, Jörnvall H, Nilsson G, Vagne M, Ghatei M, Bloom SR, Mutt V (1979) Characterization of a gastrin releasing peptide from non-antral gastric tissue. Biochem Biophys Res Comm 90: 227–233
McDonald TJ, Ghatei MA, Bloom SR, Track NS, Radziuk J, Dupre J, Mutt V (1981) A qualitative comparison of canine plasma gastroenteropancreatic hormone responses to bombesin and the porcine gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP). Regul Pept 2: 293–304
Moghimzadeh E, Ekman R, Håkanson R, Sundler F (1983) Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP)-containing nerve fibers in the mammalian gut and pancreas. Neuroscience (in press)
Nilsson G, Dahlberg K, Brodin E, Sundler F, Strandberg K (1977) Distribution and constrictor effect of substance P in guinea pig tracheobronchial tissue. In: von Euler US, Pernow B (eds) Substance P. Raven Press, New York, pp 75–81
Piper PJ, Said SI, Vane JR (1970) Effects on smooth muscle preparations of unidentified vasoactive peptides from intestine and lung. Nature 225: 1144–1146
Sternberger LA (1979) Immunocytochemistry. 2nd ed. John Wiley & Sons, New York, Toronto
Uddman R, Malm L, Sundler F (1980) The origin of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) nerves in the feline nasal mucosa. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 89: 152–156
Uddman R, Malm L, Sundler F (1981) Peptide containing nerves in the nasal mucosa. Rhinology 19: 75–79
Yanaihara N, Yanaihara C, Mochizuki T, Iwahara K, Fujita T, Iwanaga T (1981) Immunoreactive GRP. Peptides (Suppl 2) 2: 185–192
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Uddman, R., Moghimzadeh, E. & Sundler, F. Occurrence and distribution of GRP-immunoreactive nerve fibres in the respiratory tract. Arch Otorhinolaryngol 239, 145–151 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00463555
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00463555