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The occurrence of the neuropeptides vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in ankle joints and dorsal root ganglia (L2-L6) was analyzed in normal and arthritic Lewis rats. In addition the effect of capsaicin pretreatment was investigated. The study included 92 rats consisting of 4 groups, 23 rats in each; normal rats, normal rats given capsaicin, arthritic rats and arthritic rats pretreated with capsaicin. The localization of the neuropeptides was assessed by immunohistochemistry and the tissue concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). In the arthritic rats, there was a slight increase in NPY immunoreactive nerve fibres in the ankle joint synovium and bone marrow, as compared to normal rats. Notably, there was an intense fluorescence and significant increase (p < 0.01, 41%) in the number of NPY-positive megakaryocytes in the tibial bone marrow of arthritic rats. RIA showed that the concentration of NPY-like immunoreactivity (LI) was increased by 50% in the ankle joint. Pretreatment with capsaicin did not affect the increased level of NPY-LI in the ankle joint of arthritic rats. The concentration of NPY-LI in the dorsal root ganglia was not altered in arthritic rats, nor was it affected by the capsaicin treatment. No NPY immunoreactive cells could be detected in the dorsal root ganglia. The number of VIP immunoreactive nerve fibres observed in ankle joints of arthritic and normal rats did not differ. However, RIA measurements showed an 11% increase in the VIP concentration in arthritic rats, which was unaffected by capsaicin treatment. In dorsal root ganglia, RIA disclosed a 21% increase in VIP-LI, although no VIP-positive cells could be detected. Capsaicin treatment did not affect the increased concentration of VIP-LI in the dorsal root ganglia.
M Ahmed, and
A Bjurholm, and
E Theodorsson, and
M Schultzberg, and
A Kreicbergs
April 1989,
Cell and tissue research,
M Ahmed, and
A Bjurholm, and
E Theodorsson, and
M Schultzberg, and
A Kreicbergs
August 1989,
Brain research,
M Ahmed, and
A Bjurholm, and
E Theodorsson, and
M Schultzberg, and
A Kreicbergs
January 1995,
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews,
M Ahmed, and
A Bjurholm, and
E Theodorsson, and
M Schultzberg, and
A Kreicbergs
January 1981,
Cell and tissue research,
M Ahmed, and
A Bjurholm, and
E Theodorsson, and
M Schultzberg, and
A Kreicbergs
July 1979,
Life sciences,
M Ahmed, and
A Bjurholm, and
E Theodorsson, and
M Schultzberg, and
A Kreicbergs
March 1990,
Neuroscience letters,
M Ahmed, and
A Bjurholm, and
E Theodorsson, and
M Schultzberg, and
A Kreicbergs
May 1987,
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America,
M Ahmed, and
A Bjurholm, and
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M Schultzberg, and
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July 1996,
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M Ahmed, and
A Bjurholm, and
E Theodorsson, and
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January 1986,
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M Ahmed, and
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E Theodorsson, and
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