Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Volume 165, Number 8, April 2002, 1071-1075

Expression of Tachykinins in Nonnociceptive Vagal Afferent Neurons during Respiratory Viral Infection in Guinea Pigs

Michael J. Carr, Dawn D. Hunter, David B. Jacoby, and Bradley J. Undem

The Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center; and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland

Immunohistochemistry was combined with retrograde labeling to characterize the effect of respiratory infection with Sendai virus on the number of Substance P/Neurokinin A-containing vagal afferent neurons whose cell bodies resided in the nodose ganglia and whose receptive fields were located in guinea pig trachea. Of the neurons labeled from the trachea of vehicle-inoculated guinea pigs, few stained positively for Substance P/Neurokinin A (~ 3% of total labeled neurons). These neurons had small diameter cell bodies (mode = 16-20 µm), a feature of nociceptive-like C-fibers. Viral infection (Day 4 after inoculation) was associated with a significantly greater number of labeled neurons containing Substance P/Neurokinin A (~ 20% of total labeled neurons). The majority of these had a relatively large cell body diameter (mode = 36- 40 µm), a feature of nonnociceptive afferent neurons. This induction appeared to be reversible as there were significantly fewer Substance P/Neurokinin A positive neurons in nodose ganglia from virus-inoculated guinea pigs at Day 28 after inoculation, a time point when virus-induced airway inflammation had all but resolved. These findings support the hypothesis that viral infection leads to a qualitative change in the vagal afferent innervation of guinea pig airways such that both small diameter nociceptive-like neurons and large diameter nonnociceptive neurons express tachykinins.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. M. Reynolds, R. Docherty, J. Robbins, D. Spina, and C. P. Page Adenosine induces a cholinergic tracheal reflex contraction in guinea pigs in vivo via an adenosine A1 receptor-dependent mechanism J Appl Physiol, July 1, 2008; 105(1): 187 - 196. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L.P.A. McGarvey, L. Polley, and J. MacMahon Review Series: Chronic cough: Common causes and current guidelines Chronic Respiratory Disease, November 1, 2007; 4(4): 215 - 223. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Chung Review Series: Chronic cough: Future directions in chronic cough: mechanisms and antitussives Chronic Respiratory Disease, August 1, 2007; 4(3): 159 - 165. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. Taylor-Clark and B. J. Undem Transduction mechanisms in airway sensory nerves J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2006; 101(3): 950 - 959. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. J. Undem and M. Kollarik The Role of Vagal Afferent Nerves in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Proceedings of the ATS, November 1, 2005; 2(4): 355 - 360. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. R. Wilfong and R. D. Dey Nerve Growth Factor and Substance P Regulation in Nasal Sensory Neurons after Toluene Diisocyanate Exposure Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., June 1, 2004; 30(6): 793 - 800. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. J. Undem, B. Chuaychoo, M.-G. Lee, D. Weinreich, A. C. Myers, and M. Kollarik Subtypes of vagal afferent C-fibres in guinea-pig lungs J. Physiol., May 1, 2004; 556(3): 905 - 917. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. P. Joad, P. A. Munch, J. M. Bric, S. J. Evans, K. E. Pinkerton, C.-Y. Chen, and A. C. Bonham Passive Smoke Effects on Cough and Airways in Young Guinea Pigs: Role of Brainstem Substance P Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., February 15, 2004; 169(4): 499 - 504. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. B. Jacoby Airway Neural Plasticity: The Nerves They Are A-Changin' Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., February 1, 2003; 28(2): 138 - 141. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Tobin Asthma, Airway Biology, and Nasal Disorders in AJRCCM 2002 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., February 1, 2003; 167(3): 319 - 332. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. N. Browning and D. Mendelowitz Musings on the Wanderer: What's New in Our Understanding of Vago-Vagal Reflexes?: II. Integration of afferent signaling from the viscera by the nodose ganglia Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, January 1, 2003; 284(1): G8 - G14. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. P. Lamb and M. P. Sparrow Three-Dimensional Mapping of Sensory Innervation with Substance P in Porcine Bronchial Mucosa: Comparison with Human Airways Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., November 1, 2002; 166(9): 1269 - 1281. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. D. Fryer and D. B. Jacoby Plasticity of cholinergic and tachykinergic nerves: the convergence of the twain Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, November 1, 2002; 283(5): L907 - L908. [Full Text] [PDF]