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Cod CGRP and tachykinins in coeliac artery innervation of the Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua: presence and vasoactivity

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry volume 35, pages 369–376 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

The presence and vasoactive effects of native calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), and neurokinin A (NKA) were studied on isolated small branches of the coeliac artery from Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, using immunohistochemistry and myograph recordings, respectively. Immunohistochemistry revealed nerve fibers containing CGRP- and SP/NKA-like material running along the wall of the arteries. CGRP induced vasorelaxation of precontracted arteries with a pD2 value of 8.54 ± 0.17. Relaxation to CGRP (10−8 M) was unaffected by l-NAME (3 × 10−4 M) and indomethacin (10−6 M) suggesting no involvement of nitric oxide or prostaglandins in the CGRP-induced relaxation. SP and NKA (from 10−10 to 3 × 10−7 M) contracted the unstimulated arteries at concentrations from 10−8 M and above in 42% and 33%, respectively, of the vessels. It is concluded that the innervation of the cod celiac artery includes nerves expressing CGRP-like and tachykinin-like material, and that a vasodilatory response to CGRP is highly conserved amongst vertebrates while the response to tachykinins is more variable.

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Abbreviations

CGRP:

Calcitonin gene-related peptide

CY3:

Cyanine 3

DMSO:

Dimethyl sulfoxide

DTAF:

Dichlorotriazinylaminofluorescein

l-NAME:

NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester

NK1:

Neurokinin 1

NK2:

Neurokinin 2

NK3:

Neurokinin 3

NKA:

Neurokinin A

NKB:

Neurokinin B

NO:

Nitric oxide

PBS:

Phosphate buffered saline

SP:

Substance P

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Mrs. Christina Hagström for expert technical assistance. This work was supported by the Swedish Science Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoophysiology, Göteborg University, P.O. Box 463, 405 30, Goteborg, Sweden

    Fatemeh Shahbazi, Susanne Holmgren & Jörgen Jensen

Authors
  1. Fatemeh Shahbazi
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  2. Susanne Holmgren
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  3. Jörgen Jensen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fatemeh Shahbazi.

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Shahbazi, F., Holmgren, S. & Jensen, J. Cod CGRP and tachykinins in coeliac artery innervation of the Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua: presence and vasoactivity. Fish Physiol Biochem 35, 369–376 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-008-9257-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-008-9257-7

Keywords

  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In vitro pharmacology
  • NKA
  • Substance P
  • Teleost fish

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