Summary
The involvement of substance P (SP) in the antidromic vasodilation, neurogenic plasma extravasation and disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier has been investigated in the rabbit eye. The distribution, inactivation and effects of exogenous SP in the anterior uvea after injection into the anterior chamber were studied and the results were compared with data obtained on endogenous SP. About 2% of intracamerally injected 125I-tyr-8-SP was recovered from the ciliary processes. Out of this 1–3% was found to be biologically active. Thirteen to 24% of endogeneous SP in the anterior uvea was detected in the ciliary processes. Intracameral injection of 50–100 μg SP in indomethacin pretreated rabbits had practically no effect on ocular blood flow, capillary permeability to Evans blue or the bloodaqueous barrier. Continuous infusion of 0.8–4.0 μg/min SP for 30 min into the common carotid artery had no significant effect on capillary permeability or the blood-aqueous barrier. In contrast to these findings, nociception accomplished with topical application of 1% neutral formaldehyde for 4 min in indomethacin pretreated rabbits induced a marked increase in blood flow in the anterior uvea plasma extravasation, disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier and an increase in the intraocular pressure. These effects could not be blocked by the SP antagonist analog (d-Pro2, d-Phe7, d-Trp9)-SP. The topical pulse treatment with formaldehyde, although inducing longlasting irritation, did not significantly decrease the amount of endogenous SP in the anterior uvea as studied 30–60 min after application of the irritant. It is concluded that in the rabbit anterior uvea, which is practically devoid of mast cells, it is questionable whether SP is causatively involved in the antidromic vasodilation, neurogenic plasma extravasation and disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier. The same may also be true for the nonhistaminergic part of the corresponding vascular responses in the skin.
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Stjernschantz, J., Sears, M. & Mishima, H. Role of substance P in the antidromic vasodilation, neurogenic plasma extravasation and disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier in the rabbit eye. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 321, 329–335 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00498522
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00498522