neuropeptide-y and Cicatrix

To study the effect of experimentally induced osteoarthrosis, or non-inflammatory degenerative changes, on the innervation of the sheep temporomandibular joint (TMJ) through the use of indirect immunohistochemistry and image analysis quantification.. Bilateral condylar scarification was performed in 8 sheep, which were killed at 16 weeks post-operation; 3 unoperated sheep served as controls. Tissues from 8 osteoarthrotic joints and 4 control joints were processed for the immunostaining with antisera for protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5), substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). An additional 10 joints were decalcified to study the morphologic changes induced by the condylar abrasion.. Osteoarthrotic changes were commonly seen in the anterior and lateral regions of the joint and included fibrosis, peripheral osteophyte formation, cysts, and erosion of articular surfaces. In the osteoarthrotic joints, the distribution of PGP 9.5-, CGRP-, and SP-immunoreactive (IR) nerve fibers was similar to that observed for control joints in the capsule, synovium, and capsule/disc junction. There were statistically detectable decreases in the percent surface area of IR nerve fibers in the capsule for both PGP 9.5 and CGRP in arthrotic joints compared with control joints. The lateral and anterior regions of the capsule had greater density of PGP 9.5- and CGRP-IR nerve fibers than other parts of the capsule in both control and arthrotic joints, and the medial capsule was poorly innervated in all joints. Immunostaining for substance P was always weaker.. This study suggests that while inflammatory arthritis has a marked influence on the density of sensory and autonomic nerve fibers in synovium in a variety of joints in different species, experimentally induced non-inflammatory osteoarthrosis in the sheep TMJ also leads to a depletion of the density of nerve fibers in the capsule, especially in the lateral part of the joint. Further work is required to determine whether other parts of the joint, such as synovium and marrow, respond differently to experimentally induced osteoarthrosis.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Autonomic Nervous System; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Cicatrix; Cysts; Disease Models, Animal; Fibrosis; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Immunohistochemistry; Joint Capsule; Male; Mandibular Condyle; Nerve Fibers; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neurons, Afferent; Neuropeptide Y; Osteoarthritis; Sheep; Statistics, Nonparametric; Substance P; Synovial Membrane; Temporomandibular Joint; Temporomandibular Joint Disc; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders; Thiolester Hydrolases; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide

Specimens of hypertrophic scar tissue (n = 9), non-hypertrophic, flat scar tissue (n = 5) and control skin (n = 3) were obtained from eight adult females (aged 22-56) and three adult males (aged 22-59). The specimens were studied histologically and immunohistochemically for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, neuropeptide Y, calcitonin gene-related peptide, substance P, somatostatin, [Met]enkephalin, [Leu]enkephalin, and the enzyme dopamine beta-hydroxylase. The non-hypertrophic scar tissues were not dissimilar to the control tissue, but contained connective tissue in bundles with a greater number of collagen fibres. In the hypertrophic scar tissue of some patients, the dermis contained adipose tissue displaced upwards from the hypodermis. The connective tissue contained densely packed collagen fibres and fibroblasts; this region was devoid of hair follicles, sweat glands and blood vessels, although they were observed in the region of loosely packed connective tissue. The normal skin contained all the neuropeptides studied, except somatostatin-, and dopamine beta-hydroxylase-immunoreactive nerves, which were seen as single fibres or in nerve bundles, and were associated with blood vessels in the dermis. Neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive nerves were found in the arrector pili muscle, and neuropeptide Y-, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-, calcitonin gene-related peptide-, [Met]enkephalin- and dopamine beta-hydroxylase-containing nerves were found within sweat glands. In patients with flat, non-hypertrophic scar tissue, neuropeptides and dopamine beta-hydroxylase-containing nerves were absent. In patients with hypertrophic scars, the density of neuropeptide Y-, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-, substance P-, calcitonin gene-related peptide- and dopamine beta-hydroxylase-immunoreactive nerves was greater in the dermis when compared with controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Adult; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Cicatrix; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neuropeptide Y; Neuropeptides; Skin; Substance P