vasoactive-intestinal-peptide and Cicatrix

The authors studied the presence of substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and their related fibers in the lower uterine segment (LUS) in 133 women undergoing cesarean sections (CS) during active labor. These were divided into 2 groups: women undergoing repeat or first CSs. Specimens were collected from the LUS and were evaluated by light microscopy and by immunohistochemistry, for the morphometrical quantification of the SP and VIP fibers in the LUS. The SP amount was higher in the post-CS scar, while the VIP amount decreased: nerve fibers contained an SP amount of up to 13 ± 2.6C.U., while nerve fibers contained a VIP amount of up to 7 ± 1.9 C.U. The SP amount counts 10 ± 1.5% of the total Bodian fibers, and the ratio of the VIP is 10 ± 1.8% of their total amount. In normal conditions only 6.61 C.U. of the Bodian surface is occupied by SP related nerve fibers in contrast to 6.63 C.U. of the total surface by VIP; the amount of SP increased up to 13 ± 2.6C.U., while it decreased in the LUS previous scars. The SP levels are higher in repeat CS, while the VIP levels are reduced in the LUS. The increase of SP is probably linked to the attempt to achieve cervical ripening in a post-CS LUS, with the possible consequences of dystocia during vaginal birth after CS. Nevertheless, the decrease of VIP probably affects the relaxation of the internal uterine orifice, compromising the LUS formation and cervical ripening.

Topics: Cervical Ripening; Cesarean Section; Cesarean Section, Repeat; Cicatrix; Female; Humans; Nerve Fibers; Pregnancy; Substance P; Uterus; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide

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