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The transmission assessment survey (TAS) is recommended to determine whether cessation of mass drug administration (MDA) for lymphatic filariasis (LF) is warranted. Ministries of health typically implement TASs in evaluation units (EUs) that have had more than five rounds of annual MDA. Under TAS guidelines, sample size calculations determine a decision value: if the number of individuals testing positive exceeds this threshold, then MDA continues in the EU. The objective of this study was to determine whether fine scale geospatial covariates could be used to identify predictors of TAS failure. We geo-referenced 746 TAS EUs, of which 65 failed and extracted geospatial covariates using R to estimate odds of failure. We implemented stepwise backward elimination to select covariates for inclusion in a logistic regression to estimate the odds of TAS failure. Covariates included environmental predictors (aridity, distance to fresh water, elevation, and enhanced vegetation index), cumulative rounds of MDA, measures of urbanicity and access, LF species, and baseline prevalence. Presence of Brugia was significantly associated with TAS failure (odds ratio [OR]: 4.79, 95% CI: 2.52–9.07), as was population density (OR: 2.91, 95% CI: 1.06–7.98). The presence of nighttime lights was highly protective against failure (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.10–0.50), as was an increase in elevation (OR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.18–0.732). This work identifies predictors associated with TAS failure at the EU areal level, given the data presently available, and also identifies the need for more granular data to conduct a more robust assessment of these predictors.

In Hungarian, the focused subject of the infinitival complement of a subject-control verb appears as a pronoun or lexical DP in nominative case. I propose that this nominative form realizes PRO at PF, but does not exist at Syntax, where PRO is caseless. PRO is overtly realized by postsyntactic copying of the phi-feature of case (and other material) from the controlling nominative matrix subject.

In this revised account of Hungarian verbal agreement, I propose that the language’s locus of subject agreement is not T, unlike in current Minimalist analyses, but Pred (or Asp), just above direct object agreement in v. Furthermore, the surface linear order of affixes (stem – tense/mood – object agreement – subject agreement) does not conform to the hierarchical order of syntactic heads (V < v < Pred < T/M), thus violating the Mirror Principle, because local dislocation in postsyntactic morphology adjusts the initial linearization of the heads.

Voltage-gated sodium channels play a key role in the transmission of sensory information about the status of organs in the periphery. Sensory fibers contain a heterogeneous yet specific distribution of voltage-gated sodium channel isoforms. Major efforts by industry and academic groups are underway to develop medicines that interrupt inappropriate signaling for a number of clinical indications by taking advantage of this specific distribution of channel isoforms. This review highlights recent advances in the study of human channelopathies, animal toxins and channel structure that may facilitate the development of selective voltage-gated sodium channel blockers.

The nature of protease-activated receptors (PARs) capable of activating respiratory vagal C-fibres in the mouse was investigated. Infusing thrombin or trypsin via the trachea strongly activated vagal lung C-fibres with action potential discharge, recorded with the extracellular electrode positioned in the vagal sensory ganglion. The intensity of activation was similar to that observed with the TRPV1 agonist, capsaicin. This was mimicked by the PAR1-activating peptide TFLLR-NH2, whereas the PAR2-activating peptide SLIGRL-NH2 was without effect. Patch clamp recording on cell bodies of capsaicin-sensitive neurons retrogradely labelled from the lungs revealed that TFLLR-NH2 consistently evokes a large inward current. RT-PCR revealed all four PARs were expressed in the vagal ganglia. However, when RT-PCR was carried out on individual neurons retrogradely labelled from the lungs it was noted that TRPV1-positive neurons (presumed C-fibre neurons) expressed PAR1 and PAR3, whereas PAR2 and PAR4 were rarely expressed. The C-fibres in mouse lungs isolated from PAR1−/− animals responded normally to capsaicin, but failed to respond to trypsin, thrombin, or TFLLR-NH2. These data show that the PAR most relevant for evoking action potential discharge in vagal C-fibres in mouse lungs is PAR1, and that this is a direct neuronal effect.

The lungs and esophagus are innervated by sensory neurons with somata in the nodose, jugular, and dorsal root ganglion. These sensory ganglia are derived from embryonic placode (nodose) and neural crest tissues (jugular and dorsal root ganglia; DRG). We addressed the hypothesis that the neuron's embryonic origin (e.g., placode vs. neural crest) plays a greater role in determining particular aspects of its phenotype than the environment in which it innervates (e.g., lungs vs. esophagus). This hypothesis was tested using a combination of extracellular and patch-clamp electrophysiology and single-cell RT-PCR from guinea pig neurons. Nodose, but not jugular C-fibers innervating the lungs and esophagus, responded to alpha,beta-methylene ATP with action potential discharge that was sensitive to the P2X3 (P2X2/3) selective receptor antagonist A-317491. The somata of lung- and esophagus-specific sensory fibers were identified using retrograde tracing with a fluorescent dye. Esophageal- and lung-traced neurons from placodal tissue (nodose neurons) responded similarly to alpha,beta-methylene ATP (30 microM) with a large sustained inward current, whereas in neurons derived from neural crest tissue (jugular and DRG neurons), the same dose of alpha,beta-methylene ATP resulted in only a transient rapidly inactivating current or no detectable current. It has been shown previously that only activation of P2X2/3 heteromeric receptors produce sustained currents, whereas homomeric P2X3 receptor activation produces a rapidly inactivating current. Consistent with this, single-cell RT-PCR analysis revealed that the nodose ganglion neurons innervating the lungs and esophagus expressed mRNA for P2X2 and P2X3 subunits, whereas the vast majority of jugular and dorsal root ganglia innervating these tissues expressed only P2X3 mRNA with little to no P2X2 mRNA expression. We conclude that the responsiveness of C-fibers innervating the lungs and esophagus to ATP and other purinergic agonists is determined more by their embryonic origin than by the environment of the tissue they ultimately innervate.

In autonomic ganglia, acetylcholine (ACh) is released from preganglionic nerve terminals and binds to nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs) on postganglionic neurons, resulting in a brief, short-lived synaptic potential (fast excitatory postsynaptic potential [fEPSP]). Although nerve growth factor (NGF) is known to affect sensory and sympathetic nerves, especially during development, little is known regarding its effect on parasympathetic nerves, especially on adult neurons. Elevated levels of NGF and NGF-mediated neural plasticity may have a role in airway diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In this study, we characterize the composition and response of nAChRs in parasympathetic neurons located in lower airways of mice, and note the effects of NGF on fEPSPs and on nicotinic currents. Based on immunohistochemical staining, nAChRs are made up of α-3 and β-4 subunits; in addition, tropomyosin-related kinase A, the receptor for NGF, is also expressed by the neurons. Vagus nerve evoked fEPSPs and inward currents evoked by a nicotinic receptor agonist (1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium) were increased by NGF. NGF also affected the action potential after hyperpolarization. These studies were done in mice, which are routinely used to study airway diseases, such as asthma, where the allergen-induced contraction of airway smooth muscle has a well-defined parasympathetic cholinergic component.

We have investigated olfactory-mediated pre-ingestive behavior in leptin (ob/ob) and leptin receptor (db/db) mutant mice compared to age- and gender-matched wild-type (wt) mice. Olfactory-mediated behavior was tested using a buried food paradigm 5 times/day at 2-h intervals for 6 days. Mean food-finding times of ob/ob and db/db mice were approximately 10 times shorter than those of wt mice. To test the effect of leptin replacement in ob/ob mice, leptin (1 or 5 microg/g body weight in sterile saline) or carrier was injected i.p. once daily prior to testing. Mean food finding times in ob/ob mice injected with carrier or with 1 microg/g leptin were similar and were 2-3 times faster than in wt mice. Mean food finding times in ob/ob mice injected with 5 microg/g leptin tripled compared to carrier-injected ob/ob mice and were of the same order of magnitude as those of wt mice, suggesting functional leptin replacement. A 3-factor repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated significant differences between the 6 cohorts (P = 0.0001), food finding times (P< or = 0.0001), and cohort by day interaction (P< or = 0.0001). Post hoc tests suggested that the ob/ob+5 mug/g leptin cohort performed more like the wt cohort in the food-finding test than like the ob/ob or ob/ob+carrier cohort. Potential local sites of leptin production and action were identified with immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization in epithelial and gland cells of the olfactory and nasal mucosae. Our results strongly suggest that leptin acting through leptin receptors modulates olfactory-mediated pre-ingestive behavior.

Neurogenesis in the olfactory epithelium (OE) is induced by olfactory bulbectomy (OBX), which effectively axotomizes olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) and removes their synaptic targets, resulting in apoptosis. We used Affymetrix high-density oligonucleotide arrays to investigate changes in gene expression during initiation of signaling in pathways that regulate apoptosis and neurogenesis in the murine OE at 2, 8, 16, and 48 hr after bilateral OBX compared to that in sham-operated controls. We focused on regulation of a defined set of genes associated with apoptosis, stem/progenitor cell regulation, and cell cycle progression because of the activation of these processes in OE degeneration and remodeling after OBX. After data scrubbing and categorical analysis, one-way analysis of variance identified 72 genes (4.9% of the present known genes) as being regulated significantly (P < 0.05) at one or more points; 50 were defined as regulated differentially with the false discovery rate at 10%. Significant changes in gene expression occurred in all categories as early as 2 hr post-OBX, with the greatest number of differentially regulated genes at 16 and 48 hr. Hierarchical cluster analysis and correlation coefficients were used to identify similarities in patterns of gene expression changes within and across categories. Validation was carried out with SuperArray macroarrays and real-time RT-PCR. Our results confirmed the participation of many genes in known signaling pathways and identified changes in the expression of 42 genes not identified previously as participating in apoptosis and neurogenesis in the OE. Additionally, our analyses indicated the early involvement of genes regulating cytoskeletal reorganization and angiogenesis in the response to OBX. These studies are an important first step in defining early time-dependent changes in gene expression after target ablation that lead to neurogenesis in the olfactory sensory epithelium.

Capsaicin-sensitive vagal pulmonary neurones (pulmonary C neurones) play an important role in regulating airway function. During airway inflammation, the level of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) increases in the lungs and airways. PGE2 has been shown to sensitize isolated pulmonary C neurones. The somatosensory correlate of the pulmonary C neurone, the small-diameter nociceptive neurone of the dorsal root ganglion, contains a high percentage of tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium currents (TTX-R INa). Therefore, this study was carried out to determine whether these channel currents are involved in the PGE2-induced sensitization of pulmonary C neurones. We used the perforated patch-clamp technique to study the effects of PGE2 on the TTX-R INa in acutely cultured capsaicin-sensitive pulmonary neurones that were identified by retrograde labelling with a fluorescent tracer, DiI. We found that the pulmonary neurones sensitive to capsaicin had a higher percentage of TTX-R INa than that of capsaicin-insensitive pulmonary neurones. PGE2 exposure increased the evoked TTX-R INa when experiments were performed at both room temperature and at 37°C. Furthermore, stimulation of the adenylyl cyclase/protein kinase A pathway with either forskolin or Sp-5,6-DCl-cBiMPS potentiated the TTX-R INa in a manner similar to that of PGE2. We conclude that these modulatory effects of PGE2 on TTX-R INa play an important role in the sensitization of pulmonary C neurones.

The effect of prostaglandin E2(PGE2) on chemical stimulation-evoked calcium (Ca2+) transient was investigated in isolated vagal sensory neurons of the rat using fura-2-based ratiometric Ca2+imaging. Application of capsaicin (3 × 10−8to 10−7M; 15 s) caused a rapid surge of intracellular Ca2+concentration in small- and medium-size neurons; the response was reproducible when >10 min elapsed between two challenges and was absent in nominally Ca2+-free solution. After pretreatment with PGE2(3 × 10−7M; 5 min), the peak of this capsaicin-evoked Ca2+transient was increased by almost fourfold, and its duration was also prolonged. This augmented response to capsaicin induced by PGE2gradually declined but remained higher than control after 15-min washout. Similarly, PGE2pretreatment also markedly enhanced the Ca2+transients induced by other chemical stimulants to C neurons, such as phenylbiguanide (PBG), adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP), and KCl. The Ca2+transients evoked by PBG, ATP, and KCl were potentiated after the pretreatment with PGE2to 242, 204, and 163% of their control, respectively. This potentiating effect of PGE2could be mimicked by forskolin (10−6M; 5 min), an activator of adenylyl cyclase, and 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)adenosine-3′-5′-cyclic monophosphate (CPT-cAMP; 3 × 10−6M, 10 min), a membrane-permeable cAMP analogue. Furthermore, the potentiating effects of PGE2, forskolin, and CPT-cAMP were abolished by N-[2-(p-bromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide (H89; 10−5M; 15–20 min), a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor. In summary, these results show that PGE2reversibly potentiates the chemical stimuli-evoked Ca2+transients in cultured rat vagal sensory neurons, and this potentiating effect is mediated through the cyclic AMP/PKA transduction cascade.

Mediators of inflammation, such as PGE2, are known to sensitize the airways to inhaled irritants and circulating autacoids. Evidence from in vivo studies has shown the involvement of vagal pulmonary C-fiber afferents in the PGE2-elicited airway hypersensitivity. However, whether PGE2 acts directly on these sensory nerves is unclear. The present study aimed to investigate whether PGE2 has direct potentiating effects on nodose and jugular pulmonary C neurons cultured from adult Sprague-Dawley rats and, if so, determine whether the EP2 prostanoid receptor is involved. Pulmonary neurons were identified by retrograde labeling with a fluorescent tracer 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate. Using perforated patch-clamp technique, our results showed that 1) PGE2 pretreatment (1 μM) increased the whole cell current density elicited by capsaicin and phenylbiguanide, chemical agents known to stimulate pulmonary C fibers; 2) selective activation of the EP2 prostanoid receptor by butaprost (3–10 μM) increased the whole cell current density elicited by capsaicin; and 3) PGE2, as well as butaprost, increased the number of action potentials evoked by current injection. Therefore, we conclude that PGE2 directly sensitizes vagal pulmonary C neurons to chemical and electrical stimulation. Furthermore, butaprost modulates the neurons in a manner similar to that of PGE2, suggesting that the effects of PGE2 are mediated, at least in part, through the EP2 prostanoid receptor.

Stimulation of vagal bronchopulmonary C-fibers induces bronchoconstriction and hypersecretion of mucus, and is either directly or indirectly involved in eliciting cough reflex. Our recent studies have shown that the excitability of these afferents is markedly elevated in experimental conditions involving acute injury or inflammation of airway mucosa (e.g. after exposure to ozone), and cyclo-oxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid locally released in the airways may contribute partially to the C-fiber hypersensitivity. Among the various prostanoids, prostaglandin E2 administered by slow infusion augmented the responses of pulmonary C-fibers to both lung inflation and various chemical stimulants in anesthetized rats. The PGE2-induced hypersensitivity of these sensory nerves could also be demonstrated in cultured neurons using the whole-cell perforated patch–clamp recording technique; PGE2 perfusion markedly and reversibly increased both the magnitude of inward current (in voltage–clamp mode) and the number of action potentials (in current–clamp mode) evoked by capsaicin in the small-diameter nodose and jugular ganglion neurons isolated from adult rats. Moreover, PGE2 enhanced the membrane excitability of these neurons in their response to injected current pulses and voltage steps. In conclusion, the sensitizing effect is caused by a direct action of PGE2 on pulmonary C-fibers, and the cAMP/protein kinase A transduction cascade is probably involved.

1. Intravenous administration of adenosine (Ado) to patients can cause dyspnoea, chest discomfort and bronchoconstriction. To assess the role of vagal pulmonary C fibres in evoking these adverse reactions, the effect of Ado on single pulmonary C fibres was studied in anaesthetized and artificially ventilated rats. 2. Right-atrial injection of Ado (320 microg kg-1) activated 68 % (73/107) of pulmonary C fibres; the total number of action potentials during a period of 15 s increased from a baseline of 0.2 +/- 0.1 impulses to a peak of 16.4 +/- 2.6 impulses (P < 0.01, n = 107) after Ado. Inosine, the metabolite of Ado, did not activate any of eleven C fibres tested in six rats. Furthermore, C fibres were activated only by right-atrial and not by left-ventricular injection of the same dose of Ado. 3. Unlike the immediate and transient stimulation of C fibres by capsaicin, the C fibre stimulation by Ado had a latency of 6.5 +/- 0.3 s (range, 3-18 s) and lasted longer. 4. The stimulation of C fibres by Ado was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with aminophylline, a non-selective Ado receptor antagonist, was completely prevented by 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine, an Ado A1 receptor antagonist, but was unaffected by 3,7-dimethy-1-propargylxanthine, an A2 receptor antagonist. None of these Ado receptor antagonists prevented capsaicin-induced C fibre stimulation. 5. In conclusion, Ado stimulates pulmonary C fibre terminals through an activation of A1 receptors. The stimulation of pulmonary C fibres may play an important role in Ado-induced adverse respiratory effects.

Airway hypersensitivity, characterized by enhanced excitability of airway sensory nerves, is a prominent pathophysiological feature in patients with airway inflammatory diseases. Although the underlying pathogenic mechanism is not fully understood, chronic airway inflammation is believed to be primarily responsible. Cigarette smoking is known to cause chronic airway inflammation, accompanied by airway hyperresponsiveness. Experimental evidence indicates that enhanced excitability of vagal bronchopulmonary sensory nerves and increased tachykinin synthesis in these nerves resulting from chronic inflammation are important contributing factors to the airway hyperresponsiveness. Multiple inflammatory mediators released from various types of structural and inflammatory cells are involved in the smoking-induced airway inflammation, which is mainly regulated by redox-sensitive signaling pathways and transcription factors. Furthermore, recent studies have reported potent sensitizing and stimulatory effects of these inflammatory mediators such as prostanoids and reactive oxygen species on these sensory nerves. In summary, these studies using cigarette smoking as an experimental approach have identified certain potentially important cell signaling pathways and underlying mechanisms of the airway hypersensitivity induced by chronic airway inflammation.

The nature of protease-activated receptors (PARs) capable of activating respiratory vagal C-fibres in the mouse was investigated. Infusing thrombin or trypsin via the trachea strongly activated vagal lung C-fibres with action potential discharge, recorded with the extracellular electrode positioned in the vagal sensory ganglion. The intensity of activation was similar to that observed with the TRPV1 agonist, capsaicin. This was mimicked by the PAR1-activating peptide TFLLR-NH(2), whereas the PAR2-activating peptide SLIGRL-NH(2) was without effect. Patch clamp recording on cell bodies of capsaicin-sensitive neurons retrogradely labelled from the lungs revealed that TFLLR-NH(2) consistently evokes a large inward current. RT-PCR revealed all four PARs were expressed in the vagal ganglia. However, when RT-PCR was carried out on individual neurons retrogradely labelled from the lungs it was noted that TRPV1-positive neurons (presumed C-fibre neurons) expressed PAR1 and PAR3, whereas PAR2 and PAR4 were rarely expressed. The C-fibres in mouse lungs isolated from PAR1(-/-) animals responded normally to capsaicin, but failed to respond to trypsin, thrombin, or TFLLR-NH(2). These data show that the PAR most relevant for evoking action potential discharge in vagal C-fibres in mouse lungs is PAR1, and that this is a direct neuronal effect.

Transient receptor potential (TRP) A1 and TRPM8 are ion channels that have been localized to afferent nociceptive nerves. These TRP channels may be of particular relevance to respiratory nociceptors in that they can be activated by various inhaled irritants and/or cold air. We addressed the hypothesis that mouse vagal sensory nerves projecting to the airways express TRPA1 and TRPM8 and that they can be activated via these receptors. Single cell RT-PCR analysis revealed that TRPA1 mRNA, but not TRPM8, is uniformly expressed in lung-labelled TRPV1-expressing vagal sensory neurons. Neither TRPA1 nor TRPM8 mRNA was expressed in TRPV1-negative neurons. Capsaicin-sensitive, but not capsaicin-insensitive, lung-specific neurons responded to cinnamaldehyde, a TRPA1 agonist, with increases in intracellular calcium. Menthol, a TRPM8 agonist, was ineffective at increasing cellular calcium in lung-specific vagal sensory neurons. Cinnamaldehyde also induced TRPA1-like inward currents (as measured by means of whole cell patch clamp recordings) in capsaicin-sensitive neurons. In an ex vivo vagal innervated mouse lung preparation, cinnamaldehyde evoked action potential discharge in mouse vagal C-fibres with a peak frequency similar to that observed with capsaicin. Cinnamaldehyde inhalation in vivo mimicked capsaicin in eliciting strong central-reflex changes in breathing pattern. Taken together, our results support the hypothesis that TRPA1, but not TRPM8, is expressed in vagal sensory nerves innervating the airways. TRPA1 activation provides a mechanism by which certain environmental stimuli may elicit action potential discharge in airway afferent C-fibres and the consequent nocifensor reflexes.

The chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α recruits macrophages to sites of epithelial remodeling. We showed previously that mRNA and protein levels of MIP-1α in the olfactory epithelium (OE) increased significantly at 3 days after bilateral olfactory bulbectomy (OBX). The first aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the absence of MIP-1α on macrophage recruitment to the OE 3 days after OBX in Mip-1α−/−mice compared with C57BL/6 mice and to test whether chemokine function could be restored by MIP-1α protein injection into Mip-1α−/−mice. OBX was performed on C57BL/6 and Mip-1α−/−mice. The mice received six subcutaneous injections at 12-h intervals of either 10 μg/ml MIP-1α protein in carrier or carrier only. Macrophage recruitment was evaluated with antibodies to CD68 for all macrophages and F4/80 for activated macrophages. Compared with C57BL/6 mice, at 3 days post-OBX the numbers of CD68+and F4/80+macrophages were significantly lower in carrier-injected Mip-1α−/−mice and were comparable in MIP-1α protein-injected Mip-1α−/−mice. The second aim was to determine the identity of genes regulated at 3 days post-OBX in the OE of carrier-injected Mip-1α−/−mice compared with carrier-injected C57BL/6 mice. Total RNA from the OE was hybridized to Affymetrix microarrays. A number of chemokine-, cytokine-, and growth factor-related genes were significantly regulated in the Mip-1α−/−mice and were restored in MIP-1α protein-injected Mip-1α−/−mice. The results illustrated that MIP-1α played a key role in recruitment of macrophages to the OE and provided insight into the genomic regulation involved in OE remodeling.

This study aimed to develop a non-invasive diagnostic technique for the measurement of acoustic transmission in hip joints to reflect the dynamic response of the observed structure. This instrument consists of three sub-systems. An stimulation system applied a vibratory force at the sacrum of the test subject. A transduction system included a pair of identical microphones was installed in the tubes of two stethoscopes, which were placed at the greater trochanters on both sides for picking up the acoustic signals transmitting across the hip joints. The data acquisition and analysis system was a portable frequency analyser with a program of dual channel digital filter for measuring the power of acoustic signals in 1/3-octoscn frequency bands. Twenty-seven normal adults, 20 normal pre-school children and 40 normal neonates were recruited for the testing. Coherence function (CF) of the signal and the discrepancy (D) of bilateral hips were measured during the testing. The results from the three groups showed that there was a high coherence of the signals (CF0.9) and a small discrepancy (D3 dB) between bilateral hips in the frequency range of 200-315 Hz. For normal neonates, the frequency range (160-315 Hz) was wider in which the acoustic signals maintained a high coherence (CF0.94) and a smaller discrepancy (D2 dB) were observed between bilateral hips. This study has shown that the development of the acoustical diagnostic technique could provide a practical method with objective parameters. The results obtained in this study can offer a base for further investigation of hip disorders, particularly those related to structural abnormalities of hip joints.

The objectives of this study were to describe the size distribution of capsaicin-sensitive neurons in nodose and jugular ganglia and to determine whether there is a difference in capsaicin sensitivity between these two types of ganglia. Functional identification was made by measurement of the capsaicin-evoked calcium (Ca2+) transients in cultured vagal sensory neurons of young adult Sprague-Dawley rats using the Fura-2-based ratiometric imaging technique. In the first study series, cells on the second day of culture were perfused with capsaicin solution (10(-7) M) for 15 s, and the Ca2+ transients were continuously recorded before, during, and after the capsaicin challenge. Out of 603 viable neurons, 57.5% were capsaicin-sensitive; the percentages of capsaicin-sensitive cells in the nodose and jugular ganglia were 59.8% and 55.4%, respectively. Capsaicin sensitivity predominated in the small- and medium-sized neurons; the capsaicin-sensitive cells generally had a diameter less than 35 microm in both types of ganglia. Although the results did not indicate any differences in the size distribution of capsaicin-sensitive neurons between the two ganglia, results of our second study series showed that a near-maximal concentration of capsaicin (3 x 10(-6) M) evoked a significantly greater peak Ca2+ transient in jugular neurons (382.5 +/- 85.5 nM) than in nodose neurons (134.3 +/- 17.5 nM). In summary, our results showed that an increase in cell diameter was accompanied by a decreasing trend in percentage of capsaicin-sensitive neurons in both vagal ganglia. Capsaicin at high concentration evoked a greater peak Ca2+ transient in jugular ganglion neurons, despite no difference in the responses to KCl between these two types of ganglion neurons.

This study tests the hypothesis that the bronchial hyperreactivity induced by chronic cigarette smoke (CS) exposure involves the increased expression and release of tachykinins and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) from afferent nerve fibers innervating the airways. In guinea pigs chronically exposed to CS (20 min twice daily for 14-17 d), peak response in total lung resistance to capsaicin (1.68 microg/kg, intravenously) was significantly greater than that evoked by the same dose of capsaicin in control (air-exposed) animals. This augmented response in CS-exposed animals was abolished after treatment with CP-99994 and SR-48968, the neurokinin (NK)-1 and NK-2 receptor antagonists, suggesting the involvement of tachykinins in chronic CS-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Further, substance P (SP)-like immunoreactivity (LI) and CGRP-LI in the airway tissue were significantly greater in the CS animals than in the control animals. Finally, beta-preprotachykinin (PPT, a splice variant from the PPT A gene encoding tachykinins including SP and NKA) messenger RNA levels as measured by in situ hybridization histochemistry displayed a significant increase in jugular ganglion neurons but not in dorsal root or nodose ganglion neurons. These data suggest that chronic CS-induced AHR is related to an increase in SP synthesis and release in jugular ganglion neurons innervating the lungs and airways.

Kwong, Kevin, Ju-Lun Hong, Robert F. Morton, and Lu-Yuan Lee. Role of pulmonary C fibers in adenosine-induced respiratory inhibition in anesthetized rats. J. Appl. Physiol. 84(2): 417–424, 1998.—The clinical use of adenosine is commonly associated with pulmonary side effects, namely dyspnea, that suggest the possible involvement of bronchopulmonary sensory afferents. Our objective in this study was to characterize the effects of adenosine on breathing and to determine whether the vagal pulmonary afferents play a role in mediating these effects. We measured respiratory and cardiovascular changes in anesthetized, spontaneously breathing rats after bolus injections of adenosine at therapeutic doses. Right atrial injection of adenosine (0.04–0.6 mg/kg) elicits, in a dose-dependent manner, a pulmonary chemoreflex-like response consisting of a delayed apnea, bradycardia, and hypotension. In contrast, the classic capsaicin-elicited pulmonary chemoreflex occurs immediately after injection. Perineural capsaicin treatment of the cervical vagi blocked the adenosine-induced respiratory inhibition. Left ventricular administration of adenosine failed to elicit an apneic response. Pretreatment with the adenosine A1-receptor antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine attenuated the adenosine-induced apnea. These results indicate that adenosine elicits a respiratory inhibition via stimulation of pulmonary C fibers and that activation of the A1-receptor is probably involved. It is unclear, however, what accounts for the exceedingly long latency in this response.

1. The contributions of H+ and lactate ions to the stimulation of single pulmonary C fibres by lactic acid were examined in anaesthetized and artificially ventilated rats. 2. Lactic acid injected into the right atrium caused a transient decrease in arterial blood pH (pHa) and a short but intense burst of afferent activities in pulmonary C fibres, whereas sodium lactate had no effect. The fibre activity usually reached a peak within 1-1.5 s, with an onset latency of < 1 s, and returned to the baseline in 5 s. 3. The injection of hydrochloric acid at the same pH as that of lactic acid did not significantly decrease pHa, nor did it stimulate any C fibres studied. 4. Formic acid has a pKa value (the negative logarithm of the dissociation constant) almost identical to that of lactic acid; thus, its injection decreased pHa to the same degree as did the injection of lactic acid. However, the response of C fibres to lactic acid was 134% stronger than that to formic acid. 5. We conclude that H+ is primarily responsible for the activation of pulmonary C fibres by lactic acid, probably through a direct effect of H+ on these afferent endings. The lactate ion, by itself, does not activate C fibres, but it seems to potentiate the stimulatory effect of H+ on these afferents.