This study uses radiological and immunocytochemical techniques to investigate the localization, content, transport and release of
substance P- and
calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI and CGRP-LI, respectively) in nerve fibre endings in 1-, 3- and 5-week-old cutaneous nerve
neuromas.
Neuromas were induced by ligating and transecting the saphenous nerve in anaesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. The content of both
neuropeptides in 3-week-old saphenous nerve
neuroma was significantly reduced compared to that in normal saphenous nerve. At 5 weeks the levels of the
peptides in the
neuromas had returned to normal but remained reduced in the nerve just proximal to the
neuroma. Following a 24-h
ligation of the nerve proximal to 3-week-old
neuromas there was a diminished immunocytochemical staining for SP-LI and CGRP-LI both proximal and distal to the
ligature when compared to that seen at
ligations of normal nerves. This indicates a decreased transport of the
neuropeptides both to and from the 3-week-old
neuromas. The density of
neuropeptide staining at
ligatures of nerves with 5 week or older
neuromas had increased, but still remained less than that seen at
ligations of normal nerve. Both a basal and a
bradykinin-induced release of SP-LI and CGRP-LI from nerve fibre endings in the
neuroma was demonstrated. The basal release was demonstrated by exposing the
neuromas, in situ, to solutions containing 50 microM
morphine plus 2 mM CoCl2 for 24 h.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)