Immunohistochemical characteristics of neurons in the ganglia of the greater splanchnic nerve of the pig
Abstract
Introduction. Greater splanchnic nerve (GSN) is by far the largest of the splanchnic nerves and connects the paravertebral and prevertebral ganglia to transmit the majority of nociceptive information from the viscera. Despite its importance, the immunohistochemical features of the porcine GSN neurons have not yet been examined. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the neurochemistry of the porcine GSN neurons and to compare their neurochemical coding with those of the paravertebral and prevertebral ganglia.
Material and methods. Four gilts of Large White Polish breed were examined in this study. Antibodies to tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine b-hydroxylase (DBH), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), somatostatin (SOM), galanin (GAL), methionine-enkephalin (MET), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and substance P (SP) were used for immunohistochemical detection of classical neurotransmitters marker enzymes and neuropeptides in neuronal cell bodies of the GSN.
Results. Double-labeling immunofluorescence revealed that virtually all GSN neurons exhibited the presence of catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes (TH/DBH-positive) and subpopulations of neurons contained immunoreactivity to NPY, VIP, SOM, GAL and MET. However, CGRP and SP-immunoreactivity were not observed in neuronal somata.
Conclusions. Our data strongly suggest that the general immunohistochemical characterization of ganglion cells in the porcine greater splanchnic nerve is similar to that of the prevertebral ganglia (e.g. celiacomesenteric ganglion).
Keywords: greater splanchnic nerveneuronsneurotransmitterspigimmunohistochemistry
References
- Jenkins TW. Functional Mammalian Neuroanatomy. 2nd ed. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia 1978: 150–159.
- Orhan O, Duzler A. Anatomy of the thoracic splanchnic nerves in pigs. Vet Res Commun. 2007; 31(3): 237–243.
- Goshal NG, Getty R. Postdiaphragmatic disposition of the pars sympathica and major autonomic ganglia of the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus). Anat Anz. 1969; 125(4): 400–411.
- Kuntz A. The structural organization of the celiac ganglia. J Comp Neurol. 1938; 69(1): 1–12.
- Kuo D, Krauthamer G. Paravertebral origin of postganglionic sympathetic fibers in the major splanchnic and distal coeliac nerves as demonstrated by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) retrograde transport method. J Aut Nerv Syst. 1981; 4(1): 25–32.
- Naidoo N, Partab P, Pather N, et al. Thoracic splanchnic nerves: implications for splanchnic denervation. J Anat. 2001; 199(Pt 5): 585–590.
- Abram SE, Boas RM. Sympathetic and visceral nerve blocks. In: Benumof JL. ed. Clinical Procedures in Anesthesia and Intensive Care. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins 1992.
- Kuntz A. Distribution and relationships of sympathetic ganglia in the splanchnic region. Trans Am Neurol Assoc. 1955; 80: 88–91.
- Woźniak W, Bruska M. Fine structure and myelination of the greater splanchnic nerves in human fetuses. Folia Morphol (Warsz). 1986; 45(3): 192–205.
- Häppölä O, Lakomy M, Majewski M, et al. Distribution of neuropeptides in the porcine stellate ganglion. Cell Tissue Res. 1993; 274(1): 181–187.
- Lakomy M, Häppölä O, Kaleczyc J, et al. Immunohistochemical localization of neuropeptides in the porcine thoraco-lumbar paravertebral ganglia. Anat Histol Embryol. 1994; 23(1): 12–20.
- Stoyanova I, Scheuermann DW, Chouchkov C. Neurochemical features of feline superior mesenteric ganglion. Ital J Anat Embryol. 1998; 103(1): 35–43.
- Masliukov PM, Shilkin VV, Timmermans JP. Immunocytochemical characteristic of neurons of the mouse truncus sympaticus stellate ganglion in postnatal ontogenesis. Morfologiia. 2005; 128(5): 41–44.
- Arciszewski MB, Wasowicz K. Neurochemical properties of the middle cervical ganglion in the sheep. Ann Anat. 2006; 188(1): 75–83.
- Maslyukov PM, Nozdrachev AD, Timmermans JP. Age-related characteristics of the neurotransmitter composition of neurons in the stellate ganglion. Neurosci Behav Physiol. 2007; 37(4): 349–353.
- Baffi J, Görcs T, Slowik F, et al. Neuropeptides in the human superior cervical ganglion. Brain Res. 1992; 570(1-2): 272–278.
- Lakomy M, Häppölä O, Majewski M, et al. Neuropeptides in the porcine coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglion. Folia Histochem Cytobiol. 1993; 31(4): 181–191.
- Maslyukov PM, Shilkin VV, Timmermans JP. Immunocytochemical characteristics of neurons in the stellate ganglion of the sympathetic trunk in mice during postnatal ontogenesis. Neurosci Behav Physiol. 2006; 36(8): 851–855.
- Bassols A, Costa C, Eckersall PD, et al. The pig as an animal model for human pathologies: a proteomics perspective. Proteomics Clin Appl. 2014; 8(9-10): 715–731.
- Nourinezhad J, Wasowicz K, Bukowski R, et al. Analysis of the chemical coding of neurons in the intermediate thoracic ganglion of the pig. Pol J Vet Sci. 2010; 13(3): 537–543.
- Masliukov PM, Timmermans JP. Immunocytochemical properties of stellate ganglion neurons during early postnatal development. Histochem Cell Biol. 2004; 122(3): 201–209.
- Darvesh S, Nance DM, Hopkins DA, et al. Distribution of neuropeptide-like immunoreactivity in intact and chronically decentralized middle cervical and stellate ganglia of dogs. J Auton Nerv Syst. 1987; 21(2-3): 167–180.
- Wojtkiewicz J, Juranek JK, Kowalski I, et al. Immunohistochemical characterization of superior cervical ganglion neurons supplying porcine parotid salivary gland. Neurosci Lett. 2011; 500(1): 57–62.
- Hill EL, Elde R. Vasoactive intestinal peptide distribution and colocalization with dopamine-beta-hydroxylase in sympathetic chain ganglia of pig. J Auton Nerv Syst. 1989; 27(3): 229–239.
- Juranek JK, Wojtkiewicz JA. Origins and neurochemical complexity of preganglionic neurons supplying the superior cervical ganglion in the domestic pig. J Mol Neurosci. 2015; 55(2): 297–304.
- Järvi R, Helen P, Hervonen A, et al. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-like immunoreactivity in the human sympathetic ganglia. Histochemistry. 1989; 90(5): 347–351.
- Heym C, Reinecke M, Weihe E, et al. Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase-, neurotensin-, substance P-, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide- and enkephalin-immunohistochemistry of paravertebral and prevertebral ganglia in the cat. Cell Tissue Res. 1984; 235(2): 411–418.
- Kummer W. Galanin- and neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivities coexist in paravertebral sympathetic neurones of the cat. Neurosci Lett. 1987; 78(2): 127–131.
- Majewski M, Kaleczyc J, Wasowicz K, et al. Characterization of afferent and efferent galanin-containing nerve fibres in the porcine ovary. Folia Histochem Cytobiol. 2002; 40(3): 261–268.
- Mclachlan EM. Autonomic Ganglia. Harwood Academic Publisher, Luxembourg 1995: 13–73.
- Kummer W, Heym C. Neuropeptide distribution in the cervico-thoracic paravertebral ganglia of the cat with particular reference to calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity. Cell Tissue Res. 1988; 252(2): 463–471.
- Schmitt M, Kummer W, Heym C. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-immunoreactive neurons in the human cervico-thoracic paravertebral ganglia. J Chem Neuroanat. 1988; 1(5): 287–292.
- Majewski M, Kummer W, Lakomy M, et al. Peptidaustattung aminerger and nicht-aminerger neuronaler elemente im ganglion stellatum des schweins. Verh Anat Ges. 1991; 170: 725–726.
- Nourinezhad J, Gilanpour H, Radmehr B. Prenatal development of the fetal thoracic sympathetic trunk in sheep (Ovis aries). Auton Neurosci. 2013; 177(2): 154–162.
- Kuntz A. Components of splanchnic and intermesenteric nerves. J Comp Neurol. 1956; 105(2): 251–268.
![](https://journals.viamedica.pl/plugins/generic/popups/images/icons/close.png)