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Chemoreceptor activity is normal in mice lacking the NK1 receptor
Ricardo Rigual1, Alberto J Rico, Jesus Prieto-Lloret
1Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Fisiología/Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valladolid/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valladolid, Spain. rrigual@ibgm.uva.es
The European Journal of Neuroscience
|December 11, 2002
Summary
The neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor plays a minor role in the carotid body
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Substance P is a proposed neurotransmitter in the carotid body.
- The neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor is implicated in mediating excitation between glomus cells and afferent nerve endings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of substance P and the NK1 receptor in carotid body chemoreception.
- To examine the effects of NK1 receptor deletion on chemoreceptor afferent activity and catecholamine release.
Main Methods:
- In vitro assessment of carotid body chemoreceptor afferent activity in wild-type and NK1 receptor knockout (NK1-KO) mice.
- Measurement of tissue catecholamine levels and release under hypoxic conditions.
- Comparison of responses between wild-type and NK1-KO mice.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in body weight, carotid body dopamine, or norepinephrine content between groups.
- Similar baseline and hypoxia-evoked chemoreceptor afferent activity in wild-type and NK1-KO mice.
- Comparable catecholamine release in response to severe hypoxia between wild-type and NK1-KO mice.
Conclusions:
- Loss of NK1 receptors has minimal impact on mouse carotid body chemoreceptor function.
- NK1 receptors play at best a minor role in hypoxic chemoreception.