Nerve growth factor facilitates redistribution of adrenergic and non-adrenergic non-cholinergic perivascular nerves injured by phenol in rat mesenteric resistance arteries

We previously reported that nerve growth factor (NGF) facilitated perivascular sympathetic neuropeptide Y (NPY)- and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-containing nerves injured by the topical application of phenol in the rat mesenteric artery. We also demonstrated that mesenteric arterial nerves were distributed into tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-, substance P (SP)-, and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-containing nerves, which had axo-axonal interactions. In the present study, we examined the effects of NGF on phenol-injured perivascular nerves, including TH-, NPY-, nNOS-, CGRP-, and SP-containing nerves, in rat mesenteric arteries in more detail. Wistar rats underwent the in vivo topical application of 10% phenol to the superior mesenteric artery, proximal to the abdominal aorta, under pentobarbital-Na anesthesia. The distribution of perivascular nerves in the mesenteric arteries of the 2nd to 3rd-order branches isolated from 8-week-old Wistar rats was investigated immunohistochemically using antibodies against TH-, NPY-, nNOS-, CGRP-, and SP-containing nerves. The topical phenol treatment markedly reduced the density of all nerves in these arteries. The administration of NGF at a dose of 20 µg/kg/day with an osmotic pump for 7 days significantly increased the density of all perivascular nerves over that of sham control levels. These results suggest that NGF facilitates the reinnervation of all perivascular nerves injured by phenol in small resistance arteries.