C. Chatelain et al., FUNCTIONAL-EFFECTS OF PHOSPHORAMIDON AND CAPTOPRIL ON EXOGENOUS NEUROPEPTIDES IN HUMAN NASAL-MUCOSA, European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology, 252(2), 1995, pp. 83-85
The functional effects of the intranasal application of exogenous vaso
active intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P (SP) and calcitonin g
ene-related peptide (CGRP) were evaluated in 12 healthy volunteers bef
ore and after neutral endopeptidase (NEP) inhibition with phosphoramid
on (PA) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition with captop
ril. The three neuropeptides increased nasal airway resistance (NAR) m
easured by anterior rhinomanometry and superficial capillary blood flo
w measured by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). After pretreatment of the
nasal mucosa with PA, the effects of VIP, SP and CGRP on the LDF sign
al, NAR and mucus production were potentiated, whereas local pretreatm
ent with captopril did not modify these functional effects. These obse
rvations suggest that NEP, but not ACE, may participate in the catabol
ism of neuropeptides when applied directly to the human nasal mucosa.
Furthermore, since these neuropeptides induced nasal obstruction, incr
eased blood flow and rhinorrhea, a decreased activity of the enzymes i
nvolved in their degradation could be involved in the physiopathology
of rhinitis symptoms.