Bj. Undem et al., NEUROPHYSIOLOGY OF MAST CELL-NERVE INTERACTIONS IN THE AIRWAYS, International archives of allergy and immunology, 107(1-3), 1995, pp. 199-201
The sensitized guinea pig was employed as a model to study the effect
of immunological activation of resident mast cells on neuronal activit
y in the airways. The trachea was isolated with the vagus nerves and v
agal sensory ganglia intact. Using conventional electrophysiological r
ecording techniques, we noted that antigenic stimulation led to an inc
rease in the sensitivity of sensory nerve endings located in the airwa
y wall. Moreover, previous work has revealed that antigen challenge po
tentiates action-potential-driven tachykinin release from afferent fib
ers in the guinea pig isolated airway. Anatomical and electrophysiolog
ical studies indicate that tachykinin-containing sensory fibers direct
ly innervate the local parasympathetic ganglion neurons in the airway.
Therefore, antigen-induced increases in the excitability of sensory f
ibers in the airways can increase parasympathetic tone in the airway b
y increasing central and peripheral reflex arcs. In addition, we have
found that antigen stimulation has direct effects on the excitability
of the parasympathetic ganglion neurons. Considered together, the data
demonstrate that increased vagal sensory and parasympathetic activity
may be a consequence of the allergic reaction in the airways.