Neuronal messengers and peptide receptors in the human sphenopalatine and otic ganglia

A majority of the parasympathetic nerve fibers to cranial structures derive from the sphenopalatine and otic ganglia. In particular, blood vessels are invested with a rich supply of dilator fibers of parasympathetic origin. I n the present study, we have examined the occurrence of noncholinegic neuro messengers and neuropeptide receptors in the human sphenopalatine and otic ganglia. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-immunoreactive (ir) nerve cell bodies occurred in high numbers in the sphenopalatine and otic ganglia, Li kewise, high numbers of NOS- and PACAP-containing nerve cell bodies were se en in both ganglia. Autofluorescent lipofuscin, characteristic of adult hum an nervous tissue, was present within many nerve cell bodies in both gangli a. Receptor mRNA was studied with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain re action (RT-PCR). Total RNA from the sphenopalatine and otic ganglia was suc cessfully extracted. By using appropriate sense and antisense primers, olig onucleotides were designed from the human sequences derived from GenBank, c orresponding to human NPY Y-1, CGRP(1) and VIP1 receptors. In the sphenopal atine ganglion, we revealed the presence of mRNA for the human NPY Y-1 and VIP1 receptors but not the CGRP(1) receptor. The otic ganglion was found to react positively only for primers to mRNA for VIP1 but not for CGRP(1) or NPY Y-1 receptors. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.