Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:1.6.99.1 (NADPH-diaphorase)
 3,903 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We report the presence in rat spinal cord of a novel neuronal system expressing tyrosine kinase receptor (trkA), the high affinity receptor for nerve growth factor (NGF). TrkA immunoreactive cell bodies were observed in the intermediate grey matter of the spinal cord and were classified into three main groups: central canal cells located dorsolateral to the aqueduct, partition cells located between lamina X, and the lateral border of the intermediate grey, and a morphologically heterogeneous group which included large cells located near the lateral border. In situ hybridization confirmed that cells in all these areas express trkA mRNA. Combined immunofluorescence and retrograde Fluoro-Gold labelling was used to further characterise the projections and neurotransmitter profile of the trkA cells. Although often located in the vicinity of preganglionic cell groups, trkA immunoreactive cells are not themselves preganglionic. Rather, the central canal and partition cells belong to a neurochemically complex cholinergic propriospinal system. Many partition cells coexpress trkA, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), the low affinity neurotrophin receptor, p75, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d). In contrast, trkA immunoreactive central canal cells express ChAT, but do not express p75 and only a subpopulation express NADPH-d. The large trkA immunoreactive cells located on the lateral border do not express ChAT. TrkA immunoreactive fibres were also present and were located in the dorsal horn, in the dorsal columns, and in a bundle ventral to the aqueduct. However, double labelling revealed that the trkA immunoreactive fibres are not intrinsic but are primary afferent in origin and coexpress p75. The location of this novel trkA neuronal system is consistent with it having a role in the segmental integration of autonomic outflow. NGF could affect this system by modulating neuronal phenotype and/or synaptic efficacy.
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PMID:TrkA immunoreactive neurones in the rat spinal cord. 930 Jul 70

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) have been reported to play the role of a pacemaker in regulating bowel motility. The relationship between neurons and ICCs, however, remains unclear. Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is an ideal model for investigating this relationship. The operated specimens obtained from 6 short and 3 long segment aganglionosis patients and 3 controls were used as the subject materials in this study. ICCs were immunohistochemically identified using a specific antiserum c-kit, a tyrosine kinase receptor expressing ICCs. Nitrergic nerves were demonstrated by NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry. C-kit immunohistochemistry was also combined with protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5; as a general neuronal marker). In the normoganglionic segment of HD, numerous c-kit-positive cells and NADPH-d positive neurons were found in the proper muscle layer, including Auerbach's plexus. In the oligoganglionic segment, the number of c-kit-positive cells and NADPH-d neurons slightly decreased. In the inner border of the circular muscle layer (IBCM), the c-kit-positive cell networks and NADPH-d activities remained in short segment cases, while both of them were absent in the long segment cases. In the aganglionic segment, c-kit positive cells were present universally but the number of them was slightly decreased in the proper muscle layer. The c-kit-positive cell networks of IBCM were seen where extrinsic neurons were present, while they were almost completely absent where extrinsic neurons were absent in the proximal zone of the long segment cases. C-kit positive cells were present universally in the oligoganglionic as well as aganglionic segments of HD. The distribution and properties of c-kit positive cells were related to the presence of extrinsic neurons in aganglionic segment. Based on these findings, aperistalsis is considered not to relate with c-kit positive cells, and c-kit positive cells are not supposed to have a neurogenic origin and can develop without neurons, however the lack of enteric neurons may influence the full differentiation of ICCs.
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PMID:Universal distribution of c-kit-positive cells in different types of Hirschsprung's disease. 1272 30