Abstract
With single- and double-labeling immunofluorescence techniques, the distribution patterns and morphological characteristics of P2X2- and P2X3-immunoreactive nerve fiber terminals and neuronal bodies have been studied in the main circulatory system baroreceptors and the nodose and petrosal ganglia of rats. A high density of P2X2- and P2X3-immunoreactive nerve fiber terminals was detected in the carotid sinus. P2X2- and P2X3-immunoreactive nerve fiber terminals were also distributed widely in the aortic arch, atrium, vena cava, and ventricles. Almost all the P2X2-immunoreactive nerve fiber terminals were immunoreactive for P2X3 receptors. P2X2- and P2X3-immunoreactive neuronal bodies were also detected in the nodose and petrosal ganglia, which are the sources of the P2X2- and P2X3-immunoreactive nerve terminals. P2X2 and P2X3 receptors were expressed in the same ganglionic neurons. These data indicate that extracellular ATP, via the homomeric P2X2 and P2X3 receptors, and heteromeric P2X2/3 receptor in the sensory receptors of carotid sinus, aortic arch, atrium, and vena cava, may be involved in the regulation of systematic circulation blood pressure.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by 973 Program (2011CB504401 to Z. Xiang) and the National Natural Science Foundation of the People’s Republic of China (30970918 to Z. Xiang). The authors thank Dr. Gillian E. Knight for her excellent editorial assistance. We also thank Roche Bioscience, Palo Alto, CA for kindly supplying P2X antisera and peptides.
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XM Song and XF Gao contributed equally to this work.
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Song, X., Gao, X., Guo, D. et al. Expression of P2X2 and P2X3 receptors in the rat carotid sinus, aortic arch, vena cava, and heart, as well as petrosal and nodose ganglia. Purinergic Signalling 8, 15–22 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11302-011-9249-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11302-011-9249-4