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Distribution of p75 and trk-neurotrophin receptor proteins in adult human sympathetic ganglia

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Abstract

We investigated the expression of immunoreactivity (IR) for low- (p75) and high-affinity (trk proteins) neurotrophin-receptor proteins in adult human paravertebral-sympathetic ganglion neurons. Mouse monoclonal antibodies against the pan-neurotrophin-receptor p75, and rabbit polyclonal antibodies against specific epitopes of the intracytoplasmic domain on trk neurotrophin-receptor proteins were used in fresh unfixed and formaldehyde-fixed paraffin-embedded sympathetic ganglia. All adult human paravertebral-sympathetic neurons displayed trkA neurotrophin-receptor-like protein IR, 10% express trkC neurotrophin-receptor-like protein IR, 37–44% show p75 IR, and no IR was obtained for trkB neurotrophin-receptor-like protein. The intensity of immunostaining was independent of the neuron size. Labelling of non-neuronal tissues, especially blood-vessel walls, was observed for p75, trkA and trkC neurotrophin-receptor proteins. These results indicate that overlapping exists in the expression of p75 and trk neurotrophin-receptor proteins in adult human paravertebral-sympathetic neurons, and suggest that neurotrophins might act on these neurons.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, E-33006, Oviedo, Spain

    O. Garcia-Suarez, F. J. Naves, M. E. Del Valle, I. Esteban & J. A. Vega

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze Cardiovascolari e Respiratorie, Université “La Sapienza”, I-0161, Roma, Italy

    E. Bronzetti

  3. Departamento de Bioquimica, Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valladolid, C.S.I.C., E-47005, Valladolid, Spain

    E. Vazquez

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  1. O. Garcia-Suarez
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  2. F. J. Naves
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  3. M. E. Del Valle
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  4. I. Esteban
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  7. J. A. Vega
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Garcia-Suarez, O., Naves, F.J., Del Valle, M.E. et al. Distribution of p75 and trk-neurotrophin receptor proteins in adult human sympathetic ganglia. Anat Embryol 193, 577–583 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00187929

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