Microscopic study of the rat pancreas after denervation

The aim of this study is to demonstrate that the denervation of the pancreas may affect the enteric neuronal plexus, which controls both the endocrine and exocrine parts of the pancreas. By using the light microscope, the histological changes of the islets of Langerhans and the pancreatic acini in the rat pancreas were studied two and three weeks after sympathectomy and truncal vagotomy. More-over, measurements of the changes infasting blood glucose levels and glucose tolerance tests in the control and experimental animals were recorded. Atrophic changes and degeneration of the pancreatic acinar cells and islets of Langerhans cells were observed after both sympathectomy and vagotomy. Biochemical measurements of fasting blood, and the glucose tolerance tests after sympathectomy and vagotomy were increased significantly, which is consistent with the histological results. The results of this study explain that the exocrine and endocrine parts of the pancreas are dependent on both sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation via the enteric plexuses of the rat pancreas. These results establish a firm correlation between the autonomic innervation and the enteric plexus, which controls the function of the endocrine and exocrine parts of the pancreas

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Efectos beneficiosos de la simpatectomía renal sobre el remodelado vascular pulmonar en la hipertensión arterial primaria experimental / Beneficial effects of renal denervation on pulmonary vascular remodeling in experimental pulmonary artery hypertension

Introducción y objetivos. La activación tanto del sistema nervioso simpático como del sistema renina-angiotensina-aldosterona está estrechamente relacionada con la hipertensión arterial pulmonar. Nuestra hipótesis era que la simpatectomía renal reduce la actividad del sistema renina-angiotensina-aldosterona e inhibe la progresión de la hipertensión arterial pulmonar. Métodos. Se asignó aleatoriamente a un total de 22 perros beagle a tres grupos de estudio. Se efectuaron determinaciones de la dinámica pulmonar de esos animales antes y 8 semanas después de la inyección de 0,1 ml/kg de dimetilformamida (perros de control) o de 2 mg/kg de deshidromonocrotalina (perros con hipertensión arterial pulmonar y perros con hipertensión arterial pulmonar + simpatectomía renal). Ocho semanas después de la inyección, se determinaron las concentraciones de neurohormonas y se evaluó la morfología del tejido pulmonar. Resultados. Se observó un aumento significativo de la concentración de angiotensina II y endotelina-1 en plasma después de 8 semanas en los perros con hipertensión arterial pulmonar, y los valores obtenidos en los tejidos pulmonares de estos animales eran superiores a los de los perros del grupo de control y el grupo de simpatectomía renal (medias: angiotensina II, 65 ± 9,8 frente a 38 ± 6,7 y 46 ± 8,1; endotelina-1, 96 ± 10,3 frente a 54 ± 6,2 y 67 ± 9,4; p < 0,01). La deshidromonocrotalina aumentó la presión arterial pulmonar media (16 ± 3,4 frente a 33 ± 7,3 mmHg; p < 0,01), y la simpatectomía renal evitó que se produjera este aumento. La proliferación celular del músculo liso pulmonar fue mayor en los perros con hipertensión arterial pulmonar que en los animales de los grupos de control y de hipertensión arterial pulmonar + simpatectomía renal. Conclusiones. La simpatectomía renal atenúa el remodelado vascular pulmonar y reduce la presión arterial pulmonar en la hipertensión arterial pulmonar experimental. El efecto de la simpatectomía renal puede contribuir a reducir las concentraciones de neurohormonas (AU)

Introduction and objectives. Activation of both the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is closely associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension. We hypothesized that renal denervation decreases renin-angiotensin-aldosterone activity and inhibits the progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Methods. Twenty-two beagles were randomized into 3 groups. The dogs’ pulmonary dynamics were measured before and 8 weeks after injection of 0.1 mL/kg dimethylformamide (control dogs) or 2 mg/kg dehydromonocrotaline (pulmonary arterial hypertension and pulmonary arterial hypertension + renal denervation dogs). Eight weeks after injection, neurohormone levels and pulmonary tissue morphology were measured. Results. Levels of plasma angiotensin II and endothelin-1 were significantly increased after 8 weeks in the pulmonary arterial hypertension dogs and were higher in the lung tissues of these dogs than in those of the control and renal denervation dogs (mean [standard deviation] angiotensin II: 65 [9.8] vs 38 [6.7], 46 [8.1]; endothelin-1: 96 [10.3] vs 54 [6.2], 67 [9.4]; P < .01). Dehydromonocrotaline increased the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (16 [3.4] mmHg vs 33 [7.3] mmHg; P < .01), and renal denervation prevented this increase. Pulmonary smooth muscle cell proliferation was higher in the pulmonary arterial hypertension dogs than in the control and pulmonary arterial hypertension + renal denervation dogs (AU)

Vagal and splanchnic afferent nerves are not essential for anorexia associated with abomasal parasitism in sheep.

Heavy burdens of the abomasal nematode, Ostertagia (Telodorsagia) circumcincta, in growing lambs result in a reduction in liveweight gain due largely to a drop in voluntary feed intake. The present study investigated: (1) the role of subdiaphragmatic vagal and non-vagal visceral afferent nerves in mediating a reduction in voluntary feed intake, using subdiaphragmatic vagal deafferentation (vagotomy) either alone or in combination with coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglionectomy (vagotomy and sympathectomy); and (2) the association between appetite, abomasal pH, selected blood values (amidated gastrin (G-17-amide), glycine-extended gastrin (G-17-Gly), pepsinogen and leptin) and worm burden, in sheep experimentally infected with 100,000 O. circumcincta infective larvae per os. Neither vagotomy alone nor vagotomy and sympathectomy in combination adversely affected the establishment or course of development of the parasite burden, when compared with a control group subject to sham surgery. Furthermore, neither surgical procedure prevented the drop in appetite seen 5-10 days post-infection, although combined vagotomy and sympathectomy did reduce voluntary feed intake prior to the start of the study. Ostertagia infection resulted in a significant increase in abomasal pH in all three groups, which was accompanied by an increase in blood G-17-amide and in G-17-Gly, the latter reported for the first time in parasitized ruminants. There were no significant differences in blood leptin, also reported for the first time in parasitized sheep, either between groups or in comparison with pre-infection levels, though weak negative correlations were established between blood leptin and appetite from day 5 to the end of the study in all three groups and a positive correlation with blood G-17-amide in the control group over the same period. These data suggest that neither intact subdiaphragmatic vagal afferent nerves or coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglion fibres, nor changes in circulating gastrin and leptin concentrations play a major role in mediating the hypophagic effects of O. circumcincta in parasitized sheep.

Effects of sympathetic denervation on follicular distribution, oestradiol and progesterone serum levels in prepubertal hemi-ovariectomized female guinea pig.

Hemi-gonadectomy performed in prepubertal female guinea pigs is followed by a compensatory ovarian hypertrophy (COH) and compensatory ovulation (CO). Sympathetic denervation diminished the COH (left ovary: 28 +/- 1.6% versus 46 +/- 4% (control), P < 0.05; and right ovary: 21.3 +/- 3.2% versus 34.2 +/- 3.7% (control), P < 0.01) and does not modify the CO. The mean follicular diameter increased only in the right ovary of hemi-gonadectomized animals. This increase is greater in the hemi-gonadectomized-denervated groups. The mean follicular diameter measured in the right and left ovaries showed an opposite response in hemi-ovariectomized and hemi-ovariectomized-denervated animals: the diameter increased in the right ovary without modifications in the left. Present results add further support to the participation of ovarian innervation on the mechanisms, which regulate follicular development.

Horner's syndrome in the horse: a clinical, experimental and morphological study.

A clinical case of Horner's syndrome is described in a Standardbred horse, and the various symptoms of cranial sympathetic denervation are studied in two ponies after experimental transection of the left cervical sympathetic trunk and vagosympathetic trunk, respectively. The most prominent symptoms of equine Horner's syndrome were ptosis, local sweating and increased cutaneous temperature in the denervated area. Enophthalmos, miosis and increased lacrimation were also observed but these symptoms were mild, variable and difficult to ascertain. Prolapse of the third eyelid was not noticed. Concomitant laryngeal hemiplegia was present in the clinical case and was provoked experimentally in one pony by transection of the left vagosympathetic trunk. The aetiology of each of these symptoms is discussed by comparing the results of pharmacological tests and histological findings in the three horses with the data from the literature.

Unusual response of anaesthetised pigs to asphyxia.

The effects of vagosympathectomy, asphyxia, hypoxia and hypercapnia on the breathing of anaesthetised pigs are described. Vagosympathectomy caused changes in cardiovascular variables and in the pattern of breathing characteristic of the loss of stretch receptor activity. After vagosympathectomy the linear relationship between tI and tE was abolished. Hypoxia in intact animals produced changes in minute ventilation by peripheral chemoreceptor drive. When this drive was removed by vagosympathectomy the central depressing effects of hypoxia were revealed as a slowing of breathing and reduction in minute volume. The central depressing effect of hypoxia on respiration was very potent in the pig and very clearly seen in asphyxia. Vagosympathectomy caused a reduction in frequency of breathing and respiratory arrest occurred when a dead space of only moderate size was used. Breathing slowed from the moment of connection of the dead space to produce respiratory arrest within 2 min. The pig lung has been considered similar to the human lung on morphometric and physiological grounds but these results show that there are very important species differences in response to asphyxia.

Horner's syndrome in the horse: experimental induction and a case report.

The findings in 6 experimental and 1 natural case of Horner's Syndrome (HS) are presented. The experimental cases were induced by unilateral surgical section of the cervical sympathetic trunk in the middle third of the neck. The naturally occurring case was seen in a 17 year old gelding with a mediastinal tumour. The signs of HS in these horses included ptosis, miosis, enophthalmos, hemilateral sweating and temperature increase of the face and cranial cervical region on the affected side. The intensity of these signs was variable between and within animals. Miosis, enophthalmos and temperature difference were sometimes difficult to discern. Clinically the recognition of HS is important in the localization of lesions, and when accompanied by nasal haemorrhage is highly suggestive of guttural pouch mycosis.

Horner's syndrome in large animals.

The sympathetic nervous innervation of the head was surgically transected in the horse, cow, sheep and goat. The site of transection was preganglionic in all 4 species and ganglionic-postganglionic in 2 additional horses. The Horner's syndrome, manifested as a result of the iatrogenic lesion, varied with the species. Ptosis was the most constant sign in all species. Unilateral sweating over the face and proximal neck, particularly at the base of the ear, was the most prominent feature in the horse. The cow revealed distension of vasculature and cutaneous heat of the pinna, and a reduced production of beads of sweat over the nostril on the affected side. The goat and sheep exhibited little more than slight ptosis of the upper eyelid of the affected side as the most prominent sign. The ophthalmologic manifestations of Horner's syndrome seen in these large animals were not readily apparent and could easily be overlooked upon clinical examination.