Vasoactive Intestinal peptide modulates c-Fos activity in the trigeminal nucleus and dura mater mast cells in sympathectomized rats

• Published in: Journal of neuroscience research 2015-04, Vol.93 (4), p.644-650
• Main Authors: Kilinc, Erkan, Firat, Tülin, Tore, Fatma, Kiyan, Aysu, Kukner, Aysel, Tunçel, Nese
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: and inflammation; Animals; Dura Mater - cytology; Male; mast cell; Mast Cells - drug effects; migraine; Oncogene Proteins v-fos - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Statistics, Nonparametric; Sympathectomy; Trigeminal Nuclei - drug effects; Trigeminal Nuclei - metabolism; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide - pharmacology; VIP
• ISSN: 0360-4012; 1097-4547
• DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23523

Neurogenic inflammation in the dura mater caused by trigeminal nociceptive activation has been implicated in the pathophysiology of migraine. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is a powerful neuroprotective neuropeptide that can modulate mast cell behavior. Migraine is also associated with sympathetic insufficiency. This study investigates the effects of VIP on the number of mast cells in the dura mater and on c‐Fos expression in the trigeminal nucleus of sympathectomized rats. Experiments were carried out with 32 Sprague‐Dawley male rats with body weights of 200–250 g. In the sympathectomized group, the left superior cervical sympathetic ganglion was removed. In the sympathectomized + VIP group, postoperative VIP 25 ng/kg/day (0.2 ml) was administered for 5 days. In the sham group, the ganglion and nerves were exposed but not dissected. Dura maters were stained with toluidine blue, and brainstems were labeled by indirect immunohistochemistry for c‐Fos. Sympathectomy significantly increased the number of mast cells in both the ipsilateral and the contralateral dura mater (P