TY - JOUR
T1 - The human thoracic duct is functionally innervated by adrenergic nerves
AU - Telinius, Niklas
AU - Baandrup, Ulrik
AU - Rumessen, Jüri
AU - Pilegaard, Hans
AU - Hjortdal, Vibeke
AU - Aalkjaer, Christian
AU - Boedtkjer, Donna Briggs
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Lymphatic vessels from animals have been shown to be innervated. While morphological studies have confirmed human lymphatic vessels are innervated, functional studies supporting this are lacking. The present study demonstrates a functional innervation of the human thoracic duct (TD) that is predominantly adrenergic. TDs harvested from 51 patients undergoing esophageal and cardia cancer surgery were either fixed for structural investigations or maintained in vitro for the functional assessment of innervation by isometric force measurements and electrical field stimulation (EFS). Electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry suggested scarce diffuse distribution of nerves in the entire vessel wall, but nerve-mediated contractions could be induced with EFS and were sensitive to the muscarinic receptor blocker atropine and the α-adrenoceptor blocker phentolamine. The combination of phentolamine and atropine resulted in a near-complete abolishment of EFSinduced contractions. The presence of sympathetic nerves was further confirmed by contractions induced by the sympathomimetic and catecholamine-releasing agent tyramine. Reactivity to the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, substance P, neuropeptide Y, acetylcholine, and methacholine was demonstrated by exogenous application to human TD ring segments. Norepinephrine provided the most consistent responses, whereas responses to the other agonists varied. We conclude that the human TD is functionally innervated with both cholinergic and adrenergic components, with the latter of the two dominating.
AB - Lymphatic vessels from animals have been shown to be innervated. While morphological studies have confirmed human lymphatic vessels are innervated, functional studies supporting this are lacking. The present study demonstrates a functional innervation of the human thoracic duct (TD) that is predominantly adrenergic. TDs harvested from 51 patients undergoing esophageal and cardia cancer surgery were either fixed for structural investigations or maintained in vitro for the functional assessment of innervation by isometric force measurements and electrical field stimulation (EFS). Electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry suggested scarce diffuse distribution of nerves in the entire vessel wall, but nerve-mediated contractions could be induced with EFS and were sensitive to the muscarinic receptor blocker atropine and the α-adrenoceptor blocker phentolamine. The combination of phentolamine and atropine resulted in a near-complete abolishment of EFSinduced contractions. The presence of sympathetic nerves was further confirmed by contractions induced by the sympathomimetic and catecholamine-releasing agent tyramine. Reactivity to the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, substance P, neuropeptide Y, acetylcholine, and methacholine was demonstrated by exogenous application to human TD ring segments. Norepinephrine provided the most consistent responses, whereas responses to the other agonists varied. We conclude that the human TD is functionally innervated with both cholinergic and adrenergic components, with the latter of the two dominating.
KW - Human lymphatic vessels
KW - Isolated vessel
KW - Lymphatic innervation
KW - Morphology
KW - Myograph
U2 - 10.1152/ajpheart.00517.2013
DO - 10.1152/ajpheart.00517.2013
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 24213615
AN - SCOPUS:84892582742
SN - 0363-6135
VL - 306
SP - H206-H213
JO - American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology
JF - American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology
IS - 2
ER -