Regional distribution of substance P in the spinal cord and nerve roots of the cat and the effect of dorsal root section.

Chemical properties of substance P in the spinal cord and dorsal roots of the cat were examined by gel chromatography and paper electrophoresis. The results suggest that the substance is identical with the undecapeptide, hypothalamic substance P, recently isolated from bovine hypothalamus. Distribution of substance P in the cat spinal cord (L5-S1) was investigated. Substance P was highly concentrated in the dorsal horn, where the highest level was found in the dorsal part. After the unilateral ligation and/or section of the dorsal roots, the level of substance P in the dorsal horn, particularly in its dorsal part, was markedly lowered. In the ligated and sectioned dorsal root, substance P was highly accumulated on the ganglion side, whereas its level was lowered on the central side of the ligature. These results suggest that hypothalamic substance P synthesized in the spinal ganglia is transported in the dorsal root toward their intraspinal axon terminals, where the substance is concentrated and serves as a neurotransmitter.