Lorton D, Bellinger D L, Felten S Y, Felten D L
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Rochester School of Medicine, New York 14642.
Brain Behav Immun. 1991 Mar;5(1):29-40. doi: 10.1016/0889-1591(91)90005-u.
We investigated the distribution of SP+ nerve fibers in the spleen of adult male Fischer 344 rats. SP+ nerve fibers entered the spleen with the splenic artery in the hilar region, arborized along the venous sinuses, and extended from these larger plexuses into trabeculae and the surrounding red pulp. In the white pulp, SP+ nerve fibers were found in the marginal zone, and in the outer regions of the PALS among T lymphocytes. No SP+ nerve fibers were observed in association with the splenic capsule, the central arteries of the white pulp, or the follicles. SP levels in rat spleen were 5.7 +/- 0.4 ng/g wet wt. On the basis of the present findings of SP presence in nerve fibers in the spleen, and published evidence for SP receptors on lymphocytes and macrophages, we suggest that SP derived from nerve fibers in the spleen can act as a neurotransmitter with cells of the immune system as targets. These SP nerve fibers may be an important neural link between the nervous system and the immune system and may participate in modulation of immune reactivity and inflammatory responses.
我们研究了成年雄性Fischer 344大鼠脾脏中P物质（SP）阳性神经纤维的分布情况。SP阳性神经纤维在脾门区随脾动脉进入脾脏，沿静脉窦分支，并从这些较大的神经丛延伸至小梁和周围的红髓。在白髓中，SP阳性神经纤维见于边缘区以及T淋巴细胞之间动脉周围淋巴鞘（PALS）的外侧区域。在脾被膜、白髓中央动脉或滤泡中未观察到SP阳性神经纤维。大鼠脾脏中SP水平为5.7±0.4 ng/g湿重。基于目前在脾脏神经纤维中发现SP以及已发表的关于淋巴细胞和巨噬细胞上存在SP受体的证据，我们认为脾脏神经纤维释放的SP可作为一种神经递质，以免疫系统细胞为靶标。这些SP神经纤维可能是神经系统与免疫系统之间的重要神经连接，可能参与免疫反应性和炎症反应的调节。
