Desensitization and capsaicin-induced release of substance P-like immunoreactivity from guinea-pig ureter in vitro.

Substance P-like immunoreactivity was assayed in superfusates of guinea-pig ureters following stimulation of afferent fibres with capsaicin, potassium chloride and the calcium channel agonist Bay K 8644. Capsaicin-evoked release of substance P-like immunoreactivity was calcium-dependent but unaffected by cobalt. Under appropriate conditions release was dose-related (ED50 = 610 nM) and reproducible. Selective desensitization to capsaicin could be demonstrated following prolonged exposure to different doses of capsaicin. No desensitization to capsaicin was observed following afferent fibre stimulation with a combination of Bay K 8644 and K+, which released a similar amount of substance P-like immunoreactivity as a desensitizing capsaicin stimulus. These data suggest that depletion of releasable substance P-like reactivity is unlikely to account for selective desensitization of ureteric primary afferent fibres to capsaicin.