Tamura M, Kagawa S, Kimura K, Kawanishi Y, Tsuruo Y, Ishimura K
Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Tokushima University, Japan.
J Urol. 1995 Feb;153(2):530-4. doi: 10.1097/00005392-199502000-00077.
Recently, nitric oxide (NO) has been believed to act as a neuronal messenger to mediate penile erection. In the present study using human penile tissue, we investigated the coexistence of neuronal NO synthase (NOS), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) by a triple staining method using NADPH diaphorase (ND) staining, a specific histochemical marker of neuronal NOS, and immunohistochemical staining for TH and VIP. Numerous ND-positive nerve fibers and TH-containing fibers were seen in axon bundles, but their distributions were different. Only a few axons in the bundles showed VIP immunoreactivity. Abundant fine varicose nerve terminals innervating cavernous smooth muscles and deep and helicine arteries were observed. The proportion of fibers showing TH-immunoreactivity in ND-positive terminals in the cavernous space was about 25%, and that of VIP was about 40%. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide may act as a coworker in these fibers both in cavernous trabeculae and around arteries, as about 40% of NOS-containing fibers also showed VIP immunoreactivity. The physiological significance of the colocalization of TH and NOS is unclear, and further studies are required to know the physiological significance of the colocalization of NOS and other neurotransmitters in penile tissue.
最近，一氧化氮（NO）被认为作为一种神经递质介导阴茎勃起。在本项使用人体阴茎组织的研究中，我们采用三联染色法，即利用烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸磷酸黄递酶（ND）染色（神经元型一氧化氮合酶的一种特异性组织化学标记物）以及对酪氨酸羟化酶（TH）和血管活性肠肽（VIP）进行免疫组织化学染色，来研究神经元型一氧化氮合酶、酪氨酸羟化酶和血管活性肠肽的共存情况。在轴束中可见大量ND阳性神经纤维和含TH的纤维，但它们的分布有所不同。束中仅有少数轴突显示VIP免疫反应性。观察到有丰富的细小曲张神经末梢支配海绵体平滑肌以及深部和螺旋动脉。在海绵体内间隙的ND阳性终末中，显示TH免疫反应性的纤维比例约为25%，而显示VIP免疫反应性的比例约为40%。血管活性肠肽可能在海绵体小梁和动脉周围的这些纤维中发挥协同作用，因为约40%的含一氧化氮合酶的纤维也显示VIP免疫反应性。TH和一氧化氮合酶共定位的生理意义尚不清楚，需要进一步研究以了解一氧化氮合酶与阴茎组织中其他神经递质共定位的生理意义。
