Ricci A, Mariotta S, Greco S, Pallone G, Papale M, Bisetti A
Dipartimento di Scienze Cardiovascolarie Respiratorie, Università La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
Mech Ageing Dev. 1997 Dec 30;99(3):245-55. doi: 10.1016/s0047-6374(97)00105-x.
Age-related changes of the noradrenergic innervation of the tracheo-bronchial tree and of pulmonary vasculature were investigated in male Wistar rats of 3 months (young), 12 months (adult) and 24 months (old/aged), using catecholamine histofluorescence techniques associated with image analysis and by high pressure liquid chromagraphy with electrochemical detection. In young rats, blue-green fluorescent nerve fibres supply tracheo-bronchial smooth muscle and tracheal and bronchial glands, which are innervated by a delicate network of nerve fibres rich in varicosities. Pulmonary artery and vein are sparsely innervated. They are supplied with nerve fibres distributed in the vasa vasorum or the adventitia and the outer tunica media. The higher noradrenaline concentrations were found in the trachea and extraparenchymal bronchi, followed by pulmonary vein and pulmonary artery. The density and pattern of noradrenergic innervation of the tracheo-bronchial tree, or of the pulmonary vasculature, were similar in young and adult rats. In aged rats, a loss of noradrenergic innervation involving primarily the supply to the smooth muscle of the tracheo-bronchial tree was observed. Histofluorescence techniques demonstrated a higher sensitivity than noradrenaline assay in detecting changes of the sympathetic innervation of the tracheo-bronchial tree and of the pulmonary vasculature. The possible significance of reduced noradrenergic innervation of the tracheo-bronchial tree in aged rats is discussed.
利用与图像分析相关的儿茶酚胺组织荧光技术以及电化学检测的高压液相色谱法，对3个月（年轻）、12个月（成年）和24个月（老年）的雄性Wistar大鼠气管支气管树和肺血管的去甲肾上腺素能神经支配的年龄相关变化进行了研究。在年轻大鼠中，蓝绿色荧光神经纤维供应气管支气管平滑肌以及气管和支气管腺体，这些部位由富含曲张体的精细神经纤维网络支配。肺动脉和肺静脉的神经支配稀疏。它们由分布在血管滋养管、外膜和中膜外层的神经纤维供应。在气管和肺实质外支气管中发现的去甲肾上腺素浓度较高，其次是肺静脉和肺动脉。年轻大鼠和成年大鼠气管支气管树或肺血管的去甲肾上腺素能神经支配的密度和模式相似。在老年大鼠中，观察到去甲肾上腺素能神经支配的丧失，主要涉及气管支气管树平滑肌的神经供应。组织荧光技术在检测气管支气管树和肺血管交感神经支配的变化方面显示出比去甲肾上腺素测定更高的灵敏度。讨论了老年大鼠气管支气管树去甲肾上腺素能神经支配减少的可能意义。
