Mechanism of Interaction Between Ocular and Nasal Neurogenic Inflammation in Allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis
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Int Ophthalmol (2019) 39:2283–2294 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-018-01066-5 (0123456789().,-volV)( 0123456789().,-volV) ORIGINAL PAPER Mechanism of interaction between ocular and nasal neurogenic inflammation in allergic rhinoconjunctivitis Xiao-Wei Gao . Xiao-Min Zhang . Hai-Yan Liu . Shan-Shan Wang . Hua-Jiang Dong Received: 9 December 2017 / Accepted: 29 December 2018 / Published online: 3 January 2019 Ó Springer Nature B.V. 2019 Abstract substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), Purpose The mechanisms of naso-ocular interaction and nerve growth factor (NGF) were detected. in allergic rhinoconjunctivitis are not well understood. Results The levels of SP, VIP, and NGF were Neurogenic inflammation affects both eyes and nose increased in both nasal mucosa and conjunctivae 1 h via the same neurogenic factors. The purpose of this and 24 h after OVA administration (p \ 0.05). Higher study was to investigate the effects of neurogenic levels of SP, VIP, and NGF expression were observed inflammation on conjunctival inflammation following in the nasal mucosa and conjunctivae 24 h after OVA nasal allergen provocation. administration (p \ 0.05). Following damage of the Methods Sensitized rats were exposed to ovalbumin nasal sensory nerves by capsaicin, the protein and (OVA) via the nose. Parts of the nasal mucosa and mRNA levels of SP, VIP, and NGF were reduced. conjunctivae were sliced and used for hematoxylin– Conclusion In conclusion, the increased levels of eosin staining, immunohistochemical analysis, west- VIP, SP, and NGF might be responsible for the ocular ern blotting, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. reaction following nasal challenge with allergen in The slides were observed under a light microscope, rats. and the acquired images were analyzed. The levels of Keywords Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis Á Conjunctiva Á Nerve growth factor Á Substance P Á Vasoactive intestinal peptide X.-W. Gao Á X.-M. Zhang (&) Tianjin Medical University Eye Institute and Tianjin Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin 300384, China Introduction e-mail: [email protected] The allergic conjunctivitis commonly accompanies X.-W. Gao Á H.-Y. Liu Á S.-S. Wang allergic rhinitis (AR); consequently, the World Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Allergy Organization proposed that the disorder be Tianjin 300211, China appropriately termed allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) [1]. ARC is characterized by type I H.-J. Dong immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated hypersensitivity State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, reaction to environmental allergens. It is a common Tianjin 300072, China allergic condition, affecting 10–40% of the general 123 2284 Int Ophthalmol (2019) 39:2283–2294 population [2, 3]. Nevertheless, due to the high related peptide (CGRP), neurokinin A (NKA), vasoac- prevalence and the influence on patients’ quality of tive intestinal peptide (VIP), and neuropeptide Y life, it possesses clinical and socioeconomic rele- (NPY). Of these, SP, CGRP, and NKA are sensory vance. Since ocular allergy is closely linked to AR, neuropeptides, released from the sensory nerve fibers demonstrating similarities in epidemiology, patho- of the C category; VIP is a neuropeptide released from physiology, and treatment, the pathophysiologic the nasal mucosa and the postganglionic parasympa- mechanisms thought to be involved in the generation thetic fibers of the conjunctivae [15]; NPY is released of ocular symptoms with nasal challenge deserve from sympathetic fibers and has no effect on the special attention. secretion of mucous glands [16, 17]. Nerve growth Ocular symptoms in patients with ARC are thought factor (NGF), a neurotrophin that regulates neuronal to have three possible underlying mechanisms. Most development, enhances the production of neuropep- evidently, direct exposure of the conjunctivae to tides and is associated with ocular and nasal neuro- allergens leads to topical IgE-mediated mast cell genic inflammation [15, 18, 19]. There are no studies activation, which parallels the nasal immune reaction. on the role of neuropeptides, except SP [17, 20, 21], Another possible mechanism is: various types of cells and the naso-ocular interaction in ARC. or factors released from nasal mucosa during allergic The aim of this study was to illustrate the mech- reactions reach the conjunctivae through the blood anism of interaction of ocular and nasal neurogenic vessels, lymphatic system, and nasolacrimal duct, inflammation in ARC. Therefore, we investigated the causing ocular symptoms. Finally, neurogenic inflam- expression of SP, VIP, and NGF in nasal mucosa and mation may contribute to the generation of conjunc- conjunctivae at different stages following nasal aller- tivitis in AR, as several clinical and experimental gic challenge in a rat model of ARC. Further, we observations point in the direction of a naso-ocular examined the effects of topical capsaicin on the reflex. The naso-ocular reflex has been theorized based mechanisms of the neuropeptides and neurotrophin on several studies [4–9]. released following the allergic challenge. Neurogenic inflammation is the process by which inflammatory mediators, including inflammatory neu- ropeptides and neurotrophins, are released from Method afferent nerve terminals in a target tissue and trigger inflammation with vasodilatation, increased vascular Animals permeability, and hypersensitivity [10, 11]. The nasal mucosa and conjunctivae have a common embryonic Sixty healthy male Sprague–Dawley rats (300–350 g, origin and innervations (sensory nerves, and sympa- 10–12 weeks of age) were obtained from Beijing Hua thetic and parasympathetic fibers). Parasympathetic Fukang Biological Polytron Technologies Inc. (Bei- nerves richly innervate the eyes, entering them after jing, China) and bred in the laboratory of Institute of traveling in conjunction with the parasympathetic Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Med- input to the nasal cavity. Parasympathetic innervations ical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College. All governing the tear film and nasal secretion intersect at animals were allowed to acclimate for 1 week before the pterygopalatine ganglion. Several studies have experimentation. The rats were housed at 19–25 °C, concluded that ocular symptoms following nasal with 40–60% humidity and 12-h light/dark cycle challenge occur secondary to the release of acetyl- (lights on at 7 am), and had free access to food and choline (ACh) from the parasympathetic nerve end- water. All experiments were conducted during the ings [12–14], called cholinergically mediated central light phase of the light/dark cycle. All procedures were reflex. approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use In addition to ACh, there are other neurogenic Committee of Tianjin Medical University and con- messengers that complete the signal transmission ducted in accordance with the National Institutes of inside the neurogenic system. These neurotransmitters Health Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory are neuropeptides and neurotrophins. Neuropeptides Animals. associated with ocular and nasal neurogenic inflam- mation include substance P (SP), calcitonin gene- 123 Int Ophthalmol (2019) 39:2283–2294 2285 Rat model of ARC of the primers used were as follows: Tac1 forward 50TGGCGGTCTTTTTTCTCGTT30,reverse50GCAT The basic sensitization was performed with intraperi- TGCCTCCTTGATTTGG30; Vip forward 50ACGCCA toneal (i.p.) injection of 0.8 mL allergen suspension AACTTACAAAGA30,reverse50GGAGTAGATAGA containing 0.3 mg ovalbumin (OVA; Grade V; Sigma, GCCCCA30; Ngf forward 50CGGTCTTCCCGCCCTA 0 0 St. Louis, MO, USA) and 30 mg Al(OH)3 gel (Xi’an GCCTG3 ,reverse5ATTTGCACGCCGCTCCTTT Heart Biological Technology Co., Ltd., Xian Shi, GC30; Gapdh forward 50CGTATCGGACGCCTGG Shaanxi, China) in 40 rats: a total of 7 times, once TT30,reverse50GTGCCGTTGAACTTGCCG30.The every 48 h. Further, 100 lL 2% OVA suspension levels of Tac1, Vip, Ngf,andGapdh expression were drops (1 mg 50 lL-1 nostril-1) were administered detected by RT-PCR, using the SYBR Green and SYBR into nasal cavities of the rats bilaterally using a Premix Ex Taq (code: DRR420A, TaKaRa Bio Inc.). micropipette for endonasal (e.n.) challenge: a total of 7 times, once every 24 h. Twenty sensitized rats were Western blotting administered 1 mM of capsaicin (N-vanillyl- nonanamide; Sigma) e.n. on day 10 [20]. All the rats The remaining conjunctival tissues of the left eye were were conscious and fixed appropriately during the stored in liquid nitrogen for subsequent assays. Total procedures to prevent them from rubbing the solution proteins were extracted from the homogenate of the from nose to eyes. frozen tissues, and the concentrations of proteins were measured using a bicinchoninic acid protein assay kit Study design (Sigma and Abcam, Cambridge, UK). The proteins were separated using 10% sodium dodecyl sulfate– Animals were randomly allocated into 3 groups: (1) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and then electro- the non-capsaicin group (NC, n = 20) consisted of rats transferred onto polyvinylidene difluoride mem- that were sensitized and intranasally challenged via branes. After blocking with 5% skim milk powder in administration of OVA and were administered saline phosphate-buffered saline, the membranes were e.n. instead of capsaicin on day 10; (2) the capsaicin probed with rabbit anti-SP polyclonal antibody (Bio- group (C,