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  • TRPV1, CGRP and SP in scalp arteries of patients suffering from chronic migraine.

TRPV1, CGRP and SP in scalp arteries of patients suffering from chronic migraine.

Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry (2014-10-08)
Marina Del Fiacco, Marina Quartu, Marianna Boi, M Pina Serra, Tiziana Melis, Riccardo Boccaletti, Elliot Shevel, Carlo Cianchetti
ABSTRACT

The transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 receptor (TRPV1) and the neuropeptides calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) appear to be differently involved in migraine pain. A role of neurovascular scalp structures is also suggested by several data. We performed a quantitative study of TRPV1-like immunoreactive (LI), CGRP-LI and SP-LI innervation of scalp arterial samples from patients affected with chronic migraine (CM). Short segments of scalp arteries were collected from 17 participants undergoing vascular surgery for treatment-resistant CM and from 6 controls who underwent neurosurgery for various indications. The immunoreactivity of the arterial innervation to TRPV1, CGRP, SP and to the pan-neuronal marker protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5) was examined. Immunoreactive nerve fibres in vessel cross-sections were quantified by computerised image analysis. A significant increase of TRPV1-LI nerve fibres was found in the arterial wall from CM compared with control patients (p<0.05), while no significant difference was found for CGRP and SP. This study yields the first evidence for the existence of a TRPV1-LI innervation in human scalp arteries and provides the first quantitative assessment of the TRPV1-LI, CGRP-LI and SP-LI innervation of those vessels. The increase of TRPV1-LI periarterial nociceptive fibres of scalp arteries may represent, at least in some participants, a structural condition favouring CM (and possibly migraine), for example, by causing a higher sensitivity to algogenic agents.

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Supelco
Meprobamate solution, 1.0 mg/mL in methanol, ampule of 1 mL, certified reference material, Cerilliant®