Electrically evoked neuropeptide release and neurogenic inflammation differ between rat and human skin.

Protein extravasation and vasodilatation can be induced by neuropeptides released from nociceptive afferents (neurogenic inflammation). We measured electrically evoked neuropeptide release and concomitant protein extravasation in human and rat skin using intradermal microdialysis. Plasmapheresis capillaries were inserted intradermally at a length of 1.5 cm in the volar forearm of human subjects or abdominal skin of rats. Capillaries were perfused with Ringer solution at a flow rate of 2.5 or 1.6 microl min(-1). After a baseline period of 60 min capillaries were stimulated electrically (1 Hz, 80 mA, 0.5 ms or 4 Hz, 30 mA, 0.5 ms) for 30 min using a surface electrode directly above the capillaries and a stainless-steel wire inserted in the capillaries. Total protein concentration was assessed photometrically and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In rat skin, electrical stimulation increased CGRP and total protein concentration in the dialysate. SP measurements showed a larger variance but only for the 1 Hz stimulation was the increased release significant. In human skin, electrical stimulation provoked a large flare reaction and at a frequency of 4 Hz both CGRP and SP concentrations increased significantly. In spite of the large flare reactions no protein extravasation was induced, which suggests major species differences. It will be of interest to investigate whether the lack of neurogenic protein extravasation is also valid under pathophysiological conditions.

Acute effects of substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide in human skin--a microdialysis study.

Upon activation nociceptors release neuropeptides in the skin provoking vasodilation and plasma protein extravasation in rodents, but only vasodilation in humans. Pivotal peptides in the induction of neurogenic inflammation comprise calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P, the latter being suggested to act partly via degranulation of mast cells. In this study substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide-induced vasodilation, protein extravasation, histamine release, and sensory effects were investigated simultaneously in human skin by dermal microdialysis. The vasodilatory prostaglandin E(2) and the mast cell activator codeine served as positive controls. Substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide applied intradermally via large cut-off plasmapheresis capillaries induced dose-dependent local vasodilation, but only SP provoked protein extravasation in concentrations greater than 10(-9) M. Substance P-induced (10(-8)-10(-6) M) protein extravasation was not accompanied by histamine release and was unaffected by cetirizine (histamine H1 blocker, 200 microg per ml). Only the highest concentration of substance P (10(-5) M) induced significant histamine release. Neither neuropeptide caused any axon reflex erythema or any itch or pain sensation, whereas mast cell degranulation by codeine dose dependently provoked itch, flare, protein extravasation, and histamine release. In human skin calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P induce vasodilation by a mechanism not involving histamine. No evidence for neuropeptide-induced activation of nociceptors was obtained. Our results suggest that endogenous calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P have no acute sensory function in human skin. The lack of neurogenic protein extravasation in humans can most probably be attributed to low local concentrations of this neuropeptide still sufficient to exert trophic and immunomodulatory effects (10(-11) M), but too low to induce protein extravasation (10(-8) M) or even mast cell degranulation (10(-5) M). J Invest Dermatol 115:1015-1020 2000