ABSTRACT
The discovery of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) stems from RNA transcript studies performed by S. G. Amara et al. It was noted that the primary RNA transcript of the DNA segment relating to the calcitonin gene could be processed in a manner that, when translated, produced calcitonin or CGRP plus a number of terminal peptides. The CGRP innervation present around blood vessels is thought to consist of sensory fibers that convey nociceptive information of thermal, chemical, or mechanical origin to the brain stem. The pharmacological action of topically applied or infused CGRP is to produce a potent vasodilatory effect in all the arterial systems tested to date. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a 36-amino-acid peptide initially isolated from pig brains. The release of NPY from sympathetic nerves is dependent on the frequency at which they are stimulated. The possible pathophysiological roles played by NPY in cardiovascular disease are speculative in nature.
