ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the inflammatory effects of sensory nerve peptides in airways. Neurogenic plasma leakage has been reported to occur in the airways of cats and dogs in response to antidromic stimulation of the sensory nerves, or in hamsters. calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is co-localized with tachykinins in sensory nerves, and is present in the airways of several species, including humans. Resiniferatoxin has a similar spectrum of actions to capsaicin, for example, it causes the release of peptides from sensory nerves in the airways, and desensitization and destruction of sensory nerves, but it is up to several orders of magnitude more potent. Antidromic stimulation of sensory nerves induces release of peptides and effects such as plasma leakage and vasodilatation in the airways and in other tissues. Tachykinins and CGRP are the main proinflammatory peptides contained within sensory nerves in the airways.
