Colocalization of nitric oxide synthase and some neurotransmitters in the intramural ganglia of the guinea pig urinary bladder

The distribution of nitrergic neurons was investigated by using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) immunohistochemistry in wholemount preparations of the urinary bladder in guinea pigs. Both NADPH-d+ and NOS+ neurons were located predominantly in the bladder base. Double staining showed that 70.9% of the NADPH-d+ neurons coexpressed NOS. Acetylcholinesterase histochemistry revealed that a majority of the intramural neurons were reactive, and about half of them (51.4%) were double labelled for NOS. Tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons were also distributed mainly in the bladder base but in a neuronal population that was separate from the preponderant NADPH-d+ neurons. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactivity was also detected in the some of intramural ganglion cells, in which 21.3% of them coexpressed NADPH-d. Calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P immunoreactivities were confined to nerve fibers, often in close association with NADPH-d+ cells or extended along the blood vessels. These results have demonstrated the colocalization of NADPH-d and NOS in the majority of intramural ganglion cells. Many of the nitrergic neurons are apparently cholinergic, indicating that they are parasympathetic postganglionic neurons, and this underscores NO as the major neuromodulator in the parasympathetic nerves in the bladder walls. The localization of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in nitrergic neurons suggests that the peptide may complement NO for regulation of micturition reflex. The close relationship of NADPH-d-reactive intramural neurons with calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P fibers, most probably derived from dorsal root ganglion cells, suggests that NO released from the local neurons may exert its influence on the sensory neural pathways in the urinary bladder.