Neurotensin receptor 1 immunoreactivity in the peripheral ganglia and carotid body

In the present study we investigated, through immunohistochemistry, the presence and location of neurotensin receptor 1 (NTR1) in the peripheral ganglia and carotid body of 16 humans and 5 rats. In both humans and rats, NTR1 immunostained ganglion cells were found in superior cervical ganglia (57.4+/-11.6% and 72.4+/-11.4%, respectively, p0.05), enteric ganglia (51.9+/-10.4% and 64.6+/-6.1, p<0.05), sensory ganglia (69.2+/-10.7% and 73.0+/-13.1%, p>0.05) and parasympathetic ganglia (52.1+/-14.1% and 59.4+/-14.0%, p>0.05), supporting a modulatory role for NT in these ganglia. Positivity was also detected in 45.6+/-9.2% and 50.8+/-6.8% of human and rat type I glomic cells, respectively, whereas type II cells were negative. Our findings suggest that NT produced by type I cells acts in an autocrine or paracrine way on the same cell type, playing a modulatory role on chemoception.