Catecholamine release in human skin--a microdialysis study.

Dermal microdialysis might be a promising tool to investigate properties of sympathetic neurons in the skin as investigation of peripheral noradrenergic neurons in humans usually relies on highly variable vasoconstrictor reflexes or on indirect measurements like skin temperature recordings. To evaluate this technique, 21 experiments were performed in 15 healthy subjects with four intracutaneous microdialysis fibers (diameter, 200 microm; cutoff, 5 kDa) at hands or feet. After 60 min, saline perfusion tyramine at concentrations of 0.195 to 200 microg/ml was applied for 15 min followed by a 15-min saline perfusion again. Catecholamine concentrations were detected through high-performance liqu…

Thoracoscopic sympathectomy at the T2 or T3 level facilitates bradykinin-induced protein extravasation in human forearm skin.

Background.  The endogenous peptide bradykinin (BK) is an inflammatory mediator that induces nociceptor activation and sensitization as well as protein extravasation and vasodilation. Objective.  To test the hypothesis if sympathectomy affects BK-induced inflammation in humans. Methods.  Dermal microdialysis was employed on the volar forearm in 10 patients (21–41 years) with regional hyperhidrosis before and three months after preganglionic endoscopic transthoracic sympathetic clipping (ETSC) at the T2 or T3 level and in 10 healthy volunteers (22–36 years). After 60 minutes perfusion with Ringer's solution microdialysis fibers were perfused with BK 10−7 M and 10−5 M for 30 minutes followed …

Overexpression of human homologs of the bacterial DnaJ chaperone in the synovial tissue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective To study the expression of the chaperone family of J proteins in the synovial tissue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or osteoarthritis. Methods Rabbit antibodies specific for a synthetic peptide (pHSJ1: EAYEVLSDKHKREIYD), representing the most conserved part of all J domains thus far identified—among them the Drosophila tumor suppressor Tid56—were used in immunohistochemical analyses of frozen sections of synovial tissue and immunoblotting of protein extracts of adherent synovial cells. IgG specific for Tid56 was also used. Results Both antisera predominantly and intensely stained synovial lining cells from RA patients; other cells did not stain or stained only faintly.…

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