INTRODUCTION: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a neuronal messenger in 
intracranial sensory nerves and is considered to play a significant role in 
migraine pathophysiology.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated the effect of the CGRP receptor 
antagonist, telcagepant, on CGRP-induced cranial vasodilatation in human 
isolated cerebral and middle meningeal arteries. We also studied the expression 
of the CGRP receptor components in cranial arteries with immunocytochemistry. 
Concentration response curves to αCGRP were performed in human isolated cerebral 
and middle meningeal arteries in the absence or presence of telcagepant. 
Arterial slices were stained for RAMP1, CLR and actin in a double 
immunofluorescence staining.
RESULTS: In both arteries, we found that: (i) telcagepant was devoid of any 
contractile or relaxant effects per se; (ii) pretreatment with telcagepant 
antagonised the αCGRP-induced relaxation in a competitive manner; and (iii) 
immunohistochemistry revealed expression and co-localisation of CLR and RAMP1 in 
the smooth muscle cells in the media layer of both arteries.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide morphological and functional data on the 
presence of CGRP receptors in cerebral and meningeal arteries, which illustrates 
a possible site of action of telcagepant in the treatment of migraine.