Effects of flurbiprofen and its enantiomers on the spinal c-Fos protein expression induced by noxious heat stimuli in the anaesthetized rat

We have evaluated the effects of either intravenous or intraplantar administration of racemic-, S(+)- and R(-)-flurbiprofen on the spinal c-Fos protein expression after a single noxious heat stimulation (52 degrees C for 15 s) of the rat hindpaw in urethane anaesthetized rats. Two hours after noxious heat, numerous c-Fos protein immunoreactive (c-Fos-IR) nuclei (>70 c-Fos-IR nuclei per section at the level of L4-L5 segments) were observed with essential localization in the superficial (I-II) laminae of the spinal dorsal horn, i.e. areas containing numerous neurons driven exclusively by noxious stimuli. Considering the number of c-Fos-IR nuclei in laminae I-II, the intravenous injection of racemic-flurbiprofen (0.3, 3 and 9 mg/kg) was inefficacious and S(+)-flurbiprofen had weak and non-dose-related effects. The same doses of R(-)-flurbiprofen produced dose-related effects (r=0.58, P<0.05) with weak, but significant, effects for doses of 3 and 9 mg/kg (18+/-6% and 26+/-5% reduction of the number of noxious heat-evoked c-Fos-IR nuclei in laminae I-II, P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). The weak effects of R(-)-flurbiprofen are probably due to the central site of action since the intraplantar injection of a relatively high dose of 30 microg is inefficacious. These results provide further evidence for weak effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and their enantiomers on the acute responses to nociceptive stimulus which are very efficacious upon inflammatory nociception, but not upon brief noxious heat-evoked nociception.     

Cholecystokinin as a factor in the enhanced potency of spinal morphine following carrageenin inflammation.

1. Cholecystokinin (CCK) has been shown to diminish opioid analgesia. Here we investigate whether changes in the physiological levels of spinal CCK are responsible for the enhanced potency of spinal morphine in animals following carrageenin inflammation, as compared with normal animals. 2. Single dorsal horn nociceptive neurones were recorded in intact halothane-anaesthetized rats in the presence and absence of carrageenin-induced inflammation and comparisons were made between the two groups of animals. Inflammation was induced by the injection of 100 microliters of 2% lambda-carrageenin into the hind paw. 3. The inhibitory effect of intrathecal morphine on the C-fibre-evoked responses of the neurones was enhanced in the carrageenin-treated animals such that the effects of 0.25 microgram and 10 micrograms of morphine in normal animals were comparable to those of 0.01 microgram and 2.5 micrograms in the carrageenin animals. The effect of 0.2 mg kg-1 of the CCKB antagonist, L-365,260, on the antinociceptive potency of intrathecal morphine was examined in both groups of animals. In normal animals, L-365,260 produced a significant enhancement in the effect of morphine indicating a tonic CCK modulation in these animals, but it had no effect on the inhibitions produced by either dose of morphine in the carrageenin animals. 4. The inhibition of the C-fibre-evoked response produced by intrathecal morphine in the presence of 1 microgram of CCK was examined in both groups of animals. CCK attenuated the effects of morphine only in animals with carrageenin inflammation, having no effect on the action of morphine in normal animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Reduction of carrageenin oedema and the associated c-Fos expression in the rat lumbar spinal cord by nitric oxide synthase inhibitor.

1. Three hours after intraplantar carrageenin (6 mg/150 microliters of saline) Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI) was mainly observed in L4 and L5 segments of the dorsal horn. Both superficial (I-II) and deep laminae (V-VI) neurones were labelled. 2. We have studied the effect of systemic administration of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on carrageenin evoked c-Fos expression and thus the contribution of nitric oxide to this expression. 3. Pre-administration of L-NAME (10, 25, 50, 100 mg kg-1, i.v.) dose-dependently reduced the number of superificial and deep laminae Fos-LI neurones, 100 mg kg-1 produced a 63 +/- 2% and 72 +/- 4% reduction of Fos-LI neurones respectively, P < 0.0001 for both superficial and deep neurones. 4. Pre-administered L-NAME dose-relatedly reduced the carrageenin-evoked paw and ankle oedema, with 100 mg kg-1 of L-NAME resulting in a 74 +/- 2% and 103 +/- 2% reduction respectively. 5. Post-administration of L-NAME (10 mg kg-1, i.v.) reduced the number of superficial and deep laminae Fos-LI neurones (65 +/- 7% and 53 +/- 8% reduction respectively, P < 0.01 for both superficial and deep neurones). 6. Post-administered L-NAME reduced both the paw and ankle oedema (52 +/- 8% and 62 +/- 10% reduction respectively, P < 0.0001 for both paw and ankle).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Mediators of the inflammation induced in the rat paw by carrageenin

1. The time course of oedema formation in rats caused by injection of carrageenin into the paw was followed for 5.5 hours. Intact or adrenalectomized rats which had previously been injected with ellagic acid or saliva to reduce considerably the concentration of blood kininogens, or with methysergide to antagonize 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) showed a reduced inflammatory response. It was concluded that kinins and 5-HT contributed significantly to oedema formation during this period.2. Mepyramine alone had no effect on oedema formation, but in combination with ellagic acid treatment, with or without methysergide, it caused a reduction suggesting that histamine played a minor role in oedema formation during the first 3 hours.3. Vascular permeability studies indicated that injection of ellagic acid did not interfere with the normal responses in skin to intradermal injections of histamine, 5-HT, bradykinin or compound 48/80. Mepyramine and methysergide, at the doses used in the carrageenin experiments, completely antagonized histamine and 5-HT, respectively, and did not affect the skin responses of bradykinin.4. Treatment in vivo with ellagic acid or rat saliva was equally effective in reducing plasma kininogen concentrations by an amount equivalent to more than 10 times the quantity of substrate 1 measured by Gautvik & Rugstad (1967).5. Rat saliva, but not ellagic acid, lowered complement levels by approximately 20%.     

Tolerance develops to spinal morphine analgesia but not morphine-induced convulsions

Administration of morphine into the spinal intrathecal (i.t.) space produced dose-dependent analgesia in the mouse. At higher doses i.t. morphine induced seizures of the hindlimbs. Mice treated chronically with morphine (75 mg pellet, s.c.) for 72 h were tolerant to the analgesic effects of i.t. morphine, but not to the proconvulsant action. Spinal morphine analgesia was attenuated by naloxone, whereas i.t. morphine-induced seizures were not. These results indicate that spinal opioid receptors mediate analgesia but not seizures following i.t. morphine treatment in the mouse.     

Alteration of spinal protein kinase C expression and kinetics in morphine, but not clonidine, tolerance.

Antinociceptive synergism between spinally administered morphine and clonidine decreases to an additive interaction in morphine- and clonidine-tolerant mice. Spinally administered protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors also decrease the synergism to addition. To determine whether chronic morphine or clonidine treatment alters spinal PKC activity, the present studies measured PKC activity and expression of PKC isoform proteins in spinal cord cytosol and membrane fractions. Mice were treated for 4 days with either placebo pellets, morphine pellets, s.c. saline, or s.c. clonidine. Morphine pellet-implanted mice were tolerant to morphine-induced tail flick antinociception, but not cross-tolerant to clonidine. Clonidine-pretreated mice were tolerant to clonidine, but not cross-tolerant to morphine. Induction of morphine tolerance produced a 2-fold lower Km value for PKC (8.24 +/- 1.67 microM in placebo pellet vs 4.43 +/- 1.24 microM in morphine pellet) in cytosol, but not membrane fractions from spinal cord. Vmax values were not different. No difference in Km or Vmax values was found between proteins from saline- and clonidine-pretreated animals. Immunoreactive cPKCalpha, betaI, and gamma isoforms decreased 14, 26, and 17%, respectively, in cytosol from morphine-tolerant animals. No difference in PKC isoforms was found in the membranes or in fractions from clonidine-tolerant mice. Morphine tolerance, but not clonidine tolerance, enhanced PKC activity while decreasing protein expression.     

Pentobarbital attenuates antinociception induced by i.c.v. morphine but not beta-endorphin in the mouse.

The effects of pentobarbital anesthesia (45 mg/kg i.p.) on the inhibition of the tail-flick response induced by beta-endorphin and morphine injected intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) and intrathecally (i.t.) were studied in male ICR mice. Pentobarbital anesthesia attenuated the inhibition of the tail-flick response induced by morphine but not beta-endorphin given i.c.v. However, the tail-flick inhibition induced by morphine given i.t. was not attenuated by pentobarbital. beta-Endorphin-(1-27) (3 micrograms) given i.c.v. or naloxone (2 micrograms) given i.t. blocked inhibition of the tail-flick response induced by morphine given i.c.v. only in pentobarbital-anesthetized mice but not in conscious mice. beta-Funaltrexamine (beta-FNA, 2.5 micrograms) given i.c.v. or yohimbine (2 micrograms) and methysergide (2 micrograms) injected i.t. blocked the morphine (i.c.v.)-induced inhibition of the tail-flick response in conscious mice but not in pentobarbital-anesthetized mice. The results indicate that pentobarbital attenuates the morphine-induced inhibition of the tail-flick response by inhibiting descending noradrenergic and serotonergic pathways and uncovers a descending opioid system. The tail-flick inhibition induced by supraspinal morphine is mediated by stimulation of mu-opioid receptors in conscious mice and epsilon-opioid receptors in pentobarbital-anesthetized mice. The epsilon-opioid receptor-mediated descending system activated by supraspinally injected beta-endorphin is not attenuated by pentobarbital anesthesia.     

Footshock- and psychological-stress prevent the development of tolerance to spinal but not supraspinal morphine.

The site of action involved in the suppression by exposure to footshock (FS)- and psychological (PSY)-stress of the development of antinociceptive tolerance to morphine has been investigated. Daily treatment with 10 mg/kg, s.c.; 3 micrograms, i.t.; and 5 micrograms, i.c.v. of morphine, regardless of the administration route, resulted in the development of tolerance. Daily exposure to FS- or PSY-stress suppressed the development of tolerance to s.c. and i.t. administered morphine but not that to i.c.v. administered morphine. Pretreatment with 2 mg/kg, i.p. of nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI) abolished the suppressive effect of PSY-stress on the development of tolerance to morphine given s.c. The suppression by PSY-stress was also antagonized by 2 micrograms, i.t. of nor-BNI and not by 2 micrograms, i.c.v. of nor-BNI. Thus, the development of tolerance in the spinal cord due to interaction of morphine at mu-opioid receptors can be suppressed by exposure to these stresses, probably through the descending signals from the supraspinal area, and activation of kappa-opioid receptors in the spinal cord could also participate in the suppression by PSY-stress.     

Analgesic doses of morphine do not reduce noxious stimulus-evoked release of immunoreactive neurokinins in the dorsal horn of the spinal cat.

1. Antibody microprobes were used to detect immunoreactive neurokinin A release in the dorsal spinal cord of barbiturate-anaesthetized spinal cats. 2. Noxious mechanical stimulation of the ipsilateral hind paw and electrical stimulation (suprathreshold for unmyelinated primary afferent fibres) of the ipsilateral tibial nerve evoked immunoreactive neurokinin A release. 3. Systemic morphine, 5 mg kg-1, i.v., did not block immunoreactive neurokinin A release in response to these stimuli. 4. Subsequent naloxone administration, 0.5 mg kg-1, i.v., did not alter this stimulus-evoked release. 5. Basal levels of immunoreactive neurokinin A were unaltered by morphine or naloxone. 6. These results suggest that the analgesic effects of morphine at the spinal cord level are not brought about by activation of presynaptic opiate receptors on neurokinin A containing afferent terminals.     

Met-enkephalin and morphine but not dynorphin inhibit noxious stimuli-induced release of substance P from rabbit dorsal horn in situ

The effects of locally applied opioids on the release of immunoreactive Substance P (iSP), induced by mechanical stimuli, from the dorsal horn of the rabbit in situ, were investigated. Morphine and met-enkephalin (met-enk), but not dynorphin A (1-17) (DYN), in a concentration of 10 microM, significantly inhibited the evoked release. These inhibitory effects of morphine and met-enkephalin were antagonized by the local application of naloxone (10 microM) to the dorsal horn. These results suggest that the inhibition of the release of Substance P induced by noxious mechanical stimuli may be mediated by mu and delta, but not by kappa opioid receptors.     

Reduced hyperalgesia induced by nerve injury, but not by inflammation in mice lacking protein kinase C gamma isoform.

Protein kinase C is one of protein kinases which might be involved in the nerve injury- or inflammation-induced hyperalgesia. The present study was designed to investigate the hyperalgesia with thermal paw-withdrawal test induced by sciatic nerve ligation or by intraplantar injection of a complete Freund's adjuvant solution in protein kinase C gamma knockout and its wild-type mice. Either sciatic nerve ligation or intraplantar injection of a complete Freund's adjuvant caused a marked decrease of the paw-withdrawal latency only on the ipsilateral, but not on the contralateral side of the paw in wild-type mice. This ipsilateral hyperalgesia induced by sciatic nerve ligation was significantly attenuated in protein kinase C gamma knockout mice. On the other hand, the ipsilateral hyperalgesia induced by complete Freund's adjuvant remained about the same in protein kinase C gamma knockout mice as in wild-type mice. The results indicate that protein kinase C gamma is involved in the development of the thermal hyperalgesia induced by nerve ligation, but not by complete Freund's adjuvant-induced inflammation.     

Aripiprazole blocks reinstatement but not expression of morphine conditioned place preference in rats

Aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic drug primarily characterized by partial agonist activity at dopamine (DA) D₂ receptors and serotonin-1A (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT_1A) receptors and minimal side effects. Based on its pharmacological profile, including stabilization of mesocorticolimbic DA activity (a pathway implicated in drug addiction), we investigated the effects of aripiprazole on relapse to morphine seeking in rats. In experiment 1, rats underwent morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) training with alternate injections of morphine (5 mg/kg, s.c.) and saline (1 ml/kg, s.c.) for 8 consecutive days. To examine the effect of aripiprazole on the expression of morphine-induced CPP, rats received aripiprazole (0, 0.03, 0.1, and 0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min before testing for the expression of CPP. In experiment 2, rats underwent the same CPP training as in experiment 1 and subsequent extinction training. To examine the effect of aripiprazole on reinstatement of morphine-induced CPP, rats received aripiprazole 30 min before testing for reinstatement of CPP. In experiment 3, to assess the effects of aripiprazole on locomotor activity, aripiprazole was administered 30 min before testing for locomotor activity. Aripiprazole significantly decreased the reinstatement of CPP induced by a priming injection of morphine but had no effect on the expression of morphine-induced CPP or locomotor activity. The D₂ and 5-HT_1A partial agonist and 5-HT_2A antagonist properties of aripiprazole likely account for the blockade of relapse to drug seeking. These findings suggest that aripiprazole may have therapeutic value for reducing craving and preventing relapse to drug seeking.     

Intrathecal [Met5]enkephalin antibody blocks analgesia induced by intracerebroventricular beta-endorphin but not morphine in mice

Intrathecal (i.t.) injection of antibody directed to [Met5]enkephalin antagonized intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) administered beta-endorphin-induced inhibition of the tail-flick response but not the hot-plate response. [Met5]enkephalin antibody injected i.t., however, did not affect inhibition of either the tail-flick and hot-plate response induced by morphine given i.c.v. The antibodies to [Leu5]enkephalin, dynorphin A-(1-13) and beta-endorphin even at a high dose injected i.t. did not affect the inhibition induced by i.c.v. administered beta-endorphin or morphine either in the tail-flick and hot-plate test. Our results with antibodies support the results of previous studies that beta-endorphin but not morphine produces its analgesic action by selectively releasing [Met5]enkephalin.     

Study of the repercussions on blood of acute experimental inflammation in rats. II. Blood changes in the course of carrageenin induced inflammation

Repercussions on blood of inflammation induced by carrageenin injection in the four paws of rats were studied. Two stages were observed. 4 h after carrageenin injection, a high fall in leucocyte count and a small decrease in blood total proteins and blood fibrinogen were registered. ADP mediated platelet aggregation and sedimentation rate were not modified. 24 h after carrageenin injection, sedimentation rate and blood fibrinogen were increased; some platelet hyperaggregation with ADP was also observed.     

Kinins and peritoneal exudates induced by carrageenin and zymosan in rats.

1. Kinins were measured by a radioimmunoassay in the inflammatory exudates induced by carrageenin or zymosan in the peritoneal cavity of normal Wistar rats and of kininogen-deficient Brown Norway rats. 2. After administration of carrageenin to normal rats, levels of immunoreactive kinins showed a single peak during the first two hours and then decreased. The presence of kinins preceded and accompanied the exudation of 125I-labelled albumin. Kinins were identified as bradykinin by chromatography. 3. Captopril, an inhibitor of kininase 2, increased the level of kinins and the volume of the exudates after carrageenin treatment. In Brown Norway rats, the volume of the exudates was small and contained little or undetectable amounts of immunoreactive kinins. 4. During zymosan-induced peritonitis, the exudates were devoid of immunoreactive kinins in both species. The volume of the exudates was larger in kininogen-deficient rats than in normal rats. 5. We conclude that in rats, the kinin system is a major factor responsible for the development of the inflammatory reactions induced by carrageenin, but is not involved in the reactions induced by zymosan.     

东莨菪碱对吗啡诱发条件位置性偏爱重现大鼠杏仁核p-CREB及c-Fos表达的影响

目的：探讨东莨菪碱对吗啡诱发条件位置性偏爱（conditioned place preference,CPP）重现大鼠杏仁核（amygdala nucleus,Amy）cAMP反应元件结合蛋白（phospho-cAMP response element binding protein,p-CREB）和c-Fos表达的变化。方法：以剂量递增法建立大鼠CPP模型,生理盐水替代吗啡训练大鼠,使形成的CPP逐渐消退,小剂量吗啡激活已消退的CPP。采用免疫组化技术测定不同剂量东莨菪碱对吗啡诱发CPP重现时大鼠杏仁核p-CREB和c-Fos的变化。结果：东莨菪碱可抑制吗啡点燃诱发大鼠CPP重现行为;并可减少吗啡诱发的CPP重现时大鼠杏仁核p-CREB和c-Fos的表达。结论：东莨菪碱对小剂量吗啡诱发吗啡依赖大鼠CPP重现行为的抑制作用可能与其抑制大鼠杏仁核p-CREB和c-Fos蛋白表达有关。     

鞘内注射大麻酚类抑制大鼠脊髓内有毒刺激引起的Fos蛋白样免疫反应及其与吗

AIM: To determine whether cannabinoids suppress noxious stimulus-evoked Fos protein-like immunoreactivity (FLI) through direct actions at the spinal level. METHODS: Rats were implanted with intrathecal (ith) catheters at least one week prior to evaluation in the formalin test. Effects of the cannabinoid agonist, CP55,940 (80 micrograms ith) on formalin pain and FLI in rat spinal cord were compared with that of the prototypic narcotic analgesic, morphine (20 micrograms ith). CP55,940 suppressed pain behavior and FLI induced by intraplantar formalin. The cannabinoid suppressed Fos in the neck region of the dorsal horn and in the ventral horn, but not in the nucleus proprius. The efficacy of the cannabinoid in suppressing FLI in these laminae and pain behavior was comparable to morphine administered via the same route. However, only morphine suppressed FLI in the superficial dorsal horn relative to vehicle treatment. CONCLUSION: Cannabinoids suppress nociceptive processing, in part, through actions at the spinal level. However, morphine showed greater potency and efficacy than CP55,940 in suppressing formalin-induced FLI following spinal administration.     

Activation of c-fos expression in the heart after morphine but not U-50,488H withdrawal

1. In the present work we have studied in the heart the expression of Fos, the protein product of the c-fos proto-oncogene and the adaptive changes in noradrenergic neurons after naloxone or nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI) administration to morphine or U-50,488H pretreated rats. 2. Male rats were implanted with placebo (na?ve) or morphine (tolerant/dependent) pellets for 7 days. On day 8 rats received saline s.c., naloxone (5 mg kg(-1) s.c.) or nor-BNI (5 mg kg(-1) i.p.). Other groups of rats were rendered tolerant/dependent on U-50,488H by injecting the drug twice daily (15 mg kg(-1) i.p.) for 4 days. Control animals received saline. On day 5 the animals were injected with vehicle i.p. or nor-BNI (5 mg kg(-1) i.p.). 3. Using immunohistochemical staining of Fos, present results indicate that morphine withdrawal induced marked Fos immunoreactivity (Fos-IR) within the cardiomyocyte nuclei. Moreover, Western blots analysis revealed a peak expression of c-fos in right and left ventricle after naloxone induced withdrawal in parallel with an increase in noradrenaline (NA) turnover. 4. However, after nor-BNI administration to rats chronically treated with U-50,488H, we found a decrease in the NA turnover. In addition, the administration of nor-BNI to rats chronically treated with U-50,488H or morphine did not induce modifications in the Fos-IR, in the heart. 5. These results demonstrated that morphine withdrawal induces the expression of Fos protein, as well as an enhancement of noradrenergic activity in the heart. In contrast to morphine U-50,488 withdrawal produces no changes in Fos-IR in parallel with a decrease in NA turnover, indicating that the kappa-opioid receptors are not involved in the molecular adaptive mechanisms responsible for the development of opioid dependence in the heart.     

Glutamate receptors in the dorsal hippocampus mediate the acquisition,but not the expression,of conditioned place aversion induced by acute morphine withdrawal in rats

Aim： To evaluate the role of glutamate receptors in the dorsal hippocampus （DH） in the motivational component of morphine withdrawal. Methods： NMDA receptor antagonist D-AP5 （5 pg/0.5 pL per side） or AMPA receptor antagonist NBQX （2 pg/0.5 pL per side） was micro- injected into DH of rats. Conditioned place aversion （CPA） induced by naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal were assessed. Results： Preconditioning microinjection of D-AP5 or NBQX into the DH impaired the acquisition of CPA in acute morphine-dependent rats. However, intra-DH microinjection of D-AP5 or NBQX after conditioning but before the testing session had no effect on the expres- sion of CPA. Conclusion： Our results suggest that NMDA and AMPA receptors in the dorsal hippocampus are involved in the acquisition, but not in the expression, of the negative motivational components of acute morphine withdrawal in rats.     

Glutamate receptors in the dorsal hippocampus mediate the acquisition,but not the expression,of conditioned place aversion induced by acute morphine withdrawal in rats

Aim:

To evaluate the role of glutamate receptors in the dorsal hippocampus (DH) in the motivational component of morphine withdrawal.

Methods:

NMDA receptor antagonist D-AP5 (5 μg/0.5 μL per side) or AMPA receptor antagonist NBQX (2 μg/0.5 μL per side) was microinjected into DH of rats. Conditioned place aversion (CPA) induced by naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal were assessed.

Results:

Preconditioning microinjection of D-AP5 or NBQX into the DH impaired the acquisition of CPA in acute morphine-dependent rats. However, intra-DH microinjection of D-AP5 or NBQX after conditioning but before the testing session had no effect on the expression of CPA.

Conclusion:

Our results suggest that NMDA and AMPA receptors in the dorsal hippocampus are involved in the acquisition, but not in the expression, of the negative motivational components of acute morphine withdrawal in rats.