Vasopressin analgesia: specificity of action and non-opioid effects

Recent neuroanatomical and behavioral evidence has indicated that vasopressin (VP) increases pain thresholds. In the present study intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of both arginine VP (AVP: 75-500 ng) and 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP: 150-500 ng) elevated tail flick latencies. Oxytocin (OXY, ICV), also elevated tail-flick latencies (150-1000 ng); however this increase was accompanied by "barrel-roll" seizure activity. VP analgesia was eliminated by pretreatment with 1-deamino-penicillamine-2(O-methyl)tyrosine-AVP (dPTyr(me)AVP: 500 ng, ICV), a VP antagonist, but not naloxone (1 or 10 micrograms, ICV), suggesting that VP modulates nonciceptive thresholds through its own binding sites. Conversely, pretreatment with naloxone (1 micrograms, ICV) but not dPTyr(me)AVP (1 microgram, ICV) attenuated the analgesic efficacy of systemic morphine (10 mg/kg), further dissociating VP and central opiate analgesic processes. Finally, systemic pretreatment with dexamethasone potentiated VP analgesia. These data support the notion that VP is a specific non-opioid pain inhibitor.     

Thermoregulatory, behavioral and seizure modulatory effects of AVP in the gerbil

Recent reports suggest that arginine vasopressin (AVP) may be an endogenous antipyretic peptide and a mediator of febrile convulsions [10,12]. The spontaneously seizing Mongolian gerbil was used to investigate the thermoregulatory, behavioral and seizure modulatory effects of AVP. Injection of AVP (1.0 and 5.0 μg IV and 0.01–1.0 mg/kg SC) caused dose-related falls in body temperature. Stereotypic scratching, terminated by a body shake, was observed after AVP (1.0–5.0 μg IV). However, such behavior was not observed after subcutaneous injection of AVP. AVP did not potentiate seizure induction in the gerbils but rather reduced the seizure incidence. The data demonstrate that AVP can reduce body temperature and cause specific behaviors, but it does not appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of seizures in the seizure sensitive strain of Mongolian gerbil.     

Difference in susceptibility of arginine-vasopressin and oxytocin to aminopeptidase activity in brain synaptic membranes

Arginine-vasopressin and oxytocin, peptides which serve as putative precursors for neurotrophic fragments, were digested in the presence of the respective ¹⁴C-Tyr²- and ${}^{14}\text{C-GlyNH}{}_2{}^9\text{-labeled}$ nonapeptides with a purified synaptic membrane preparation of rat brain. In this preparation aminopeptidase activity predominates in the conversion of these peptides. The disappearance of intact peptide and the release of free ¹⁴C-Tyr and ¹⁴C-GlyNH₂ was followed simultaneously with time by HPLC. Oxytocin was about four times more resistant to proteolysis than arginine-vasopressin as measured by slower disappearance of intact oxytocin, and reflected by the slower release of ¹⁴C-Tyr, but not of ¹⁴C-GlyNH₂ from oxytocin. Comparison of degradation rates of structure analogues showed that peptides having Ile in position 3, as oxytocin, were more resistant than analogues having Phe in position 3, as arginine-vasopressin. The data demonstrate that arginine-vasopressin and oxytocin differ markedly in susceptibility to the aminopeptidase activity in brain synaptic membranes, and indicate that this difference resides primarily in the amino acid residue in position 3. It is suggested that the difference in susceptibility may affect the pattern of neurotrophic metabolites in brain.     

大鼠侧脑室注射精氨酸加压素对针刺镇痛的影响

以钾离子透入法引起大鼠甩尾反应为指标,测定动物的痛阈。由侧脑室注射精氮酸加压素(AVP)后,大鼠痛阈升高33.6％～68.5％,针刺镇痛效应明显加强,痛阈提高202.4％～302.7％。脑室注射抗精氨酸加压素血清,动物痛阈虽无明显变化,但针刺镇痛效应明显削弱,痛阈仅增加41.6％～71.0％。注射抗β-内啡肽血清和抗强啡肽A血清并不阻断AVP增强针刺镇痛效应。本工作的结果提示,脑内AVP参与针刺镇痛,这种作用与脑内内源性β-内啡肽和强啡肽的关系不甚密切。     

Angiotensin (1-7) contributes to nitric oxide tonic inhibition of vasopressin release during hemorrhagic shock in acute ethanol intoxicated rodents

Aims

Acute ethanol intoxication (AEI) attenuates the arginine vasopressin (AVP) response to hemorrhage leading to impaired hemodynamic counter-regulation and accentuated hemodynamic stability. Previously we identified that the ethanol-induced impairment of circulating AVP concentrations in response to hemorrhage was the result of augmented central nitric oxide (NO) inhibition. The aim of the current study was to examine the mechanisms underlying ethanol-induced up-regulation of paraventricular nucleus (PVN) NO concentration. Angiotensin (ANG) (1-7) is an important mediator of NO production through activation of the Mas receptor. We hypothesized that Mas receptor inhibition would decrease central NO concentration and thus restore the rise in circulating AVP levels during hemorrhagic shock in AEI rats.

Main methods

Conscious male Sprague–Dawley rats (300–325 g) received a 15 h intra-gastric infusion of ethanol (2.5 g/kg + 300 mg/kg/h) or dextrose prior to a fixed-pressure (~ 40 mm Hg) 60 min hemorrhage. The Mas receptor antagonist A-779 was injected through an intracerebroventricular (ICV) cannula 15 min prior to hemorrhage.

Key findings

PVN NOS activity and NO were significantly higher in AEI compared to DEX-treated controls at the completion of hemorrhage. ICV A-779 administration decreased NOS activity and NO concentration, partially restoring the rise in circulating AVP level at completion of hemorrhage in AEI rats.

Significance

These results suggest that Mas receptor activation contributes to the NO-mediated inhibitory tone of AVP release in the ethanol-intoxicated hemorrhaged host.     

Vasopressin activates Akt/mTOR pathway in smooth muscle cells cultured in high glucose concentration

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex is a key regulator of autophagy, cell growth and proliferation. Here, we studied the effects of arginine vasopressin (AVP) on mTOR activation in vascular smooth muscle cells cultured in high glucose concentration.     

Trophic and steroidogenic effects of water deprivation on the adrenal gland of the adult female rat

The effects of a 3-day water deprivation were studied in adult female rats in order to know what are the different zones of the adrenal gland and the hormonal factors involved in the growth and the activity of the adrenal gland. Water deprivation significantly increased plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma Angiotensin II (AII), vasopressin (AVP), epinephrine, aldosterone and corticosterone concentrations but did not modify the plasma adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) level. Water deprivation significantly increased the absolute weight of the adrenal capsule containing the zona glomerulosa without modification of the density of cells per area unit suggesting that the growth of the adrenal capsule was due to a cell hyperplasia of the zona glomerulosa. Water deprivation significantly increased the density of AII type 1 (AT₁) receptors in the adrenal capsule but did not modify the density of AII type 2 (AT₂) receptors in the adrenal capsule and core containing the zona fasciculata, the zona reticularis and the medulla. The treatment of dehydrated female rats with captopril, which inhibits the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in order to block the production of AII, significantly decreased the absolute weight of the adrenal capsule, plasma aldosterone and the density of AT₁ receptors in the adrenal capsule. The concentration of corticosterone in the plasma, the density of AT₂ receptors and the density of cells per unit area in the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal capsule were not affected by captopril-treatment. In conclusion, these results suggest that AII seems to be the main factor involved in the stimulation of the growth and the secretion of aldosterone by the adrenal capsule containing the zona glomerulosa during water deprivation. The low level of plasma ACTH is not involved in the growth of the adrenal gland but is probably responsible for the secretion of corticosterone by the zona fasciculata.     

新生大鼠下丘脑CRF和AVP神经元对急性低氧的应答

目的:观察肾上腺摘除新生大鼠下丘脑促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素(CRF)和精氨酸加压素(AVP)神经元对急性低氧的应答.方法:在低压氧舱中模拟高海拔低氧,用放免法测定AVP和CRP含量.结果:新生大鼠暴露于急性低氧环境下(模拟5 000 m和7 000 m海拔高度,24 h),其下丘脑CRP在3 d和7 d龄大鼠中无明显变化,但14d、21 d和28 d时低于对照;下丘脑AVP在3 d大鼠中亦无变化,但14 d时低于对照,7 d、21 d及28 d时高于对照.两者对低氧的应答模式随日龄而变化.摘除肾上腺后,14 d、21 d及28 d大鼠下丘脑CRF和AVP含量均显著低于同龄完整大鼠,此时暴露于急性低氧环境下,CRF和AVP无进一步的变化.结论:摘除肾上腺抑制下丘脑CRF和AVP的发育,影响它们对低氧应激的正常应答.     

A Gly/Ala switch contributes to high affinity binding of benzoxazinone-based non-peptide oxytocin receptor antagonists

Non-peptide antagonists of the oxytocin receptor (OTR) have been developed to prevent pre-term labour. The benzoxazinone-based antagonists L-371,257 and L-372,662 display pronounced species-dependent pharmacology with respect to selectivity for the OTR over the V(1a) vasopressin receptor. Examination of receptor sequences from different species identified Ala(318) in helix 7 of the human OTR as a candidate discriminator required for high affinity binding. The mutant receptor [A318G]OTR was engineered and characterised using ligands representing many different chemical classes. Of all the ligands investigated, only the benzoxazinone-based antagonists had decreased affinity for [A318G]OTR. Molecular modelling revealed that Ala(318) provides a direct hydrophobic contact with a methoxy group of L-371,257 and L-372,662.     

Stimulation of arachidonic acid release by vasopressin in A7r5 vascular smooth muscle cells mediated by Ca2+-stimulated phospholipase A2

Arachidonic acid (AA) regulates many aspects of vascular smooth muscle behaviour, but the mechanisms linking receptors to AA release are unclear. In A7r5 vascular smooth muscle cells pre-labelled with (3)H-AA, vasopressin caused a concentration-dependent stimulation of 3H-AA release that required phospholipase C and an increase in cytosolic [Ca2+]. Ca2+ release from intracellular stores and Ca2+ entry via L-type channels or the capacitative Ca2+ entry pathway were each effective to varying degrees. Selective inhibitors of PLA2 inhibited the 3H-AA release evoked by vasopressin, though not the underlying Ca2+ signals, and established that cPLA2 mediates the release of AA. We conclude that in A7r5 cells vasopressin stimulates AA release via a Ca2+-dependent activation of cPLA2.