血管紧张素Ⅱ在脊髓水平对吗啡作用的影响

本工作以玻璃微电极记录脊髓腰段（Ｌ２－３）背角神经元电活动,观察血管紧张素Ⅱ（ＡⅡ）对其伤害性诱发放电的影响,并探讨ＡⅡ与吗啡抑制效应的相互关系。结果表明,ＡⅡ５０－５００ｎｇ脊髓表面微量滴注对背角神经元伤害性诱发放电主要为抑制效应,而ＡⅡ２μｇ为易化效应;注射吗啡（５ｍｇ／ｋｇ,ｉｐ）后１０ｍｈ;ＡⅡ２５０ｎｇ脊髓表面微量滴注不能对抗吗啡的抑制作用,而ＡⅡ２一４μｇ则能部分或完全抵消吗啡对背角神经元伤害性诱发放电的抑制作用。本工作提示,ＡⅡ可调制脊髓背角神经元对外周传入的伤害性反应;较大剂量ＡⅡ可对抗吗啡对伤害性诱发放电的抑制作用。     

刺激中缝背核对大鼠脊髓背角神经元伤害性反应的影响及其传出途径的分析

大量资料表明,中缝背核(DR)在痛觉调节中具有重要作用。本实验用电生理学方法研究DR在痛觉调制中的下行性抑制作用,主要观察刺激DR对清醒制动大鼠脊髓背角神经元伤害性放电的影响。其主要结果是:①刺激DR或电针可以抑制脊髓背角神经元的伤害性反应,吗啡可加强这种抑制效应;②损毁中缝大核(NRM)、纳洛酮、麦角酰二乙胺(LSD)、赛庚啶及对氯苯丙氨酸(PCPA)均能部分阻断DR对脊髓背角神经元伤害性反应的抑制,实验结果表明:刺激DR抑制脊髓背角神经元的伤害性反应,部分是通过NRM间接控制背角神经元的伤害性传入;还有一部分是不通过NRM,可能是DR直接对脊髓背角伤害性信息的调制。在这种下行性抑制通路中有5-HT和阿片样物质的参与。     

多巴胺对大鼠背角WDR神经元的抑制不被酚妥拉明和纳洛酮所拮抗

本实验用微电极细胞外记录方法研究了脊髓局部应用多巴胺对大鼠背角WDR神经元的抑制作用。实验在43只SD大鼠上共记录到54个WDR神经元。多巴胺的剂量从0.26×10~(-6)mol/kg-1.58×10~(-6)mol/kg逐步增加,其对伤害性经皮电刺激诱发的背角神经元后串放电的抑制作用也随之加强;0.52×10~(-6)mol/kg多巴胺的作用在给药后5min即出现,15min达高峰并在此后的25min基本维持在同一水平,这个作用可被静注多巴胺能受体拮抗剂氟哌啶(0.66×10~(-6)mol/kg)完全翻转,而不受静注酚妥拉明(2.65×10~(-6)mol/kg)和纳洛酮(1.37×10~(-6)mol/kg)影响。上述结果表明,多巴胺可能是参与脊髓水平伤害性信息传递调控的另一单胺类神经递质。     

刺激大脑皮层体感Ⅰ区和大脑脚对大鼠脊髓背角神经元伤害感受性反应的影响

在大鼠用玻璃微电极细胞外记录的方法,观察了刺激皮层体感Ⅰ区(SI区)和大脑脚(CP)对皮肤强电刺激诱发的脊髓背角广动力范围(WDR)神经元长潜伏期反应(C-反应)的影响。结果表明刺激SI区对背角WDR神经元C-反应的影响以抑制为主,刺激CP的作用与刺激SI区的作用相似,但刺激CP更为有效。抑制作用的持续时间在不同神经元差别很大,短者在刺激停止后仅持续400ms,长者可达10min以上。静注纳洛酮对抑制作用无明显影响,静注二甲麦角新碱在部分神经元可使抑制作用明显减弱或完全消失,提示5-HT部分参与皮层下行抑制作用的实现,而内鸦片肽则否。     

刺激大鼠尾核对丘脑束旁核躯体-内脏会聚神经元放电的影响

实验记录大鼠丘脑束旁核躯体-内脏会聚(PfSV)神经元伤害性放电。观察刺激尾核(Cd)对 PfSV 神经元放电的影响。(1)Cd 对刺激内脏大神经诱发 PfSV 神经元伤害性放电有抑制作用(n=19)。(2)Cd 对刺激腓浅神经和内脏大神经诱发同一 PfSV 神经元伤害性放电均有抑制作用(n=11)。结果提示,躯体和内脏痛觉信息可会聚到丘脑束旁核同一神经元,Cd 可能不仅能抑制躯体痛也能抑制内脏痛。     

蛋白激酶C部分参与伤害性刺激在脊髓背角神经元中引起的c-fos蛋白的表达而可能不参与阿片受体对脊髓痛感受的调制

实验用免疫细胞化学技术观察了大鼠鞘内分别注入蛋白激酶(PKC)抑制剂Chelerythrine(Chel)、纳洛酮(Nal)、或二者同时注入后,由后脚掌注射福尔马林引起的脊髓腰膨大背角中c-fos蛋白样免疫活性(Fos-LI)神经元数目的改变。结果发现:(1)鞘内注入Chel可显著降低福尔马林注射侧脊髓背角中Fos-LI神经元的数目,同空白对照组(鞘内注入生理盐水或10％的DMSO)相比,降低60.3％(P<0.001):(2)鞘内注入Nal后,福尔马林注射侧背角中Fos-LI神经元显著增加,同对照组相比,增加46.0％(P<0.01),而以背角深层增加最为明显;(3)在鞘内同时注入Chel和Nal后,与单独注入Nal组相比,脊髓背角中Fos-LI神经元的数目显著降低(降低53.2％),此数值与上述单独注入Chel时引起Fos-LI神经元降低的百分率近似。结果提示:(1)PKC只参与脊髓背角中部分Fos-LI神经元中c-fos蛋白的表达;(2)PKC可能不参与背角中同时激活的μ-(以及部分δ-)阿片受体对脊髓伤害性感受的调制。     

半胱胺对猫脊髓背角神经元伤害性热反应的抑制

在戊巴比妥钠麻醉和脊髓腰-1段全横切的16只猫上,观察生长抑素(somatostatin,SOM)的耗竭剂半胱胺对伤害性热刺激脚跖皮肤和电刺激胫后神经所引起的脊髓背角Ⅳ-Ⅵ层神经元单位反应的影响。静脉注射半胱胺50mg/kg对电刺激神经引起的伤害性反应无影响,100mg/kg可使被测试的13个神经元单位中的8个单位反应明显抑制。而静脉注射半胱胺50mg/kg可明显抑制伤害性热刺激所引起的脊髓背角神经元单位反应。用微电极将半胱胺微压注入背角胶质层也使背角神经元的伤害性热反应明显抑制,但只使13个单位中的7个单位对电刺激神经引起的伤害性反应轻度抑制。半胱胺对背角神经元伤害性反应的抑制可能由于耗竭了背角中的生长抑素。本文讨论了半胱胺对背角神经元伤害性热反应的抑制明显强于电刺激神经所诱发的伤害性反应的抑制的可能机制。     

辣椒素及其受体

可以感受痛觉刺激的初级感觉神经元的周围末梢被称为伤害性感受器。这些小直径神经元的末梢可将化学、机械和热刺激信号转化为动作电位,并将这些信息上传到中枢,最后使机体产生痛觉或不舒服的感受。但到目前为止,人们对这些可探测到伤害性刺激的分子所知甚少。1997年成功克隆的辣椒素受体亚型1（vanilloid receptor subtype1,VR1)是近年来科学家们研究的“热点分子”,它是表达于伤害性感受器上的非选择性阳离子通道,已有诸多证据表明其可探测和整合诱发痛觉的化学和热刺激信号,基因敲除小鼠的研究分析也有力证明了该离子通道参与了疼痛及组织损伤后痛觉过敏的产生,而且是热诱发疼痛发生过程的关键分子。     

异丙酚抑制炎性痛大鼠脊髓NOS神经元的c -fos表达

用福尔马林致痛模型、c fos基因免疫组织化学法和NADPH d组织化学技术 ,研究大鼠脊髓结构对福尔马林痛刺激的反应及异丙酚在其调节过程中的影响。结果表明 ,福尔马林痛刺激后 ,刺激侧脊髓背角出现大量Fos免疫样阳性神经元 ,其中部分为FLI/NOS双标记神经元 ;痛刺激之前或之后给予异丙酚 ,背角各层FLI神经元和FLI/NOS双标记神经元的数量均显著减少 (P <0 0 5或P <0 0 1) ;单纯腹腔注射异丙酚或生理盐水 ,脊髓未见或偶见FLI神经元。上述结果提示 :异丙酚的抗伤害作用可能与其抑制了脊髓内NOS阳性神经元的活性有关     

下丘脑室旁核参与脑刺激镇痛的实验研究

目的 :探讨下丘脑室旁核 (PVN )的镇痛与脑刺激镇痛间的关系及作用途径。方法 :用 4%水合氯醛麻醉大鼠 ,在PVN埋藏双极刺激电极或不锈钢管 ,在中缝大核 (NRM )埋藏损毁电极 ,并暴露脊髓用玻璃微电极记录脊髓背角神经元对伤害刺激坐骨神经的反应 ,信号由计算机采集处理。结果 :电解中缝大核 (NRM )后 ,刺激PVN可抑制脊髓背角神经元伤害反应 ,其作用时间持续 15～18min ,其中 3～ 6min抑制作用最强 ;向PVN微量注射吗啡 10 μg ,脊髓背角神经元伤害单位放电明显减少 ,纳洛酮可反转吗啡的抑制作用。结论 :PVN除通过已知的内源性镇痛系统中的NRM中继外 ,也可能通过PVN 脊髓背角间的直接神经投射等途径参与脑刺激镇痛 ,此作用过程中在PVN可能有吗啡参与。本工作对痛觉生理及镇痛的研究具有重要意义。     

In vivo and in vitro patch-clamp recording analysis of the process of sensory transmission in the spinal cord and sensory cortex

Following the integration and modification of the sensory inputs in the spinal cord, the information is transmitted to the primary sensory cortex where the integrated information is further processed and perceived. Processing of the sensory information in the spinal cord has been intensively investigated. However, the mechanisms of how the inputs are processed in the cortex are still unclear. To know the correlation of the sensory processing in the dorsal horn and cortex, in vivo and in vitro patch-clamp recordings were made from rat dorsal horn and sensory cortex. Although dorsal horn neurons showed spontaneous and evoked EPSCs by noxious and non-noxious stimuli, most somatosensory neurons located at 100 to 1000 microm from the surface of the cortex exhibited an oscillatory activity and received synaptic inputs from non-noxious but not noxious receptors. These observations suggest that the synaptic responses in cortical neurons are processed in a more complex manner; and this may be due to the reciprocal synaptic connection between thalamus and cortex.     

The effect of galanin on wide-dynamic range neuron activity in the spinal dorsal horn of rats

The present study investigated the effect of galanin on wide-dynamic range (WDR) neuron activity in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord of rats. The evoked discharge of WDR neurons was elicited by transdermic electrical stimulation applied on the ipsilateral hindpaw of rats. Galanin was administered directly on the spinal dorsal surface of L3-L5. The evoked discharge frequency of the WDR neurons decreased significantly after the administration of galanin and the effect lasted for more than 30 min. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of galanin on the evoked discharge frequency of WDR neurons was blocked by following administration of the galanin antagonist galantide, indicating that the inhibitory effect of galanin on the activity of WDR neurons was induced by activating galanin receptors in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The results suggest that galanin has an inhibitory role in the transmission of presumed nociceptive information in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in rats.     

电刺激猫中脑导水管周围灰质和中缝大核对脊髓背角神经元伤害性感受反应的抑制

1.在氯醛糖麻醉的猫上,观察了电刺激中脑导水管周围灰质(PAG)和中缝大核(NRM)对脊髓腰段背角神经元传入活动的影响。2.按照对刺激的反应型式,在背角记录到非伤害性低阈值传入、广动力范围、伤害性热敏以及高阈值传入诱发的自发放电抑制等四类神经元。3.刺激 PAG和 NRM对记录到的多数背角神经元皮肤传入反应有明显抑制效应,而对自发放电抑制性神经元产生去抑制。4.比较刺激两脑区的抑制效应:NRM 作用较PAG 强;PAG 活动对背角伤害性反应抑制的选择性较 NRM强;阿片肽拮抗剂-纳洛酮拮抗NRM刺激的抑制。5.这些结果提示PAG和NRM对脊髓的下行抑制,可能有一部分是通过不同神经机制实现的。     

The homeodomain factor lbx1 distinguishes two major programs of neuronal differentiation in the dorsal spinal cord

Dorsal horn neurons in the spinal cord integrate and relay sensory information. Here, we show that the expression of the homeobox gene Lbx1 distinguishes two major neuronal classes generated in the dorsal spinal cord. The Lbx1(-) (class A) and Lbx1(+) (class B) neurons differ in their dependence on roof plate BMP signals for specification and settle in the deep and superficial dorsal horn, respectively. Lbx1 misexpression blocks the differentiation of class A neurons. Conversely, in Lbx1 mutant mice, class B neurons assume the identity of class A neurons. As a consequence, the morphology and neuronal circuitry of the dorsal horn are aberrant. We conclude that Lbx1 distinguishes two major neuronal classes in the dorsal spinal cord and is an important determinant of their distinct differentiation programs.     

Calcitonin gene-related peptide 8-37 inhibits the evoked discharge frequency of wide dynamic range neurons in dorsal horn of the spinal cord in rats.

The present study was performed to explore the effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide 8-37 (CGRP8-37) on the electrical stimulation-evoked discharge frequency of wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in rats. The discharge frequencies of WDR neurons were evoked by transdermic electrical stimulation applied on the ipsilateral hindpaw. CGRP8-37 was applied directly on the dorsal surface of the L3 to L5 spinal cord. After the administration of 3 nmol of CGRP8-37, the evoked discharge frequency of WDR neurons decreased significantly, an effect lasting more than 30 min. The results indicate that CGRP receptors play an important role in the transmission of presumed nociceptive information in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.     

Distinct effects of D-serine on spinal nociceptive responses in normal and carrageenan-injected rats

Single unit extracellular recordings from dorsal horn neurons were performed with glass micropipettes in pentobarbital-anesthetized rats. A total of 60 wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons were obtained from 34 rats. In normal rats (20/34), spinally administered D-serine (10 nmol), a putative endogenous agonist of glycine site of NMDA receptors, significantly enhanced the C- but not Abeta-, and Adelta-fiber responses of WDR neurons in the spinal dorsal horn. When 1 nmol of the glycine site antagonist 7-chlorokynurenic acid (7-CK) was co-administered with 10 nmol D-serine, the facilitation of D-serine on C-fiber response was completely blocked. 7-CK (1 nmol) alone failed to influence Abeta-, Adelta-, and C-fiber responses of WDR neurons. In contrast, in carrageenan-injected rats (14/34), 10 nmol D-serine had no effect on C-fiber response, while 1 nmol 7-CK per se markedly depressed C-fiber response of WDR neurons. These findings suggest that under physiological conditions, glycine sites in the spinal cord were available but became saturated following peripheral inflammation. Thus, increased endogenous d-serine or glycine may be involved in nociceptive transmission by modulating NMDA receptor activities. The glycine site of NMDA receptors may become a target for the prevention of inflammatory pain.     

Synaptic organization of substance P, glutamate and GABA-immunoreactive boutons on functionally identified neurons in cat spinal deeper dorsal horn

In order to determine how nociceptive input conveyed by the C-fibers terminating in superficial lam-inae of the spinal cord reaches the wide dynamic range (WDR) cells in deeper dorsal horn, which functions as ascend-ing projection pathway, the morphological features of some WDR cells in the deeper dorsal horn of the cat lumbar spinal cord were studied by intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase and physiological characterization. One of the fully stained neurons with somata in lamina V and dendrites that entered lamina Ⅱ were examined by electron mi-croscopy. Immunogold staining of ultrathin sections through the labeled proximal dendrites in lamina Ⅱ revealed that these dendrites received numerous synapses from substance P and glutamate immunoreactive (IR) axons, which were considered originating from C-fibers. In addition, many GABA-IR terminals were found presynaptic to the labeled dendrites. The results, therefore, suggest that the information carried by primary afferent can be sent from t     

Three-Dimensional Distribution of Sensory Stimulation-Evoked Neuronal Activity of Spinal Dorsal Horn Neurons Analyzed by In Vivo Calcium Imaging

The spinal dorsal horn comprises heterogeneous populations of interneurons and projection neurons, which form neuronal circuits crucial for processing of primary sensory information. Although electrophysiological analyses have uncovered sensory stimulation-evoked neuronal activity of various spinal dorsal horn neurons, monitoring these activities from large ensembles of neurons is needed to obtain a comprehensive view of the spinal dorsal horn circuitry. In the present study, we established in vivo calcium imaging of multiple spinal dorsal horn neurons by using a two-photon microscope and extracted three-dimensional neuronal activity maps of these neurons in response to cutaneous sensory stimulation. For calcium imaging, a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based calcium indicator protein, Yellow Cameleon, which is insensitive to motion artifacts of living animals was introduced into spinal dorsal horn neurons by in utero electroporation. In vivo calcium imaging following pinch, brush, and heat stimulation suggests that laminar distribution of sensory stimulation-evoked neuronal activity in the spinal dorsal horn largely corresponds to that of primary afferent inputs. In addition, cutaneous pinch stimulation elicited activities of neurons in the spinal cord at least until 2 spinal segments away from the central projection field of primary sensory neurons responsible for the stimulated skin point. These results provide a clue to understand neuronal processing of sensory information in the spinal dorsal horn.     

Chronic morphine administration enhances nociceptive sensitivity and local cytokine production after incision

Background

Recent evidence suggests that oxytocin (OT), secreted in the superficial spinal cord dorsal horn by descending axons of paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) neurons, produces antinociception and analgesia. The spinal mechanism of OT is, however, still unclear and requires further investigation. We have used patch clamp recording of lamina II neurons in spinal cord slices and immunocytochemistry in order to identify PVN-activated neurons in the superficial layers of the spinal cord and attempted to determine how this neuronal population may lead to OT-mediated antinociception.

Results

We show that OT released during PVN stimulation specifically activates a subpopulation of lamina II glutamatergic interneurons which are localized in the most superficial layers of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord (lamina I-II). This OT-specific stimulation of glutamatergic neurons allows the recruitment of all GABAergic interneurons in lamina II which produces a generalized elevation of local inhibition, a phenomenon which might explain the reduction of incoming Aδ and C primary afferent-mediated sensory messages.

Conclusion

Our results obtained in lamina II of the spinal cord provide the first clear evidence of a specific local neuronal network that is activated by OT release to induce antinociception. This OT-specific pathway might represent a novel and interesting therapeutic target for the management of neuropathic and inflammatory pain.