中脑导水管周围灰质内注射抗阿片肽血清对神经降压素增强电针镇痛的 …

本工作以钾离子透入引起大鼠甩尾反应作为痛反应指标,观察纳洛酮（ＮＸ）和抗阿片肽血清对大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质（ＰＡＧ）内微量注射神经降压素（ＮＴ）增强电针镇痛作用的影响。     

大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质微量注射孤啡肽对痛和针刺镇痛的影响

孤啡肽是新近发现的神经肽,结构与内阿片肽相似,但作用明显不同。本文采用脑核团内微量注射方法,在大鼠电刺激甩尾测痛模型上,观察ＯＦＱ在中脑导水管周围灰质内对痛和针刺镇痛的影响。结果表明：ＰＡＧ内微量注射ＯＦＱ可使大鼠痛阈降低,并明显对抗针刺镇痛;另外还发现,ＯＦＱ在ＰＡＧ内还可以对抗μ受体激动剂羟甲芬太尼加强针刺镇痛的效应。     

褪黑素对吗啡戒断小鼠下丘脑弓状核和中脑导水管周围灰质中β-内啡肽含量的影响

本文在观察腹腔注射褪黑素（melatonin,MEL）拮抗吗啡依赖小鼠纳洛酮催促戒断反应的同时,采用放射免疫分析法、免疫组织化学法,结合计算机图像处理技术,测定其对小鼠中脑导水管周围灰质（periaqueductal grey,PAG）、下丘脑弓状核（hypothalamic arcuatenucleus,Arc）中β-内啡肽（p-endorphin,β-EP）含量的影响。结果表明,MEL（80mg／kg体重）显著抑制吗啡依赖小鼠戒断反应（P〈0．05）的同时,可显著增加其中脑PAG中β-EP含量（P〈0．05）,减弱Arc中β-EP样免疫阳性反应强度（P〈0．05）。上述结果提示,MEL可提高吗啡戒断小鼠中脑PAG中β—EP含量,降低Arc中β-EP含量。     

中脑导水管周围灰质内注射抗阿片肽血清对神经降压素增强电针镇痛的影响

本工作以钾离子透入引起大鼠甩尾反应作为痛反应指标,观察纳洛酮（ＮＸ）和抗阿片肽血清对大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质（ＰＡＧ）内微量注射神经降压素（ＮＴ）增强电针镇痛作用的影响。结果显示：（１）ＰＡＧ内微量注射ＮＴ后,大鼠电针镇痛效应明显提高;（２）ＰＡＧ内注射大剂量ＮＸ,可以显著减弱ＮＴ增强电针镇痛效应;（３）ＰＡＧ内微量注射抗甲脑啡肽血清和抗β内啡肽血清后,ＮＴ增强电针镇痛的作用明显降低;而ＰＡＧ内微量注射抗强啡肽Ａ１１３血清,对于ＮＴ增强电针镇痛的作用并无明显影响。提示：ＰＡＧ内ＮＴ在针刺镇痛过程中发挥重要作用,ＮＴ增强电针镇痛的作用与甲脑啡肽和β内啡肽有较密切的关系。     

导水管周围灰质微量注射阿片肽拮抗剂阻断甲醛致痛时脊髓背角P物质的变化

在大鼠脚掌注射福尔马林溶液后（２．５％,０．４ｍｌ）,在中脑导水管周围灰质内微量注射纳洛酮或β－内啡肽抗血清。用免疫组织化学方法结合计算机图像分析技术,观察到脊髓背角Ｐ物质样免疫阳性物质在福尔马林＋载液组的光密度（３．４２０８±０．４６２８）高于单纯载液组（１．５１８９±０．１４６５）,Ｐ＜０．０１;福尔马林＋纳洛酮组（１．８７０７±０．６６６４）与福尔马林＋β－内啡肽抗血清组（１．８５４７±０．７５３７）均明显低于福尔马林＋载液组,Ｐ＜０．０５;单纯注射纳洛酮或β－内啡肽抗血清组无明显变化。结果表明,导水管周围灰质内微量注射纳洛酮和β－内啡肽抗血清可以易化动物脚掌注射福尔马林引起的痛反应,并阻断脊髓背角Ｐ物质的增加。提示伤害性刺激可以引起中脑导水管周围灰质内β－内啡肽的释放,与相应的阿片受体作用,调制脊髓背角Ｐ物质的释放。     

中脑导水管周围灰质NO在应激大鼠高血压形成中的作用及其机制探讨

目的：探讨大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质（PAG）内NO在应激性高血压（SIH）发病中的作用。方法：采用电击足底结合噪声建立应激性高血压大鼠模型,NADPH－d组化方法显示PAG内一氧化氮合酶（NOS）阳性神经元的变化,核团微注法和放免法检测PAG内微量注射L－NNA对动物血压和延髓头端腹外侧区（RVLM）内Ach含量的影响。结果：（1）应激性高血压大鼠血压升高,PAG背外侧区NOS阳性神经元数量明显减少,平均灰度值增高,且RVLM内Ach含量也增多。（2）PAG内微量注射L－NNA 100mmol/L 0.1μl后,对照组大鼠的平均动脉压（MAP）升高,RVLM内Ach含量增多,而应激性高血压组大鼠MAP的变化显著小于对照组。结论：应激性高血压大鼠PAG内NOS阳性神经元发生的可塑性变化,可能经RVLM内Ach介导,参与了该病的形成。     

刺激大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质诱发的脊髓背根电位及其传出途径的分析

电刺激大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质(PAG),在腰5(L_5)背根可记录到—稳定的负性背根电位(DRP),简称 PAG-DRP。PAG-DRP 具有空间和时间总和性质,沿背根作电紧张性扩布,且能被 GABA 能拮抗剂印防己毒素(Picrotoxin)所抑制。电解损毁中缝大核(NRM)对刺激背侧 PAG 诱发的 PAG-DRP 无明显影响,而可使刺激腹侧 PAG 诱发的 PAG-DRP电位幅值降低40%左右。结果表明,PAG 下行抑制作用中有突触前抑制参与;NRM 参与腹侧 PAG-DRP 的产生,背侧 PAG-DRP 则可能由 NRM 以外的其他核团中继。     

中缝隐核投射至中脑导水管周围灰质腹侧部的递质分析

实验在戊巴比妥钠麻醉大鼠上进行。双侧中脑导水管周围灰质腹侧部（ｖＰＡＧ）微量注射１μｇ／μｌ肾上腺素（每侧０．１μｌ）,刺激中缝隐核（ＮＲＯ）引起的降压反应明显增强,但该效应可被ｖＰＡＧ预先注射心得安所阻断,而注射酚妥拉明对上述效应无明显影响;ｖＰＡＧ内单独微量注射１μｇ／μｌ心得安（每侧０．１μｌ）,可部分阻断ＮＲＯ降压反应,而注射１μｇ／μｌ酚妥拉明（每侧０．１μｌ）无明显影响;双侧ｖＰＡＧ微量注射１０μｇ／μｌ吗啡或０．１ｍｏｌ／Ｌ５－ＨＴ（每侧０．１μｌ）,基础血压无明显变化,ＮＫＯ的降压反应幅度减小（Ｐ＜０．０５）。提示,ＮＫＯ对ｖＰＡＧ的兴奋作用的可能递质为肾上腺素,通过β受体介导;吗啡或５－ＨＴ则可减弱ＮＲＯ对ｖＰＡＧ的兴奋性投射作用。     

大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质和束旁核联系途径的电生理分析

在48只清醒大鼠的中脑导水管周围灰质(PAG)记录到228个有自发放电的单位,检查了它们对束旁核(Pf)刺激和外周伤害性刺激和触刺激的反应,其中有76个单位对 pf 刺激有反应,反应型式有如下三类。8个单位在 Pf 刺激时出现逆行反应,潜伏期为3.18±0.57(SD)ms,传导速度相当于1.41m/s;这些单位的自发放电频率为1.1±0.45Hz,且不受夹尾或触尾刺激的影响。44个单位在 pf 刺激时出现顺行抑制;它们的自发放电频率为12.1±3.7(SD)Hz,且大多数单位(61.3%)在夹尾刺激时出现明显的增频反应,此反应亦可被 pf 刺激所抑制。24个单位在 pf 刺激时出现顺行兴奋;它们的自发放电频率为5.8±14(SD)Hz,对夹尾刺激表现增频或减频反应的单位数大致相等。对这些不同性质的 PAG 单位在中枢痛传递和痛感受的调制中所起的作用进行了讨论。     

Oxytocin in the periaqueductal gray participates in pain modulation in the rat by influencing endogenous opiate peptides

Periaqueductal gray (PAG) plays a very important role in pain modulation through endogenous opiate peptides including leucine-enkephalin (L-Ek), methionine-enkephalin (M-Ek), β-endorphin (β-Ep) and dynorphin A_1-13 (DynA_1-13). Our pervious study has demonstrated that intra-PAG injection of oxytocin (OXT) increases the pain threshold, and local administration of OXT receptor antagonist decreases the pain threshold, in which the antinociceptive role of OXT can be reversed by pre-PAG administration of OXT receptor antagonist. The experiment was designed to investigate the effect of OXT on endogenous opiate peptides in the rat PAG during the pain process. The results showed that (1) the concentrations of OXT, L-Ek, M-Ek and β-Ep, not DynA_1-13 in the PAG perfusion liquid were increased after the pain stimulation; (2) the concentrations of L-Ek, M-Ek and β-Ep, not DynA_1-13 in the PAG perfusion liquid were decreased by the OXT receptor antagonist; (3) the increased pain threshold induced by the OXT was attenuated by naloxone, an opiate receptor antagonist; and (4) the concentrations of L-Ek, M-Ek and β-Ep, not DynA_1-13 in the PAG perfusion liquid were increased by exogenous OXT administration. The data suggested that OXT in the PAG could influence the L-Ek, M-Ek and β-Ep rather than DynA_1-13 to participate in pain modulation, i.e. OXT in the PAG participate in pain modulation by influencing the L-Ek, M-Ek and β-Ep rather than DynA_1-13.     

Naloxone blocks the release of opioid peptides in periaqueductal gray and N. accumbens induced by intra-amygdaloid injection of morphine

The working hypothesis that the periaqueductal gray (PAG), N. accumbens and amygdala were connected serially in a unidirectional loop for antinociception, in which Met-enkephalin and β-endorphin were considered to be two important analgesic neurotransmitters, was examined by simultaneously perfusing the PAG and N. accumbens after microinjection of morphine into the amygdala. Intra-amygdaloid injection of morphine increased the release of enkephalins and β-endorphin in the PAG and N. accumbens. When the perfusion fluid contained 3 μM of naloxone, the release of enkephalins and β-endorphin was reduced in both the PAG and the N. accumbens. These results do not support the hypothesis of a unidirectional loop and its putative sequence.     

Through V2, not V1 receptor relating to endogenous opiate peptides, arginine vasopressin in periaqueductal gray regulates antinociception in the rat

Our previous study has proven that central arginine vasopressin (AVP) plays an important role in antinociception, and pain stimulation raises AVP concentration in the periaqueductal gray (PAG). The nociceptive effect of AVP in PAG was investigated in the rat. The results showed that microinjection of AVP into PAG increased pain threshold, whereas microinjection of V2 receptor antagonist-d(CH2)5[d-Ile2, Ile4, Ala9-NH2]AVP into PAG decreased pain threshold in a dose-dependent manner, but local administration of V1 receptor antagonist-d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP did not change pain threshold; Pain stimulation elevated AVP, Leucine-enkephalin (L-Ek), Methionine-enkephalin (M-Ek) and beta-endorphin (beta-Ep), not dynorphinA(1-13) (DynA(1-13)) concentrations in PAG perfuse liquid; PAG pre-treatment with naloxone, an opiate receptor antagonist or V2 receptor antagonist completely reversed AVP-induced increase in pain threshold, however, PAG pre-treatment with V1 receptor antagonist did not influence this effect of AVP administration. The data suggest that AVP in the PAG, through V2 rather than V1 receptor, regulates antinociception, which progress relates to enkephalin and endorphin.     

Arginine vasopressin induces periaqueductal gray release of enkephalin and endorphin relating to pain modulation in the rat

Previous study has proven that microinjection of arginine vasopressin (AVP) into periaqueductal gray (PAG) raises the pain threshold, in which the antinociceptive effect of AVP can be reversed by PAG pretreatment with V2 rather than V1 or opiate receptor antagonist. The present work investigated the AVP effect on endogenous opiate peptides, oxytocin (OXT) and classical neurotransmitters in the rat PAG. The results showed that AVP elevated the concentrations of leucine-enkephalin (L-Ek), methionine-enkephalin (M-Ek) and beta-endorphin (beta-Ep), but did not change the concentrations of dynorphinA(1-13) (DynA(1-13)), OXT, classical neurotransmitters including achetylcholine (Ach), choline (Ch), serotonin (5-HT), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate (Glu), dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E), and their metabolic products in PAG perfusion liquid. Pain stimulation increased the concentrations of AVP, L-EK, M-Ek, beta-Ep, 5-HT and 5-HIAA (5-HT metabolic product), but did not influence the concentrations of DynA(1-13), OXT, the other classical neurotransmitters and their metabolic products. PAG pretreatment with naloxone - an opiate receptor antagonist completely attenuated the pain threshold increase induced by PAG administration of AVP, but local pretreatment of OXT or classical neurotransmitter receptor antagonist did not influence the pain threshold increase induced by PAG administration of AVP. The data suggested that AVP in PAG could induce the local release of enkephalin and endorphin rather than dynophin, OXT and classical neurotransmitters to participate in pain modulation.     

Naloxone blocks opioid peptide release in periaqueductal gray and amygdala elicited by morphine injected into N. accumbens.

Previous studies from this laboratory suggested that the periaqueductal gray (PAG), nucleus accumbens, and amygdala might take part in a serial, unidirectional mesolimbic loop to play their roles in pain modulation. It has been proposed that morphine injected into one of these nuclei would cause the release of opioid peptides in one nucleus after another. This working hypothesis was examined in the present study by perfusing simultaneously the PAG and the amygdala after microinjection of morphine into the N. accumbens. It was found that microinjection of morphine increased the content of immunoreactive enkephalins (ir-ENK) and immunoreactive beta-endorphin (ir-beta-EP) in the perfusate of the PAG and the amygdala. When the perfusion fluid contained 3 microM of naloxone, the increase of ir-ENK and ir-beta-EP was reduced significantly. These results indicate that the three nuclei were not serially connected in a unidirectional loop.     

Role of endogenous opioid peptides in protection of ischemic preconditioning in rat small intestine

This study investigated the protective effects of ischemic preconditioning on intestinal ischemic injury and the role of endogenous opioid peptides (EOP) in these effects. Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) induced by 30-min of ischemia and 60-min of reperfusion significantly increased the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and resulted in serious intestinal edema (wet weight/dry weight). The ischemic preconditioning (PC) elicited by three 8-min occlusion periods interspersed with 10-min reperfusion markedly attenuated intestinal injury caused by ischemia-reperfusion. Pretreatment with morphine (300 microg x kg(-1), i.v.) 10-min before ischemia and reperfusion mimicked the protection produced by PC. Naloxone (3 mg x kg(-1), i.v.) abolished the protection of morphine-induced preconditioning and ischemic preconditioning in rat intestine. However, there were no changes between naloxone alone and control groups. Treatment with naloxone before ischemia-reperfusion had no effect on animals compared with the I/R group. In addition, we also measured the content of endogenous opioid peptides (Leu-enkephalin) in the effluent which was collected before and during preconditioning. It was shown that the release of leu-enkephalin was markedly increased during preconditioning. These results suggested that EOP might play an important role in PC in rat small intestine.     

MDR1 P-glycoprotein transports endogenous opioid peptides

MDR1 P-glycoprotein is generally regarded as an efflux pump for amphipathic toxic compounds. The question remains, however, whether certain endogenous compounds are also substrates for this transporter. Certain peptides have been shown to interact with MDR1 Pgp as well and we have therefore investigated whether endogenous bioactive peptides are substrates. We demonstrate here that the synthetic μ-opioid peptide DAMGO is a good substrate for MDR1 Pgp. In view of its low interaction with the membrane it is an attractive ligand for measurement of MDR1 Pgp-mediated transport activity in membrane vesicles. Various linear peptides with amidated C-termini were found to inhibit MDR1 Pgp-mediated DAMGO transport. This group includes endogenous opioid peptides such as adrenorphin and endomorphin 1 and 2, as well as the neurokinin, Substance P. The latter bioactive peptides have a relatively high affinity for the transporter. Transport of endomorphin 1 and 2 could be directly demonstrated by the uptake of the radiolabeled opioid peptides in membrane vesicles from MDR1-transfected cells with a K_m of 15 and 12 μM, respectively. This opens the possibility that MDR1 Pgp is involved in the elimination and/or tissue distribution of these bioactive peptides.     

Effects of opioid peptides on thyrotropin-releasing hormone release from the rat caecum in vitro

Effects of opioid peptides (beta-endorphin, dynorphin (1-13). alpha-neoendorphin, beta-neoendorphin, leucine-enkephalin, methionine-enkephalin) on the release of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) from the rat caecum were studied in vitro. The rat caecum was incubated in medium 199 with 1.0 mg/ml of bacitracin (pH 7.4) (medium). The amount of TRH release from the rat caecum into the medium was measured by radioimmunoassay. The immunoreactive TRH (ir-TRH) release from the rat caecum was inhibited significantly in a dose-related manner with the addition of opioid peptides. The inhibitory effects of opioid peptides on ir-TRH release from the rat caecum were blocked with an addition of naloxone. The elution profile of acid-methanol-extracts of rat caecum on Sephadex G-10 was identical to that of synthetic TRH. The findings suggest that opioid peptides inhibit TRH release from the rat caecum in vitro.     

Opioid peptides within the midbrain periaqueductal gray suppress affective defense behavior in the cat

The effects of the methionine-enkephalin analog [D-Ala2-Met5]-enkephalinamide (DAME) upon the threshold for affective defense behavior were determined following microinjections placed into midbrain periaqueductal gray sites from which this response was elicited. Affective defense behavior was elicited by electrical stimulation through a cannula electrode situated in the dorsal aspect of the midbrain periaqueductal gray. Dose-response curves characterizing the effects of DAME upon affective defense behavior were determined utilizing the following doses: 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 microgram in 0.5 microliter saline, pH = 7.4 or vehicle control (saline). Response thresholds were tested 10-30, 30-60, 60-90, 120-150, 180-210, 1440-1470 and 2880-2910 min postinjection. The results obtained indicated that injections of DAME at a dose of 1.0 microgram/0.5 microliter produced significant, long duration elevations in affective defense thresholds, lasting up to 1440-1470 min postinjection. Lower doses of DAME (0.25 and 0.5 microgram/0.5 microliter) also resulted in significant increases in affective defense thresholds, but these effects were of shorter durations (60-90 and 120-150 min) postinjection, respectively. The suppressive effects of DAME were blocked when animals were pretreated with naloxone (10 micrograms/0.5 microliter) microinjected into the same midbrain periaqueductal gray site into which 0.25 microgram DAME was injected and affective defense behavior was elicited.     

Effects of opioid peptides on immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing factor release from the rat hypothalamus in vitro

Effects of opioid peptides on immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing factor (I-CRF) release from the rat hypothalamus were examined using a rat hypothalamic perifusion system and a rat CRF RIA in vitro. beta-Endorphin (0.3 - 30 nM), dynorphin (0.3 - 30 nM) and FK 33-824 (1 - 10 microM) suppressed basal I-CRF release in a dose-dependent fashion. At 2.2 nM concentrations of these peptides, mean percent inhibition was 56% for beta-endorphin; less than 5% for alpha-endorphin; 44% for dynorphin; 23% for leucine-enkephalin; 6% for methionine-enkephalin; less than 5% for FK 33-824; and less than 5% for D-ala2, D-leu5-enkephalin. The inhibitory effects of beta-endorphin and enkephalins were completely blocked by naloxone, but those of dynorphin were only partially blocked. These results suggest that opioid peptides act through opioid receptors and inhibit I-CRF release from the hypothalamus under our conditions. Therefore, endogenious opioid peptides may have a physiological role in the CRF-releasing mechanism of the hypothalamus.