Role of opioidergic and monoaminergic neurotransmission in the GnRH release mechanism of EBP-primed OVX rats

Role of hypothalamus nociceptin/orphanin FQ in pre-ovulatory luteinizing hormone surge of estrogen and progesterone-primed, ovariectomized rats

AIM

To investigate the role of hypothalamus nociceptin/orphanin FQ (OFQ) and its endogenous receptor, the opioid receptor-like1 receptor (ORL1 receptor) in the estrus cycle of female rats.

METHOD

Radioimmunoassay was used to detect the effect of the intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of OFQ and/or the ORL1 receptor antagonist [Nphe1]Nociceptin(1-13)NH2, that is, NC13 on luteinizing hormone (LH) levels of estrogen- and progesterone (EBP)-primed, ovariectomized (OVX) rats (EBP-primed OVX rats). RT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry techniques were adopted to observe the changes of OFQ and the ORL1 receptor in the pre-optic area (POA) and the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) of the estrus cycle of female rat.

RESULTS

Pre-ovulatory LH surges in EBP-primed, OVX rats were significantly reduced by icv administration of 20 and 200 nmol OFQ (P<0.05), and the effect of 20 nmol OFQ could be abolished by pretreatment with 20 nmol NC13. The OFQ mRNA level in the POA on pro-estrus was lowered markedly compared to diestrus and estrus (P<0.05), while the mRNA and protein levels of the ORL1 receptor showed no significant changes in the POA and MBH across the estrus cycle. Meanwhile, the number of OFQ-immunoreactive neurons in the medial POA, ventromedial hypothalamus, and the arcuate nucleus on pro-estrus was significantly decreased compared to diestrus and estrus (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The inhibitory effect of OFQ on the LH surge of EBP-primed, OVX rats and its downregulation in POA and MBH on pro-estrus suggests that it might play a negative modulatory role in the estrus cycle.

Involvement of dopamine system in regulation of Na+,K+-ATPase in the striatum upon activation of opioid receptors by morphine

The striatum is believed to be a crucial brain region associated with drug reward. Adaptive alteration of neurochemistry in this area might be one potential mechanism underlying drug dependence. It has been proposed that the dysfunction of Na+,K+-ATPase function is involved in morphine tolerance and dependence. The present study, therefore, was undertaken to study the adaptation of the striatal Na+,K+-ATPase activity in response to morphine treatment. The results demonstrated that in vivo short-term morphine treatment stimulated Na+,K+-ATPase activity in a dose-dependent manner. This action could be significantly inhibited by D2-like dopamine receptor antagonist S(-)-3-chloro-5-ethyl-N-[(1-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)methyl]-6-hydroxy-2-methoxybenzamine (eticlopride). Contrary to shortterm morphine treatment, long-term morphine treatment significantly suppressed Na+,K+-ATPase activity. This effect could be significantly inhibited by D(1)-like dopamine receptor antagonist R(+)-7-chloro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine hydrochloride (SCH 23390). However, both short-term and long-term morphine treatment-induced changes in Na+,K+-ATPase activity could be reversed by opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone. It was further found that cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) was crucially involved in regulating Na+,K+-ATPase activity by morphine. Different regulation of the phosphorylation levels of the alpha3 subunit of Na+,K+-ATPase by PKA was related to the distinct modulations of Na+,K+-ATPase by short-term and long-term morphine treatment. Short-term morphine treatment inhibited PKA activity and then decreased the phosphorylation of Na+,K+-ATPase, leading to increase in enzyme activity. These effects were sensitive to eticlopride or naltrexone. Conversely, long-term morphine treatment stimulated PKA activity and then increased the phosphorylation of Na+,K+-ATPase, leading to the reduction of enzyme activity. These effects were sensitive to SCH 23390 or naltrexone. These findings demonstrate that dopamine receptors are involved in regulation of Na+,K+-ATPase activity after activation of opioid receptors by morphine.

Involvement of cAMP/cAMP-dependent protein kinase signaling pathway in regulation of Na+,K+-ATPase upon activation of opioid receptors by morphine

The depolarization of neurons induced by impairment of Na+,K+-ATPase activity after long-term opiate treatment has been shown to involve the development of opioid dependence. However, the mechanisms underlying changes in Na+,K+-ATPase activity after opioid treatment are unclear. The best-established molecular adaptation to long-term opioid exposure is up-regulation of the cAMP/cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) signaling pathway; this study, therefore, was undertaken to investigate the role of up-regulation of cAMP/PKA signaling pathway in alteration of the mouse hippocampal Na+,K+-ATPase activity. The results demonstrated that short-term morphine treatment dose dependently stimulated Na+,K+-ATPase activity. This action could be significantly suppressed by adenylyl cyclase activator 7beta-acetoxy-8,13-epoxy-1alpha,6beta,9alpha-trihydroxylabd-14-en-11-one (forskolin), or the cAMP analog dibutyryl-cAMP. Contrary to short-term morphine treatment, long-term treatment significantly inhibited Na+,K+-ATPase activity. Moreover, an additional decrease in Na+,K+-ATPase activity was observed by naloxone precipitation. The effects of both short- and long-term morphine treatment on Na+,K+-ATPase activity were naltrexone-reversible. The regulation of Na+,K+-ATPase activity by morphine was inversely correlated with intracellular cAMP accumulation. N-[2-(4-Bromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinoline (H89), a specific PKA inhibitor, mimicked the stimulatory effect of short-term morphine but antagonized the inhibitory effect of long-term morphine treatment on Na+,K+-ATPase activity. However, okadaic acid, a protein phosphatase inhibitor, suppressed short-term morphine stimulation but potentiated long-term morphine inhibition of Na+,K+-ATPase activity. The regulation of Na+,K+-ATPase activity by morphine treatment seemed to associate with the alteration in phosphorylation level but not to be relevant to the change in abundance of Na+,K+-ATPase. These findings strongly demonstrate that cAMP/PKA signaling pathway involves regulation of Na+,K+-ATPase activity after activation of opioid receptors.

Role of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase in morphine-induced antinociception

We evaluated the modulation by Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitors of morphine-induced antinociception in the tail-flick test and [3H]naloxone binding to forebrain membranes. The antinociception induced by morphine (1-32 mg/kg, s.c.) in mice was dose-dependently antagonized by ouabain (1-10 ng/mouse, i.c.v.), which produced a significant shift to the right of the morphine dose-response curve. The i.c.v. administration of three Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitors (ouabain at 0.1-100, digoxin at 1-1000, and digitoxin at 10-10000 ng/mouse) dose-dependently antagonized the antinociceptive effect of morphine (4 mg/kg, s.c.) in mice, with the following order of potency: ouabain > digoxin > digitoxin. This effect cannot be explained by any interaction at opioid receptors, since none of these Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitors displaced [3H]naloxone from its binding sites, whereas naloxone did so in a concentration-dependent manner. The antinociception induced by morphine (5 mg/kg, s.c.) in rats was antagonized by the i.c.v. administration of ouabain at 10 ng/rat, whereas it was not significantly modified by intrathecally administered ouabain (10 and 100 ng/rat). These results suggest that the activation of Na+,K+-ATPase plays a role in the supraspinal, but not spinal, antinociceptive effect of morphine.

Evaluation of endomorphin-1 on the activity of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase using in vitro and in vivo studies

The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of endomorphin-1 on Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in mouse brain synaptosome in vitro, and its antinociceptive interaction with the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase inhibitor ouabain. Endomorphin-1 (0.1 nM-10 microM) produced a concentration-dependent (EC(50): 43.19 nM, CI: 23.38-65.71 nM, E(max): 25.86%, CI: 24.53-27.20%), naloxone-reversible increase of the synaptosomal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity. The intrathecally (i.t.) administered endomorphin-1 (2-20 microg) produced a dose-dependent short-lasting increase in the tail-flick latency. Ouabain itself (1-1000 ng, i.t.) did not cause antinociception. Treatment with 10 ng ouabain significantly decreased the antinociceptive effect of 2 microg endomorphin-1, but none of the other combinations did significantly differ from the endomorhin-1-treated groups. These data indicate that endomorphin-1 increases the activity of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in vitro but this effect may play a weak role in the antinociception induced by intrathecal endomorphin-1.

Mechanisms involved in morphine-induced activation of synaptosomal Na+,K+-ATPase

Morphine through mu-opioid receptors and G(i/o) proteins modulates several cellular effector systems; however, the mechanisms involved in the regulation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase are not well known. We evaluated the effect of two mu-opioid receptor agonists on ouabain-sensitive Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in mice forebrain synaptosomes, and examined the modulation of this effect by antagonists of opioid receptors and a blocker of G(i/o) proteins. Incubation of synaptosomes with morphine (10(-9) to 10(-4) M) or buprenorphine (10(-10) to 10(-5) M) concentration-dependently stimulated Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity, morphine being less potent but more efficacious than buprenorphine. Morphine did not displace [3H]ouabain from its binding site (Na(+),K(+)-ATPase) to forebrain membranes, whereas ouabain did so in a concentration-dependent manner. Naloxone, an opioid antagonist (10(-6) M), added to the synaptosomal medium, antagonized the enhancement of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity induced by morphine, producing a parallel shift to the right of the morphine concentration-response curve. Treatment with beta-funaltrexamine, a mu antagonist (2.5 and 10 microg/mouse, i.c.v.) and naloxonazine, a mu1 antagonist (35 mg/kg, s.c.), 24 h before the synaptosomes were obtained, produced a dose-dependent reduction in the E(max) of the morphine-induced increase in Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in vitro, but did not significantly modify its EC(50). Pertussis toxin (G(i/o) protein blocker) treatment at a dose of 0.5 microg/mouse, administered i.c.v. 5 days before the synaptosomes were obtained, completely abolished the enhancement of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity induced by morphine. A lower dose (0.25 microg/mouse) decreased the E(max) of morphine by 50% but did not significantly affect its EC(50). These results suggest that morphine indirectly enhances Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in the brain by activating mu-opioid receptors and G(i/o) proteins.

Opioid regulation of gonadotropin release: role of signal transduction cascade

The present investigation elucidates the opioidergic modulation of gonadotropin releasing hormone release mechanism by signal transduction cascade in discrete brain regions from estrogen-progesterone primed ovariectomized rats. The effects of mu-opioid agonist morphine and its antagonist naloxone followed by morphine were studied (in two different groups of rats) on protein kinase A, adenosine 3',5' cyclic monophosphate, protein kinase C and calcium/calmodulin protein kinase-II as well as phospholipase C, phospholipase A(2), diacylglycerol and inositol 1,4, 5-triphosphate. Significant decline in phosphoinositide metabolism was observed after morphine treatment as depicted by decrease in phospholipase C and phospholipase A2 activities as well as inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate and diacylglycerol contents from discrete brain regions. Protein kinase A activity showed translocation from membrane bound to cytosolic form along with a decrease in its activator adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate levels in morphine-treated group. Calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II activity also declined, whereas, protein kinase C activity increased in the cytosolic fraction after 45 min of morphine administration. Naloxone was seen to counteract the changes induced by morphine in most of the brain regions studied. Morphine also suppressed luteinizing hormone levels, whereas, follicle stimulating hormone level did not change. The present investigation provides evidence for opioidergic mediated suppression of gonadotropin release through the downregulation of signal transduction cascade.