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Khomula EV, Araldi D, Green PG, Levine JD. Sensitization of human and rat nociceptors by low dose morphine is toll-like receptor 4-dependent. Mol Pain 2024; 20:17448069241227922. [PMID: 38195088 PMCID: PMC10851754 DOI: 10.1177/17448069241227922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
While opioids remain amongst the most effective treatments for moderate-to-severe pain, their substantial side effect profile remains a major limitation to broader clinical use. One such side effect is opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH), which includes a transition from opioid-induced analgesia to pain enhancement. Evidence in rodents supports the suggestion that OIH may be produced by the action of opioids at Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) either on immune cells that, in turn, produce pronociceptive mediators to act on nociceptors, or by a direct action at nociceptor TLR4. And, sub-analgesic doses of several opioids have been shown to induce hyperalgesia in rodents by their action as TLR4 agonists. In the present in vitro patch-clamp electrophysiology experiments, we demonstrate that low dose morphine directly sensitizes human as well as rodent dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, an effect of this opioid analgesic that is antagonized by LPS-RS Ultrapure, a selective TLR4 antagonist. We found that low concentration (100 nM) of morphine reduced rheobase in human (by 36%) and rat (by 26%) putative C-type nociceptors, an effect of morphine that was markedly attenuated by preincubation with LPS-RS Ultrapure. Our findings support the suggestion that in humans, as in rodents, OIH is mediated by the direct action of opioids at TLR4 on nociceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugen V Khomula
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dionéia Araldi
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Paul G Green
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Preventative & Restorative Dental Sciences, and Division of Neuroscience, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jon D Levine
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Neuroscience, and UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Khomula EV, Levine JD. Morphine acts in vitro to directly prime nociceptors. Mol Pain 2024; 20:17448069241260348. [PMID: 38828868 PMCID: PMC11149440 DOI: 10.1177/17448069241260348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Hyperalgesic priming is a preclinical model of the transition from acute to chronic pain characterized by a leftward shift in the dose-response curve for and marked prolongation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-induced mechanical hyperalgesia, in vivo. In vitro, priming in nociceptors is characterized by a leftward shift in the concentration dependence for PGE2-induced nociceptor sensitization. In the present in vitro study we tested the hypothesis that a mu-opioid receptor (MOR) agonist opioid analgesic, morphine, can produce priming by its direct action on nociceptors. We report that treatment of nociceptors with morphine, in vitro, produces a leftward shift in the concentration dependence for PGE2-induced nociceptor sensitization. Our findings support the suggestion that opioids act directly on nociceptors to induce priming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugen V. Khomula
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jon D. Levine
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Neuroscience, and UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Bendová Z, Pačesová D, Novotný J. The day-night differences in ERK1/2, GSK3β activity and c-Fos levels in the brain, and the responsiveness of various brain structures to morphine. J Comp Neurol 2020; 528:2471-2495. [PMID: 32170720 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
As with other drugs or pharmaceuticals, opioids differ in their rewarding or analgesic effects depending on when they are applied. In the previous study, we have demonstrated the day/night difference in the sensitivity of the major circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus to a low dose of morphine, and showed the bidirectional effect of morphine on pERK1/2 and pGSK3β levels in the suprachiasmatic nucleus depending on the time of administration. The main aim of this study was to identify other brain structures that respond differently to morphine depending on the time of its administration. Using immunohistochemistry, we identified 44 structures that show time-of-day specific changes in c-Fos level and activity of ERK1/2 and GSK3β kinases in response to a single dose of 1 mg/kg morphine. Furthermore, comparison among control groups revealed the differences in the spontaneous levels of all markers with a generally higher level during the night, that is, in the active phase of the day. We thus provide further evidence for diurnal variations in the activity of brain regions outside the suprachiasmatic nucleus indicated by the temporal changes in the molecular substrate. We suggest that these changes are responsible for generating diurnal variation in the reward behavior or analgesic effect of opioid administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdeňka Bendová
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Sleep Medicine and Chronobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Dominika Pačesová
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Sleep Medicine and Chronobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Novotný
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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da Cruz KR, Ianzer D, Turones LC, Reis LL, Camargo-Silva G, Mendonça MM, da Silva ES, Pedrino GR, de Castro CH, Costa EA, Xavier CH. Behavioral effects evoked by the beta globin-derived nonapeptide LVV-H6. Peptides 2019; 115:59-68. [PMID: 30890354 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2019.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
LVV-hemorphin-6 (LVV-h6) is bioactive peptide and is a product of the degradation of hemoglobin. Since LVV-h6 effects are possibly mediated by opioid or AT4/IRAP receptors, we hypothesized that LVV-h6 would modify behavior. We evaluated whether LVV-h6 affects: i) anxiety-like behavior and locomotion; ii) depression-like behavior; iii) cardiovascular and neuroendocrine reactivity to emotional stress. Male Wistar rats ( ± 300 g) received LVV-h6 (153 nmol/kg i.p.) or vehicle (NaCl 0.9% i.p.). We used: i) open field (OF) test for locomotion; ii) elevated plus maze (EPM) for anxiety-like behavior; iii) forced swimming test (FST) for depression-like behavior and iv) air jet for cardiovascular and neuroendocrine reactivity to stress. Diazepam (2 mg/kg i.p.) and imipramine (15 mg/kg i.p.) were used as positive control for EPM and FST, respectively. To evaluate the LVV-h6 mechanisms, we used: the antagonist of oxytocin (OT) receptors (atosiban - ATS 1 and 0.1 mg/kg i.p.); the inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase (Alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine - AMPT 200 mg/kg i.p.) to investigate the involvement of catecholaminergic paths; and the antagonist of opioid receptors (naltrexone - NTX 0.3 mg/kg s.c.). We found that LVV-h6: i) evoked anxiolytic-like effect; ii) evoked antidepressant-like effect in the FST; and iii) did not change the locomotion, neuroendocrine and cardiovascular responses to stress. The LVV-h6 anxiolytic-like effect was not reverted by ATS and AMPT. However, the antidepressant effects were reverted only by NTX. Hence, our findings demonstrate that LVV-h6 modulates anxiety-like behavior by routes that are not oxytocinergic, catecholaminergic or opioid. The antidepressant-like effects of LVV-h6 rely on opioid pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kellen Rosa da Cruz
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Danielle Ianzer
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Larissa Córdova Turones
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Lilian Liz Reis
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Camargo-Silva
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Michelle Mendanha Mendonça
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Elder Sales da Silva
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Rodrigues Pedrino
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Carlos Henrique de Castro
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Elson Alves Costa
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Carlos H Xavier
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
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Abstract
This paper is the thirty-ninth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2016 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior, and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia, stress and social status, tolerance and dependence, learning and memory, eating and drinking, drug abuse and alcohol, sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology, mental illness and mood, seizures and neurologic disorders, electrical-related activity and neurophysiology, general activity and locomotion, gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions, cardiovascular responses, respiration and thermoregulation, and immunological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, United States.
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