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Featured Article: Targeted toxins in pain
Wiley RG (2006) Featured Article: Targeted toxins in pain. Targeting Trends 7(2)
Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01), Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03), Anti-SERT-SAP (Cat. #IT-23), SP-SAP (Cat. #IT-07), SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11), Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12),
Increased formalin behavior after selective destruction of μ opiate receptor-expressing dorsal horn neurons: impaired descending analgesic control?
Datta S, Kline IV RH, Wiley RG (2005) Increased formalin behavior after selective destruction of μ opiate receptor-expressing dorsal horn neurons: impaired descending analgesic control?. Neuroscience 2005 Abstracts 623.15. Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC.
Summary: Spinal intrathecal injection of dermorphin-saporin (derm-sap) selectively destroys dorsal horn neurons expressing the mu-opiate receptor (MOR). In the present study, we sought to determine the effect of derm-sap (500 ng, i.t.) on responses to intraplantar formalin injection (25 ul of 5%). After formalin injection, rats were immediately placed into a clear observation chamber with a video camera beneath the floor. Rats were videotaped for 90 minutes and their behavior scored offline for one minute out of every 5 minutes. 120 minutes after formalin injection rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital and perfused with formalin. Spinal cord sections were stained for MOR and cholecystokinin (CCK) using standard immunoperoxidase techniques on adjacent 40 um sections from L4 spinal segment. Coded sections were used to assess MOR staining intensity by quantitative densitometry. Derm-sap treated rats showed no separation between phase I and II and spent more time than vehicle controls licking/guarding/biting the injected hindpaw during both phase I and II. Derm-sap significantly decreased dorsal horn MOR. Staining for CCK showed time dependant changes after derm-sap which was not present in PBS controls. These same derm-sap treated rats performed normally on hotplate at 44, 47 and 52 C and had normal analgesic responses to systemic morphine on 44, 47 and 52 C hotplates. We interpret these data to indicate that loss of the dorsal horn MOR-expressing neurons reduces the effect of descending analgesic mechanisms. Supported by NIH R21-DA14380 and Department of Veterans Affairs.
Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12)
Facilitatory influences from the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) are required for pancreatic nociception
Vera-Portocarrero LP, Xie Y, King T, Lai J, Porreca F (2005) Facilitatory influences from the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) are required for pancreatic nociception. Neuroscience 2005 Abstracts 623.18. Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC.
Summary: Pain is a frequent complaint of patients with pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer. An animal model of pancreatitis induced by dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC) is characterized by abdominal hypersensitivity to mechanical stimuli that appears by day 3 after induction of pancreatitis and persists for at least 10 days. We have used this model to evaluate the role of descending pain modulatory pathways from the RVM in the processing of visceral pain. Pancreatitis was induced in rats by a single tail vein injection of DBTC. Animals were monitored for mechanical sensitivity of the abdominal area as an index of pancreatic nociception using von Frey hairs applied to the surface of the abdomen and recording the frequency of withdrawals from stimulation. Six days after DBTC injection, when mechanical hypersensitivity was fully developed, lidocaine, or saline, was microinjected into the RVM. Lidocaine, but not saline, given into the RVM produced a time-related reversal of mechanical hypersensitivity which peaked by 20 min after injection in animals with pancreatitis. RVM lidocaine had no effect on rats without pancreatitis. A second group of rats received a single microinjection of the cytotoxin dermorphin-saporin into the RVM in order to ablate mu opioid receptor expressing cells that have been proposed to drive descending pain facilitation. 28 days later, the rats received DBTC and their response to mechanical stimulation was monitored daily. These rats showed mechanical hypersensitivity on day 3 after DBTC, but the sensory threshold reverted to normal level by day 6, while rats that had been pretreated with dermorphin, saporin, or water exhibited persistent mechanical hypersensitivity after DBTC out to day 10. These data suggest that a blockade of the descending input from the RVM by lidocaine is sufficient to block the pancreatitis-induced visceral pain, and that the mu opioid receptor expressing cells in the RVM are critical for the persistent pain state.
Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12)
Pain facilitatory cells in the rostral ventromedial medulla coexpress opioid-μ receptors and cholecystokinin type 2 receptors
Zhang W, Gardell SE, Xie Y, Luo M, Rance NE, Vanderah TW, Porreca F, Lai J (2005) Pain facilitatory cells in the rostral ventromedial medulla coexpress opioid-μ receptors and cholecystokinin type 2 receptors. Neuroscience 2005 Abstracts 394.17. Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC.
Summary: Pain transmission can be modulated by descending input to the spinal dorsal horn from the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM). RVM neurons that facilitate nociception are termed “ON-cells”, which are inhibited by mu-opioids, suggesting that they express opioid mu receptors (MOR). Focal application of cholecystokinin (CCK8(s)) into the RVM elicits acute thermal and tactile hypersensitivity and induces ON-cell activity. In situ hybridization using riboprobes for either rat MOR or rat cholecystokinin type-2 receptor (CCK-2) confirms the expression of these receptors in the RVM. Pretreatment with a toxin conjugate, CCK8(s)-saporin results in a significant loss of CCK-2 positive cells in the RVM, concomitant with a blockade of CCK8(s) induced hyperalgesia. The pretreatment also significantly reduces the number of neurons labeled for MOR in the RVM, suggesting that MOR and CCK-2 may be co-localized in some RVM cells. Consistent with these data, similar pretreatment with the toxin conjugate, dermorphin-saporin, which selectively targets MOR expressing neurons, significantly reduces the number of MOR labeled cells in the RVM, blocks RVM CCK8(s) induced hyperalgesia and reduces the number of CCK-2 positive cells in the RVM. In situ hybridization using 35S-labeled CCK-2 riboprobes and Digoxigenin-labeled MOR riboprobes shows that over 80% of labeled RVM neurons co-express both MOR and CCK-2, ~15% express only CCK-2, and very few cells express only MOR. These findings represent the first direct demonstration of the phenotype of pain facilitatory neurons in the RVM. Together with previous studies showing that RVM CCK-2 antagonists reverse nerve injury-induced pain, this phenotype provides strong support for the view that endogenous CCK is a critical mediator of the descending pain facilitation, particularly in the maintenance of experimental neuropathic pain. Support Contributed By: NIDCR R01 DE016458
Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12), CCK-SAP (Cat. #IT-31)
Molecular neurosurgery with targeted toxins
Wiley RG, Lappi DA (2005) Molecular neurosurgery with targeted toxins. Humana Press, Totowa, New Jersey.
Summary: The idea behind the book was to provide a road map for the users of Molecular Neurosurgery to see how experienced scientists used these exceptional reagents in their work. Experiments with several targeted toxins are described, and readers can get an idea either specifically about a targeted toxin that they’re using, or about how a type of molecule is used and at what dosage, in a paradigm similar to theirs.
Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01), ME20.4-SAP (Cat. #IT-15), Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03), SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11), Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12), IB4-SAP (Cat. #IT-10), CTB-SAP (Cat. #IT-14)
Mu opioid receptor-containing neurons mediate electroacupuncture-produced anti-hyperalgesia in rats with hind paw inflammation.
Zhang RX, Wang L, Liu B, Qiao JT, Ren K, Berman BM, Lao L (2005) Mu opioid receptor-containing neurons mediate electroacupuncture-produced anti-hyperalgesia in rats with hind paw inflammation. Brain Res 1048(1-2):235-240. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2005.05.008
Summary: Electroacupuncture has been shown to significantly reduce inflammatory hyperalgesia. To examine whether this effect is modulated by spinal mu opioid receptors, the authors injected 400 ng of dermorphin-SAP (Cat. #IT-12) into the subarachnoid space at the level of the lumbar spinal cord of rats. The anti-hyperalgesic effect of electroacupuncture was blocked by dermorphin-SAP administration, indicating that mu opioid receptor-containing neurons are involved in this pathway.
Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12)
Mu-opioid receptor-expressing neurons in the nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis contribute to descending facilitation during the development of inflammatory pain
Wei F, Zou S, Robbins MT, Ren K, Dubner R (2004) Mu-opioid receptor-expressing neurons in the nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis contribute to descending facilitation during the development of inflammatory pain. Neuroscience 2004 Abstracts 297.3. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA.
Summary: We have previously shown that nucleus reticularis giangocellularis (NGC) is involved in descending facilitation of inflammatory hyperalgesia. The cellular mechanisms of descending facilitation from the NGC are unknown. The targeted destruction of the mu-opioid receptor-containing neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) by a dermorphin-saporin conjugate prevents nerve injury-induced hyperalgesia in rats (Porreca et al., J. Neurosci. 21:5281, 2001). We examined the effects of selective deletion of the mu-opioid receptor-expressing neurons in the sub-regions of RVM on nocifensive behaviors in rats. After microinjection of dermorphin-saporin conjugate (1.5 pmol/500 nl) into the RVM, there were no changes in baseline thermal and mechanical sensitivity to noxious stimuli. However, the injection of dermorphin-saporin conjugate into bilateral NGC (n=7) significantly attenuated the thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia at 30 min to 1 d after hindpaw inflammation produced by injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant, compared to sham (blank-saporin or dermorphin) groups (n=3-6). The lesion of the nucleus raphe magnus (NRM) (n=3) only slightly reduced hyperalgesia at 3 h after inflammation. The loss of NGC mu-opioid receptor-containing neurons also decreased nocifensive behaviors only in phase II of the formalin model. In contrast, NRM lesions were without an effect on formalin-induced phase I/II responses. These findings indicate that selective deletion of the mu-opioid receptor-containing neurons in the nucleus reticularis giangocellularis attenuates inflammatory hyperagesia and allodynia.
Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12)
Ventral tegmental area lesions alter EEG power spectrum across the sleep/wake cycle
Lee R, Gallegos RA, Crawford EF, Wills DN, Zhukov VI, Huitron-Resendiz S, Criado JR, Henriksen SJ (2003) Ventral tegmental area lesions alter EEG power spectrum across the sleep/wake cycle. Neuroscience 2003 Abstracts 616.5. Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, LA.
Summary: The ventral tegmental area (VTA) has long been implicated in reward and drug abuse. We previously demonstrated (Lee et al, J. Neurosci. 2001) a role for VTA GABAergic neurotransmission in REM sleep. In continuing studies the potential role of the VTA in modulating electroencephalogram (EEG) activation was explored by selectively lesioning mu-opioid receptor expressing cells, or NMDA-lesioning cells, in the VTA. Under sodium pentobarbital anesthesia rats received either (1) a sham operation (2) a saporin injection (3) an injection of a dermorphin-saporin (DERM-SAP) conjugate (Advanced Targeting Systems, San Diego, CA) (4) or a bilateral VTA injection of NMDA. All injections were delivered in a volume of 0.5 to 1.0 µL over 4 to 8 minutes. Animals were also implanted with electrodes for recording the EEG & EMG. The filtered EEG & EMG were recorded continuously for 24 hours beginning 21 days after surgery. Frequency analysis of the EEG in 15-sec epochs revealed differences in the distribution of relative power in the DERM-SAP or NMDA-lesioned animals, compared to controls. Higher frequency components (12-25 Hz) were reduced in DERM-SAP lesioned animals during waking and slow wave sleep. Histology demonstrated gliosis of GAD-stained neurons in the VTA 3 to 4 weeks after injection of DERM-SAP. These data suggest that long-projecting GABA neurons of the VTA have a desynchronizing influence on cortical EEG arousal mechanisms. This is supported by anatomical evidence of both direct and indirect non-thalamic GABAergic projections to widespread areas of cortex in the rodent. Supported by: DA08301 to SJH.
Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12)
Selective destruction of MOR expressing dorsal horn neurons using intrathecal dermorphin-saporin.
Wiley RG, Miller SA, Kline IV RH (2003) Selective destruction of MOR expressing dorsal horn neurons using intrathecal dermorphin-saporin. Neuroscience 2003 Abstracts 174.15. Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, LA.
Summary: Evidence suggests that the mu opiate receptor (MOR) is key to the analgesic action of morphine. In the present study, we sought to determine if a disulfide conjugate of the mu opioid peptide, dermorphin, to the ribosome-inactivating protein, saporin, (derm-sap) would destroy neurons expressing MOR in the substantia gelatinosa (SG) of the spinal cord. Derm-sap was injected into the lumbar subarachnoid space of anesthetized adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats using a catheter inserted through the atlanto-occipital membrane and passed 8 cm caudally. The catheter was removed 15 minutes after toxin injection. Rats were sacrificed after 2 weeks, and 40 um transverse frozen sections of the L4 spinal segment were processed for immunohistochemical demonstration of MOR, NeuN, calbindin D28k, parvalbumin, NK-1R and for Nissl staining. In control rats, beta-funaltrexamine was injected just before derm-sap or derm-sap was pre-treated to reduce the disulfide bond which dissociates the toxin and neuropeptide. MOR staining in the SG was evaluated using quantitative densitometry. Initial experiments revealed a dose-related decrease in MOR staining in the dorsal horn without effect on dorsal root ganglia at doses up to 1000 ng. The maximally tolerated dose of derm-sap (500 ng) selectively decreased MOR staining by 54% as did multilevel lumbar dorsal rhizotomy. Combining 500 ng of derm-sap and multilevel rhizotomy produced 92% loss of MOR staining in the SG. Based on analysis of non-co-localized markers and control experiments, we interpret the results to indicate that intrathecal derm-sap selectively destroys MOR-expressing neurons in the SG without toxicity to primary afferents. This lesion will be useful in analysis of opioid mechanisms in the dorsal horn.
Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12)
Selective elimination of mu-opioid receptor expressing neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) does not affect periaqueductal gray (pag) stimulation-produced analgesia
Harasawa I, Lai J, Porreca F, Fields HL, Meng ID (2003) Selective elimination of mu-opioid receptor expressing neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) does not affect periaqueductal gray (pag) stimulation-produced analgesia. Neuroscience 2003 Abstracts 177.5. Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, LA.
Summary: PAG stimulation produces antinociception at spinal levels by modulating RVM neuronal activity. Microinjection of saporin conjugated with the mu-opioid receptor agonist dermorphin (DERM-SAP) into the RVM selectively eliminates MOR expressing neurons and diminishes neuropathic pain symptoms (Porreca et al., 2001). The aim of the present study was to determine whether MOR expressing neurons in the RVM are required for PAG stimulation produced analgesia (PAG/SPA). The minimum electrical current required to inhibit the tail flick response was compared in barbiturate-anesthetized rats given a single RVM injection of SAP or DERM-SAP 3-4 weeks prior to testing. Thresholds in SAP and DERM-SAP treated rats were not different. Furthermore, microinjection of the glutamate receptor antagonist kynurenic acid (10 mM, 800 nl) into the RVM disrupted PAG/SPA in both SAP and DERM-SAP treated rats. These results indicate that 1) mu-receptor expressing neurons in the RVM are not necessary for PAG/SPA, and 2) excitatory amino acid transmission in the RVM is critical for PAG/SPA. In additional experiments, inhibition of neurotransmitter release in the RVM by the microinjection of cobalt chloride (CoCl2, 100 mM, 800 nl), produced significant antinociception only in DERM-SAP treated rats. This finding suggests that DERM-SAP injections result in increased tonic inhibition of RVM neurons and that CoCl2 disinhibits these neurons to produce antinociception. Tonic inhibition of off-cells would account for our failure to find off-cells in DERM-SAP treated rats.
Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12)