Mu opioid receptor-containing neurons mediate electroacupuncture-produced anti-hyperalgesia in rats with hind paw inflammation

Brain Res. 2005 Jun 28;1048(1-2):235-40. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2005.05.008.

Abstract

Previous studies showed that electroacupuncture (EA) significantly attenuates inflammatory hyperalgesia in a complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain rat model. The present study demonstrates that pretreatment with Derm-sap, a selective toxin for neurons that contain mu opioid receptor (MOR), specifically decreases MOR and blocks EA anti-hyperalgesia. These data suggest that spinal MOR-containing neurons are involved in the processes by which EA produces anti-hyperalgesia.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western / methods
  • Electroacupuncture / methods*
  • Freund's Adjuvant / adverse effects
  • Hindlimb / drug effects
  • Hindlimb / innervation*
  • Hyperalgesia / etiology
  • Hyperalgesia / therapy*
  • Immunohistochemistry / methods
  • Inflammation / chemically induced
  • Inflammation / complications
  • Lectins / metabolism
  • Male
  • N-Glycosyl Hydrolases
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Opioid Peptides
  • Pain Measurement / methods
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reaction Time / drug effects
  • Receptors, Opioid, delta / metabolism
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / pharmacology
  • Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1
  • Saporins
  • Skin / drug effects
  • Skin / innervation
  • Spinal Cord / cytology*
  • Spinal Cord / drug effects
  • Spinal Cord / metabolism
  • Substance P / metabolism

Substances

  • Lectins
  • Opioid Peptides
  • Receptors, Opioid, delta
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1
  • dermorphin-saporin
  • Substance P
  • Freund's Adjuvant
  • N-Glycosyl Hydrolases
  • Saporins