d-phenylalanyl-cysteinyl-tyrosyl-tryptophyl-lysyl-cysteinyl-threoninamide and Disease-Models--Animal

Somatostatin is a pleiotropic peptide, exerting a variety of effects through its receptor subtypes. Recently, somatostatin has been shown to act as a chemoattractant for haematopoietic progenitor cells and hepatic oval cells (HOC) via receptor subtype 2 and subtype 4 (SSTR4) respectively.. We investigated the in vivo effect of somatostatin/SSTR4 on HOC migration in the injured liver model of rats and the type of signalling molecules associated with the chemotactic function.. Migration assay, HOC transplantation and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signalling were assessed with or without somatostatin and an analogue of somatostatin (TT232) that specifically binds to SSTR4.. TT232 was shown to have an antimigratory action on HOC induced by somatostatin in vitro. In HOC transplantation experiments, a lower number of donor-derived cells were detected in TT232-treated animals, as compared with control animals. Activation of PI3K was observed in HOC exposed to somatostatin, and this activation was suppressed by either SSTR4 antibody or TT232-pretreatment. In addition, a PI3K inhibitor abrogated the motility of HOC.. Together, these data suggest that somatostatin stimulates the migration of HOC within injured liver through SSTR4, and this action appears to be mediated by the PI3K pathway.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Cell Transplantation; Cells, Cultured; Chemotaxis; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Hepatocytes; Liver; Male; Peptides, Cyclic; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Receptors, Somatostatin; Signal Transduction; Somatostatin

We previously demonstrated that somatostatin (SOM) released from the activated peripheral terminals of capsaicin-sensitive primary sensory neurons inhibits acute inflammation and nociception. This study was undertaken to examine this systemic "sensocrine" function of neuronally derived somatostatin in chronic inflammation in the Freund's complete adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis model.. Arthritis of the tibiotarsal joint of Lewis rats was evoked by subcutaneous injection of CFA into the left hind paw and the tail root. For 3 weeks, the volume of the paws was measured by plethysmometry, and the mechanonociceptive thresholds were measured by esthesiometry. Plasma concentrations of SOM were determined by radioimmunoassay, and histologic studies of the joints were performed. To impair the function of capsaicin-sensitive afferents, the capsaicin receptor (VR1/TRPV1) agonist resiniferatoxin (RTX) was injected subcutaneously (30, 70, and 100 microg/kg on 3 subsequent days) 7 days before CFA administration. The SOM receptor antagonist cyclosomatostatin (c-SOM; 20 microg/kg) or, in another group, the synthetic heptapeptide agonist TT-232 (2 x 50-400 microg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally every day.. RTX pretreatment or c-SOM injection significantly increased edema and mechanical hyperalgesia of both CFA-treated and contralateral paws. The histologic score based on synovial thickening, cell infiltration, cartilage destruction, and bone erosion was also significantly higher both in the RTX- and the c-SOM-injected groups. These parameters were dose-dependently decreased by TT-232. Plasma SOM-like immunoreactivity increased 4-fold on the twenty-first day, and was inhibited by RTX pretreatment, as well as by daily administration of TT-232.. Our data suggest that SOM released into the circulation from capsaicin-sensitive afferents in response to prolonged activation exerts systemic antiinflammatory and analgesic effects. TT-232 can open new perspectives in the treatment of chronic arthritis.

Topics: Analgesics; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Arthritis, Experimental; Chronic Disease; Disease Models, Animal; Diterpenes; Edema; Freund's Adjuvant; Hindlimb; Male; Peptides, Cyclic; Rats; Rats, Inbred Lew; Receptors, Drug; Sensory Receptor Cells; Somatostatin

Somatostatin released from capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves exerts systemic anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive actions. TT-232 is a stable, peripherally acting heptapeptide (D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Lys-Cys-Thr-NH2) somatostatin analogue with highest binding affinity for somatostatin sst4 receptors. It has been shown to inhibit acute and chronic inflammatory responses and sensory neuropeptide release from capsaicin-sensitive nociceptors. In the present study the antinociceptive effects of TT-232 were analysed using both acute and chronic models of nociception. Formalin-induced pain behaviour, noxious heat threshold and streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathic mechanical allodynia were examined in rats and phenylquinone-evoked abdominal constrictions were tested in mice. TT-232 (80 microg/kg i.p.) inhibited both early (0-5 min) and late phases (25-45 min) of formalin-induced nociception as revealed by determination of the composite pain score. The minimum effective dose to elevate the noxious heat threshold and diminish the heat threshold drop (heat allodynia) evoked by resiniferatoxin (0.05 nmol intraplantarly) was 20 and 10 microg/kg i.p., respectively, as measured by an increasing-temperature hot plate. TT-232 (10-200 microg/kg s.c.) significantly inhibited phenylquinone-evoked writhing movements in mice, but within this dose range no clear dose-response correlation was found. Five weeks after streptozotocin administration (50 mg/kg i.v.) the diabetes-induced decrease in the mechanonociceptive threshold was inhibited by 10-100 microg/kg i.p. TT-232. These findings show that TT-232 potently inhibits acute chemical somatic/visceral and thermal nociception and diminishes chronic mechanical allodynia associated with diabetic neuropathy, thereby it could open new perspectives in the treatment of various pain syndromes.

Topics: Acute Disease; Analgesics; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Benzoquinones; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Disease Models, Animal; Diterpenes; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Formaldehyde; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Pain; Pain Measurement; Peptides, Cyclic; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Somatostatin

A novel somatostatin analogue, TT-232 (which inhibits the proliferation of various cell cultures and transplantable mouse tumours), was examined regarding its effect on human melanoma and lymphoma xenografts as a single treatment or in combination with DTIC (dacarbazine) and etoposide. TT-232 inhibited the growth of HT-18 melanoma xenografts, a dose of 5 mg kg(-1) being the most effective. Combination of 1 mg kg(-1) TT-232 with 30 or 60 mg kg(-1) DTIC (administered daily) resulted in a stronger inhibitory effect compared to TT-232 or DTIC as a single modality. Antimetastatic effect of TT-232 treatment combined with DTIC was studied using the B16 mouse melanoma muscle - lung metastasis model. The number of lung metastases of B16 melanoma could be decreased by the daily administration of 1 mg kg(-1) TT-232 or 60 mg kg(-1), but not of 30 mg kg(-1) DTIC. TT-232, combined with 30 or 60 mg kg(-1) DTIC decreased the lung metastasis number significantly lower than the control. Nearly 50% growth inhibition of HT-58 lymphoma was achieved by daily treatment with 1 mg kg(-1) TT-232. 5 mg kg(-1) etoposide, administered daily, resulted in a similar effect. The combination of 1 mg kg(-1) TT-232 and 5 mg kg(-1) etoposide was significantly more effective than TT-232 or etoposide as a single treatment. The very strong tumour growth inhibitory effect of 10 mg kg(-1) etoposide could even be increased by combination with TT-232. These experimental data suggest that TT-232 may be an effective new tool in the combination chemotherapy of malignant tumours like melanoma and lymphoma.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Dacarbazine; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Therapy, Combination; Etoposide; Humans; Lymphoma; Male; Melanoma, Experimental; Mice; Mice, Inbred CBA; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasm Transplantation; Neoplasms, Experimental; Peptides, Cyclic; Somatostatin; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays