substance-p--prolyl(2)-tryptophan(7-9)- and Pain

Intrathecal injection of 0.25 micrograms of undecapeptide substance P antagonist (SPA) produced transient antinociception with a peak effect at 5 min. Increasing the SPA dose resulted in neurotoxicity. Intrathecal injection of the opioid peptide biphalin (BIP) produced antinociception for over 3 hrs without neurotoxicity. Co-administration of SPA (at subtoxic doses) increased BIP's antinociceptive effect. Naltrexone reversed analgesia due to BIP alone as well as after BIP+SPA.

Topics: Analgesics; Animals; Drug Synergism; Enkephalins; Injections, Spinal; Male; Naltrexone; Pain; Pain Measurement; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Substance P

While much evidence implicates substance P (SP), an endogenous neurokinin (NK), as a primary sensory transmitter of acute pain in mammalian spinal cord, its role in continuous (tonic) pain is less clear. Although glutamate is co-localized with SP in dorsal root ganglion neurons, its role in nociceptive processing is uncertain. While antagonists of NKs and excitatory amino acids (EAAs) have been found to be antinociceptive in some acute assays, they have not been tested against tonic pain. We hypothesize that: (1) NKs and EAAs contribute to signaling of tonic chemogenic nociception; and (2) interaction between NK and EAA systems is important in determining the perceived intensity of a continuous noxious stimulus. We therefore evaluated two NK antagonists ([D-Pro2,D-Trp7,9] SP (DPDT-SP, 0.26-6.6 nmoles, non-specific) and [D-Pro4, D-Trp7,9,10,Phe11]-SP(4-11) (DPDTP-octa, 1.6-12.3 nmoles, somewhat NK-1 selective], as well as DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (DL-AP5, NMDA antagonist, 0.05-1 nmole) and urethane (a kainic acid (KA) antagonist at 2.5 mumoles) for antinociceptive activity in the mouse formalin model. Administered intrathecally (i.t.), DL-AP5 and both NK antagonists were significantly antinociceptive while urethane (2.5 mumoles) and naloxone (2.7 nmoles) were inactive. A50 values for mean % analgesia, nmoles/mouse i.t. (95% CLs) were: DPDT-SP, 1.1 (0.79-1.6); DPDTP-octa, 3.9 (2.4-6.1); DL-AP5, 0.29 (0.16-0.71). The antinociception associated with 1.3 nmoles of DPDT-SP was not reversed by co-administering 2.7 nmoles of naloxone. Co-administration of 0.1 nmoles of DL-AP5 with either 1.3 nmoles of DPDT-SP or 3.3 nmoles of DPDTP-octa did not lead to additive antinociception.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: 2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; Analgesics; Animals; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Formaldehyde; Injections, Spinal; Kainic Acid; Male; Mice; N-Methylaspartate; Naloxone; Nociceptors; Pain; Peptide Fragments; Reaction Time; Substance P; Urethane

Previous studies suggest that the undecapeptide substance P (SP) functions as a primary afferent neurotransmitter or neuromodulator of nociception which may mediate the slow temporal summation ('windup') of discharges of dorsal horn nociceptive neurons elicited by repetitive stimulation of C-afferents. The present study tested this hypothesis by investigating the effects of local spinal application of SP and an SP antagonist. [D-Pro2,D-Trp7,9]-SP (DPDT), on A- and C-fiber-evoked firing of dorsal horn neurons in an intact, urethane-anesthetized rat preparation. Extracellular single unit recordings from both wide dynamic range and nociceptive specific neurons during controlled repetitive electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral hind paw indicated that SP enhanced C-evoked firing in an apparent dose-related manner (100 greater than 20 = 4 nmol), whereas DPDT inhibited C-evoked discharges with an apparent bell-shaped dose-response (20 greater than 100 = 4 nmol). Neither agent significantly altered either A-evoked or spontaneous activity. In agreement with previous investigators, morphine sulfate also selectively inhibited C-fiber-evoked firing without altering A-fiber-mediated activity, validating the selectivity of our system. These findings provide additional evidence that SP functions as a neuromodulator of primary afferent nociception, and further suggest that the effects of SP are selective to nociceptive transmission mediated by C-fibers.

Topics: Action Potentials; Animals; Evoked Potentials; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Morphine; Nerve Fibers; Neurons; Pain; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Spinal Cord; Substance P

Rats chronically implanted with intrathecal catheters received intrathecal injections (10 microliters followed by 10 microliters saline flush) of either saline (n = 5), somatostatin (100 micrograms, n = 10), the somatostatin analog BIM 23003 (100 micrograms, n = 5), the somatostatin analog SMS 201-995 (100 micrograms, n = 5), the substance P analog [D-Pro2, D-Trp7,9] SP (10 micrograms, n = 10), or dynorphin A (1-17) (20 nmol, n = 8). These doses (somatostatin, substance P and dynorphin A) were selected based on previous studies in which they caused significant motor deficits. Effects on thermal cutaneous nociception, behavior, motor function and spinal cord histopathology were evaluated. All peptides caused severe neurotoxicity, evidenced by flaccid hind leg paralysis and lumbar spinal neuronal degeneration, which was accompanied by an inflammatory reaction in meninges and spinal gray matter. Histopathological changes had developed within 24 h after injection of somatostatin, substance P analog and dynorphin A, showing mild to severe neuronal degeneration and mild inflammatory responses in spinal cord and meninges. Significant antinociceptive effects, due to severe neurotoxic effects, were only observed following intrathecal injection of SMS 201-995 and the substance P analog. Potential neurotoxic mechanisms of the different peptides are discussed.

Topics: Animals; Dynorphins; Injections, Spinal; Male; Motor Activity; Neurotoxins; Octreotide; Pain; Peptide Fragments; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Reference Values; Seizures; Somatostatin; Spinal Cord; Stereotyped Behavior; Substance P; Time Factors

We report a nociceptive test involving peripheral irritation which produces behavior similar to that elicited by intrathecally injected substance P. Intradermal hypertonic saline injected to the lower abdominal area produced quantifiable behavior in mice. The behavior consisted of licking, biting and scratching directed to the location of i.d. injection, and was dose-dependent with respect to the concentration and volume of saline. Intrathecally administered (D-Pro2, D-Trp7,9)-SP, a substance P antagonist, dose-dependently blocked the behaviors induced by intrathecally administered substance P as well as those induced by intradermally injected hypertonic saline, indicating a possibly common final pathway at the spinal cord level for the manifestation of both behaviors. Hypertonic saline-induced behavior was blocked completely by morphine and a partial opiate agonist (pentazocine) in a dose-dependent manner, but was not blocked by another partial opiate agonist (nalorphine). The behavior was not blocked by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. This nociceptive test, in conjunction with the substance P-induced behavior test, may allow discrimination between agents acting pre- or post-synaptically in the spinal cord. Baclofen, a GABAB agonist thought to act presynaptically, changed substance P-induced behavior and hypertonic saline-induced behavior in opposite directions.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Baclofen; Behavior, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Injections, Intradermal; Injections, Spinal; Male; Mice; Morphine; Nalorphine; Pain; Pentazocine; Saline Solution, Hypertonic; Sodium Chloride; Spinal Cord; Substance P

Substance P (SP) was administered to awake rats by injection into the lumbar subarachnoid space via an indwelling cannula. Intrathecal (i.t.) injection of substance P produced a dose-related hyperalgesic response in the tail-pressure assay. This hyperalgesic effect peaked at 1 min and returned to control level within 15 min. Tachyphylaxis to the action of substance P was not observed by successive intrathecal injections. The hyperalgesic effect induced by substance P was increased by pretreatment with naloxone and blocked by a large dose of morphine. A synthetic analogue (D-Pro2, D-Trp7,9)-substance P, was not found to block the action of substance P on mechanical responses. These results suggest that substance P apparently produces a direct action on spinal substance P receptors and the antagonistic effect of morphine on the hyperalgesia induced by substance P may be mediated through a postsynaptic mechanism in the spinal cord.

Topics: Animals; Injections, Spinal; Male; Morphine; Naloxone; Pain; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Spinal Cord; Substance P

Intrathecal administration of both (D-Pro2,D-Trp7,9)-substance P (DPDT) and (D-Arg1,D-Trp7,9,Leu11)-substance P (DADTL) elicited antinociception in hot-plate and tail-flick test, with DADTL as the most potent. The animals injected with 2.0 micrograms DADTL, and several animals administered with DPDT at the same dose, developed bilateral motor blockade of the hind-legs, persisting for up to 3 days after DADTL. The effect of DPDT appeared to be reversible at this dose. On histopathological examination it was found that these animals with persistent paralysis had widespread neuronal necrosis in the lumbar region of the spinal cord. It is concluded that the peptides have antinociceptive effects after the intrathecal administration in rats, but that there is a small margin between the dose producing this effect and that causing irreversible toxic reactions in the spinal cord.

Topics: Analgesics; Animals; Injections, Spinal; Male; Pain; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Spinal Cord; Spinal Cord Diseases; Substance P