sulprostone and Substance-Withdrawal-Syndrome

We examined the mechanism of the inhibitory effect of prostanoid EP(3) receptor agonists on naloxone-precipitated withdrawal syndrome in morphine-dependent rats. Rats were rendered morphine dependent by subcutaneous (s.c.) implantation of two pellets containing 75 mg morphine for 5 days. Morphine withdrawal syndrome was precipitated by i.p. injection of naloxone (3 mg/kg). Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of (+/-)-15alpha-hydroxy-9-oxo-16-phenoxy-17,18, 19,20-tetranorprost-13-trans-enoic acid (M&B28,767: prostanoid EP(3) receptor agonist) or sulprostone (prostanoid EP(1)/EP(3) receptor agonist) significantly suppressed many withdrawal signs. Northern blotting and in situ hybridization studies revealed that i.c.v. administration of M&B28,767 (1 pg/rat) attenuated the elevation of c-fos mRNA during naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in many brain regions, including the cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus and locus coeruleus. Double in situ hybridization analysis revealed that in the locus coeruleus most of the tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA-positive neurons expressed mu-opioid receptor mRNA and more than half of these neurons were positive for prostanoid EP(3) receptor mRNA. These results indicate that the suppression by prostanoid EP(3) receptor agonists of naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal syndrome can be attributed to the inhibition of neuronal activity in several brain regions, including the locus coeruleus, the largest source of central noradrenergic neurons.

Topics: Alprostadil; Animals; Brain; Dinoprostone; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Gene Expression Regulation; In Situ Hybridization; Injections, Intraventricular; Locus Coeruleus; Male; Morphine; Morphine Dependence; Naloxone; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Opioid, mu; Receptors, Prostaglandin E; Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP3 Subtype; RNA, Messenger; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

1. We have shown that intracisternal (i.c.) administration of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) attenuates naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumps in morphine-dependent mice, and the effect was partly mediated by the corticotropin-releasing factor. To elucidate further other possible mechanisms involved in the inhibitory effect of IL-1 beta on morphine withdrawal jumping behaviour, in this study, we examined the involvement of the prostaglandin-synthesis pathway, because prostaglandins have been shown to mediate the several central effects of IL-1. Furthermore, we examined the effects of subtype-selective prostaglandin receptor agonists on morphine withdrawal jumping behaviour. 2. Mice were rendered morphine-dependent by subcutaneous implantation of a pellet containing 11.5 +/- 0.3 mg morphine hydrochloride for 48 h. Morphine withdrawal syndromes were precipitated by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of naloxone (10 mg kg-1). The degree of physical dependence on morphine was estimated by counting the number of jumps, one of the typical withdrawal signs in mice, for 40 min. 3. The inhibitory effect of IL-1 beta (1 ng/mouse) administered intracisternally 30 min before naloxone (10 mg kg-1, i.p.) was significantly blocked by pretreatment with sodium salicylate (a cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, 10 ng or 30 ng/mouse) administered intracisternally 15 min before IL-1 beta, while i.c. administration of sodium salicylate alone (3 ng, 10 ng or 30 ng/mouse) followed by i.c. administration of vehicle instead of IL-1 beta did not significantly change the number of jumps precipitated by naloxone. 4. Intracisternal administration of M&B28,767 (an EP3-receptor agonist, 1 fg-30 ng/mouse) and sulprostone (an EP1/EP3-receptor agonist, 10 fg-100 ng/mouse) 30 min before naloxone (10 mg kg,-1 i.p.) attenuated withdrawal jumps with a U-shaped dose-response, reaching a peak at 10 pg/mouse and 100 pg/mouse, respectively. On the other hand, i.c. administration of iloprost (an EP1/IP-receptor agonist, 10 fg-100 ng/mouse), butaprost (an EP2-receptor agonist, 10 fg-100 ng/mouse) or prostaglandin F2 alpha (a FP-receptor agonist, 10 fg-100 ng/mouse) 30 min before naloxone (10 mg kg-1, i.p.) did not significantly change the number of jumps precipitated by naloxone. 5. These results indicate that the prostaglandin-synthesis pathway is, at least in part, involved in the inhibitory effect of IL-1 beta on naloxone-precipitated withdrawal jumps in morphine-dependent mice, and that the prostaglandin s

Topics: Alprostadil; Analgesics, Opioid; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Dinoprost; Dinoprostone; Interleukin-1; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Morphine; Naloxone; Prostaglandins; Receptors, Prostaglandin E; Sodium Salicylate; Stimulation, Chemical; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Substance-Related Disorders