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The effects of bilateral intranigral microinjection of selective opioid agonists on behavioral responses to noxious thermal stimuli.

This study examined the effects of bilateral intranigral microinjection of selective opioid agonists on the tail-flick and hot-plate antinociception tests. The principal findings are: (1) the mu-selective agonist D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Gly5-ol-enkephalin (DAGO) had antinociceptive effects on both tests which were reversible by beta-funaltrexamine (beta-FNA: a mu-selective antagonist) and naloxone (a non-selective opioid antagonist); (2) the antinociceptive potency of DAGO injected into the nigra is comparable to its potency in the periaqueductal gray; (3) intranigral D-Pen2, D-Pen5-enkephalin (a delta-selective agonist), U-50, 488H and dynorphin A-(1-13) (kappa-selective agonists) had no antinociceptive effects; (4) antinociceptive effects were produced by the mixed delta/mu agonists D-Thr2-leucine enkephalin-Thr (DTLET) and D-Ser2-leucine enkephalin-Thr (DSLET); (5) the effect of DTLET on the hot-plate but not the tail-flick test was reversed by Cys2, Tyr3, Orn5, Pen7-amide (CTOP; a mu-selective antagonist), beta-FNA, and naloxone, but not by the delta-selective antagonist naltrindole. Based on the potent antinociceptive effects of DAGO, the complete lack of such effects by the highly selective delta and kappa agonists, and the antagonism of DTLET by CTOP and beta-FNA, it is concluded that the antinociceptive effects of intranigral opioid agonists are mediated by mu receptors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

NG-monomethyl-L-arginine co-injection attenuates the thermogenic and hyperthermic effects of E2 prostaglandin microinjection into the anterior hypothalamic preoptic area in rats.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) microinjection (25 ng, 250 nl) into the preoptic area of the anterior hypothalamus (POAH) stimulated heat production in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and increased core temperature in urethane-anesthetized rats. These thermogenic and hyperthermic effects were attenuated by co-injection of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (NMMA, 25 micrograms), a competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) production from L-arginine. Inclusion of L-arginine (50 micrograms), though not D-arginine (50 micrograms) reversed the inhibitory effect of NMMA (25 micrograms) on intra-POAH PGE2-induced increases in interscapular BAT (IBAT) and core temperatures. Intra-POAH injection of NMMA (25 micrograms) or L-arginine (50 micrograms) alone had no effect on IBAT and core temperatures. The results suggest that the effect on thermoregulation induced by action of PGE2 in the POAH is modulated by a local L-arginine-dependent and NMMA-sensitive NO-generating system.

Animals↗

Antinociception and behavioral changes induced by carbachol microinjected into identified sites of the rat brain.

The sites of the rat brain in which intracerebral administration of carbachol (0.4 microgram/0.5 microliter) elevates the nociceptive threshold to thermic (tail-flick test) and mechanical (calibrated-pinch test) noxious stimuli were examined. An extensive mapping (510 sites) ranging from AP + 10.5 to AP-0.1 mm revealed that antinociception was obtained from 119 sites (23%) widely scattered in the brain, and reached structures distant from, or within the immediate vicinity of the ventricular system. The effects from most placement were demonstrated using the tail-flick test, whereas a smaller proportion (approximately 13%) of sites was effective in reducing the response to mechanical stimuli only. Structures containing sensitive sites include the dorsal raphe nucleus, lateral border of the superior cerebellar peduncle, caudal portion of the superior colliculus, medial geniculate body, habenular complex, amygdala, temporal pole of the ventral hippocampus, rostral aspect of the dorsal hippocampus, lateral septal area, and triangular nucleus of the septum. Analysis of the distribution of responsive sites indicated that they are poorly superposed to the known distribution of opiate-sensitive areas. Most of the structures found to be responsive to carbachol are also known to possess cholinergic receptors and to evoke antinociception following focal electrical stimulation. In various placements, particularly in limbic structures, microinjection of carbachol evoked jumping to mechanical noxious stimulation, hyperexcitability to non-noxious stimuli, convulsive reactions, and other less frequent reactions. On few occasions, however, these changes were accompanied by antinociception.

Animals↗

Changes in motor performance and rubral single unit activity in cats after microinjections of serotonin into the red nucleus area.

The serotonergic control exerted on the red nucleus (RN) was studied in unrestrained cats during the performance of a simple reaction time task which consisted of releasing a lever in response to an auditory go-signal. The effects of microinjections of serotonin-oxalate salt into the rubral area on the motor activity and on the firing of neurons recorded concomitantly in the red nucleus were investigated. Injections of serotonin (5-HT) (200-400 ng) into the red nucleus or its dorsal border induced subtle alterations in the conditioned motor performances but had no major effects on the spontaneous motor behavior. The changes in the conditioned motor output (an increase in the static force exerted on the lever and a speeding up of the lever release) are reminiscent of the facilitatory influence of serotonin on various motor reflexes previously reported. Changes in the neuronal activity were observed concomitantly with the effects on the motor output: 5-HT either enhanced or reduced the firing rate of the rubral neurons. These effects were apparently dependent on the discharge pattern of the neurons during the static motor activity. The results suggest that the serotonergic input to the red nucleus may participate in motor control by exerting a dual modulatory action on the activity of rubral neurons.

Animals↗

Microinjection of oxytocin into the dorsal vagal complex decreases pancreatic insulin secretion.

Microinjections of oxytocin and of an oxytocin antagonist into the dorsal vagal complex of the medulla oblongata were performed in order to study the possible role of the oxytocin containing axons that innervate this region in the regulation of pancreatic insulin secretion. No significant effect was produced by the intramedullary injection of the oxytocin vehicle alone or of 0.04 pM oxytocin. Injections of 4 and 20 pM oxytocin produced a reversible decrease of plasmatic insulin levels which fall to 59% of basal levels 15 min after the injection. Such an effect was abolished when 4 pM oxytocin was injected to animals which have been previously bilaterally vagotomized. In contrast to oxytocin, intramedullary injection of a specific antagonist of oxytocin to intact animals induced a marked increase of plasmatic insulin levels which raised 131% of basal levels 15 min after the injection. In animals receiving such an injection of oxytocin antagonist, a secondary injection of 4 pM oxytocin produced a slight but not significant decrease of plasmatic insulin levels. These data strongly suggest that the hypothalamic neurons producing oxytocin that densely project to the dorsal vagal complex may be involved in an inhibitory control of the vagal preganglionic neurons that innervate the pancreas.

Animals↗

Mesencephalic microinjections of neurotensin-(1-13) and its C-terminal fragment, neurotensin-(8-13), potentiate brain stimulation reward.

Using the curve shift method, we assessed the effects of ventromedial mesencephalic tegmental (VMT) microinjections of an equimolar concentration of neurotensin-(1-13) (NT-(1-13)) and of its C-terminal fragment, neurotensin-(8-13) (NT-(8-13)), on operant responding for rewarding electrical stimulation of the caudal mesencephalic central gray. The effects of NT-(1-13) and NT-(8-13) on brain stimulation reward (BSR) were also compared to those of systemically administered quinpirole (0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg, s.c.), a direct dopamine agonist, and GBR-12909 (10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.), a selective dopamine uptake blocker. At the concentration injected, NT-(8-13) was as effective as NT-(1-13) at facilitating BSR, producing significant leftward shifts of the function relating the rate of responding to the stimulation frequency (R/F function); neither form of the peptide was effective when injected in regions dorsal to the VMT. Similarly, GBR-12909 produced a parallel leftward shift of the R/F function, but, unlike NT-(1-13), also significantly increased the asymptotic rates of responding. In contrast, the high dose of quinpirole produced non-parallel leftward shifts of the R/F function and suppressed the asymptote. The similarity between the effects of neurotensin and GBR-12909 on one hand, and the differences between those of neurotensin and quinpirole on the other, suggest that activation VMT neurotensin receptors potentiate BSR by enhancing increases in dopamine neurotransmission that are contingent upon operant responding or rewarding brain stimulation, or both.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Ventral tegmental microinjection of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol enhances ventral tegmental somatodendritic dopamine levels but not forebrain dopamine levels: evidence for local neural action by marijuana's psychoactive ingredient.

Basal extracellular levels of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites in both ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (Acb) were simultaneously monitored by in vivo brain microdialysis in laboratory rats. Microinjection of 12 micrograms or 24 micrograms delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana and hashish, into the VTA produced a dose-dependent increase in somatodendritic DA levels in VTA but failed to produce any simultaneous change in extracellular DA in Acb. Direct delta 9-THC perfusion (5 x 10(-5) and 2 x 10(-4) M) into Acb via the microdialysis probes caused a significant increase in extracellular DA levels in Acb. These findings suggest that (1) delta 9-THC has a facilitating effect on somatodendritic DA efflux, and (2) the elevation of Acb DA levels seen in our previous studies with systemic administration of delta 9-THC may result from local actions of delta 9-THC at or near the DA terminal projections in Acb.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗

Microinjections of subpicomolar amounts of NPY(13-36) into the nucleus tractus solitarius of the rat counteract the vasodepressor responses of NPY(1-36) and of a NPY Y1 receptor agonist.

Microinjections of neuropeptide Y (NPY) (1-36) and of the NPY Y1 agonist [Leu31,Pro34]NPY into the caudal dorsomedial part of the nucleus tractus solitarius (Sol) in the anaesthetized rat led to the development of dose-related vasodepressor and bradycardic responses. The threshold dose of the NPY Y2 agonist NPY(13-36) (50 fmol) significantly counteracted the vasodepressor actions of a close to ED50 dose of NPY(1-36) (2.5 pmol) and of the NPY Y1 agonist (5 pmol). These results indicate that NPY Y1 receptor activation in the Sol leads to the development of a vasodepressor response, which can be counteracted by NPY Y2 receptor activation in the Sol. The results support the existence of a Y2/Y1 receptor-receptor interaction in the Sol, via which NPY Y2 receptors may reduce transduction over NPY Y1 receptors.

Animals↗

Inhibition of substantia nigra dopamine cell firing by R(-)-N-n-propylnorapomorphine: electrophysiological and autoradiographic studies after regional inactivation of dopamine receptors by microinjection of N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline.

The irreversible receptor inactivator, N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ), was injected into rat striatum or substantia nigra to study potential contributions of dopamine receptors in each area to the inhibition of substantia nigra (A9) dopamine cell firing by i.v. R(-)-N-n-propylnorapomorphine (NPA), a dopamine agonist. Extracellular, single unit recording studies showed that the numbers of active dopamine cells, basal firing rates and responses to i.v. R(-)-NPA were unchanged a day after striatal EEDQ injections, despite significant losses of striatal D1 and D2 receptors (confirmed by autoradiography). These results indicate that striatal receptors do not control the basal activity of A9 neurons, nor do they mediate inhibitions of firing by R(-)-NPA. Microinjections of EEDQ into substantia nigra, however, inactivated 75-78% of nigral D1 and D2 receptors and reduced the number of active dopamine cells and slightly increased firing rates. Moreover, dose-response curves to R(-)-NPA were shifted 10-fold to the right and the maximum inhibitory response was depressed. Furchgott analysis of the dose-response curves yielded a steep occupancy-response curve with maximum (> 95%) inhibition of firing at only 24% receptor occupation (i.e., 76% reserve). Thus, the substantial (approximately 70%) receptor reserve previously shown to exist for inhibition of dopamine cell firing by i.v. R(-)-NPA20,21 appears to be intrinsic to the nigra. To assess contributions of nigral D1 and D2 receptors to this response, selective inactivation of each receptor subtype was achieved (confirmed autoradiographically) by treating rats with SCH 23390 (4 mg/kg) or S(-)eticlopride (2 mg/kg), respectively, 30 min before intranigral EEDQ. Selective D2, but not D1, receptor inactivation produced rightward shifts and depressed the maximum of the R(-)-NPA dose-response curve in a manner like that observed after non-selective inactivation of nigral dopamine receptors. Unexpectedly, pretreatment with SCH 23390 (to protect D1 receptors) also produced a modest rightward shift in the R(-)-NPA dose-response curve, suggesting a slight role for D1 receptors in this response. These results indicate that inhibition of A9 dopamine cell firing by i.v. R(-)-NPA is mediated by dopamine receptors located in substantia nigra, but not striatum and confirm the predominant role of nigral D2 receptors.

Action Potentials↗

State dependency of the effects of microinjection of cholinergic drugs into the nucleus pontis oralis.

The microinjection of cholinergic drugs into the pontine reticular formation elicits active sleep-like states that are comprised of the principal physiological patterns of activity that characterize naturally-occurring active sleep, i.e., EEG desynchronization, PGO waves, rapid eye movements and atonia. We have reported that other behavioral states arise even when cholinergic drugs are injected into the exact same reticular location. The present study was conducted to explore the basis for the differences in the drug effect. A combination of acetylcholine and neostigmine was injected by microiontophoresis into the dorsal region of the nucleus pontis oralis in four chronic, unanesthetized cats. The states that were induced by cholinergic drug injection depended on the state of the animal at the time of the injection. When the animal was awake, cholinergic injections resulted in a waking-dissociated state, which was characterized by EEG desynchronization and muscle atonia in a cat that appeared to be awake and was able to track objects in its visual field. If the cat was in quiet sleep at the time of the injection, an active sleep-like state followed that was indistinguishable from naturally-occurring active sleep; on a few occasions following cholinergic injections during quiet sleep there was a quiet sleep-dissociated state, which was characterized by PGO waves and muscle atonia in the cat that by other indices appeared to be in quiet sleep. The results of this study indicate that the state of the animal at the time of drug injection is a critical variable that influences the responses which are induced by cholinergic stimulation of the pontine reticular formation.

Animals↗

Sympathetically-mediated cardiovascular responses induced by neurochemical microinjection in the brainstem lateral tegmental field of cat.

This study examines sympathetically-mediated cardiovascular responses arising from microinjections of AMPA and kynurenic acid in the medullary lateral tegmental field (LTF). The resulting behavior, which is predominantly inhibitory, is nearly identical to that reported for the para-ambiguual area lying just lateral to the LTF, and suggests that the two regions may share other cardiovascular control functions.

Animals↗

Galanin microinjected into the medial septum inhibits scopolamine-induced acetylcholine overflow in the rat ventral hippocampus.

Galanin-like immunoreactive terminals hyperinnervate the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons in Alzheimer's disease. To investigate the hypothesis that galanin acts directly on basal forebrain cell bodies, in vivo microdialysis studies were conducted in awake rats which analyzed the actions of galanin on acetylcholine release. Microinjection of galanin into the cholinergic cell body region of the medial septum-diagonal band (MS-DBB) inhibited acetylcholine release in the ventral hippocampus. These results are consistent with an interpretation that galanin terminals synapsing on cholinergic cell bodies of the basal forebrain may serve to inhibit the release of acetylcholine in the terminal fields of the cholinergic neurons.

Acetylcholine↗

Microinjection of NMDA antagonist into the NTS of conscious rats blocks the Bezold-Jarisch reflex.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether or not cardiovagal excitatory and sympatho-inhibitory pathways of the Bezold-Jarisch reflex at the NTS level were mediated by NMDA receptors. The Bezold-Jarisch reflex was activated by intravenous (i.v.) injection of serotonin in conscious rats before and after microinjection of phosphonovaleric acid (AP-5) a selective NMDA antagonist, into the NTS. The Bezold-Jarisch reflex was also activated before and after methyl-atropine (i.v.) in order to evaluate if the changes in mean arterial pressure were dependent on the bradycardic response. The data showed that AP-5 into the NTS produced a dose-dependent reduction in both bradycardic and hypotensive responses to activation of the Bezold-Jarisch reflex. Methyl-atropine also blocked the bradycardic and hypotensive responses to Bezold-Jarisch reflex activation. The data show that in conscious rats the cardiovagal component of the Bezold-Jarisch reflex plays a major role in the cardiovascular changes produced by the activation of this reflex and suggest that the neurotransmission of the cardiovagal component of the Bezold-Jarisch reflex is mediated by NMDA receptors.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗

Detection of inhibitors of protein and nucleic acid synthesis using oocytes of Xenopus laevis microinjected with the herpes thymidine kinase gene.

We have developed an assay that measures the inhibition of protein synthesis and can be used in conjunction with a whole embryo bioassay that detects the ability of a chemical to cause fetotoxicity, malformation and abnormal growth. The assay involves microinjecting the herpes thymidine kinase gene into stage 6 oocytes of Xenopus laevis then exposing the oocytes to a test compound for 18-24 h. The inhibition of thymidine kinase (TK) expression caused by an inhibitor is then measured by simple enzyme assay. Protein synthesis inhibitors such as cycloheximide, puromycin and emetine all inhibited TK synthesis. Concentrations of cycloheximide (1.4 X 10(-4) mg/ml) and puromycin (0.04 mg/ml) near the 96 h embryo LC50 inhibited thymidine kinase expression by 78% and 97%, respectively but emetine (0.01 mg/ml) had no effect. However, 0.1 mg/ml emetine inhibited TK synthesis by almost 50%. The RNA synthesis inhibitor, actinomycin D (0.013 mg/ml) inhibited TK expression by 61%. DNA synthesis inhibitors hydroxyurea (2.0 mg/ml), cytosine arabinoside (2.0 mg/ml) and ethidium bromide (0.02 mg/ml) failed to inhibit the expression of the TK gene even though these concentrations were near the 96 h embryo LC50. The whole embryo bioassay cannot differentiate the DNA synthesis inhibitors from the RNA and protein synthesis inhibitors but the oocyte assay can. This type of molecular test data can help separate classes of teratogens such as DNA synthesis inhibitors from nonteratogenic compounds such as protein synthesis inhibitors and allow the extrapolation of test data to other species.

Animals↗

Intracellular microinjection of alkaline buffers reversibly inhibits the initial phase of hormone action in meiosis reinitiation of starfish oocytes.

Intracellular microinjection of alkaline Hepes-KOH buffers, which increases intracellular pH (pHI) from 6.92 to 7.70 in fully grown prophase-blocked oocytes of the starfish Marthasterias glacialis, like external application of ammonia and other weak bases (M. Doree, K. Sano, and H. Kanatani, 1982, Dev. Biol. 90, 13-17), inhibited meiosis reinitiation induced by 1-methyladenine (1-MeAde) or dithiothreitol (DTT), a mimetic of the hormone. Oocytes could be released from inhibition by raising the concentration of hormone or of its mimetic. Increasing pHI to 7.70 neither inhibited nor delayed meiosis reinitiation when pH was clamped after the end of the hormone-dependent period, the period during which 1-MeAde is required in the external medium for meiosis to occur, whereas it blocked the action of the hormone at low concentration when performed before the end of the hormone-dependent period. When hormone concentration was higher, germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) occurred, but duration of the hormone-dependent period was increased. Delay introduced by alkalinization for oocytes to reach GVBD after 1-MeAde addition was smaller at high than at medium concentrations of the hormone. Increasing pHI did not inhibit action of MPF, the cytoplasmic maturation factor which induces GVBD and the subsequent process of meiotic maturation following hormonal treatment of prophase-blocked oocytes.

Adenine↗

Origin of the inner cell mass in mouse embryos: cell lineage analysis by microinjection.

The mouse inner cell mass is established by cells that are allocated to internal positions after the 8-cell stage. We analyzed the timing of this allocation by microinjecting two cell lineage markers, horseradish peroxidase and rhodamine-conjugated dextran, into mouse blastomeres at the 8- to 32-cell stage. Prospective analysis was performed by coinjection of peroxidase and dextran, followed by 12-22 hr of culture and staining for peroxidase activity; retrospective analysis was performed by injection of peroxidase alone and localization of sister cells without further culture. Both approaches indicated that cells are allocated to internal positions during the fourth and fifth cleavage divisions, but not the sixth cleavage division, of the mouse embryo. Thus, outer cells can have inner descendants until the late morula/early blastocyst (32-cell) stage, but cells remaining outside after the fifth cleavage division are restricted to a trophectoderm fate. This information about cell lineage indicates that the previously observed totipotency of the cleaving mammalian embryo's cells is a regulative attribute that is used in normal development.

Animals↗

Fate of the inner cell mass in mouse embryos as studied by microinjection of lineage tracers.

We microinjected horseradish peroxidase and rhodamine-conjugated dextran into single inner cell mass (ICM) cells of preimplantation mouse embryos to study their fate in culture. Simultaneous iontophoresis of both lineage markers allowed immediate localization of the injected cell by epifluorescence, followed by microdrop culture of individual embryos. After 24 hr in culture, labeled descendants were found in the polar trophectoderm, ICM, and parietal endoderm, providing direct evidence that the ICM contributes descendants to the trophectoderm and the endoderm in the intact mouse embryo. Our results substantiate the totipotency of the ICM during the expanding blastocyst stage and further demonstrate that the ICM is a stem cell population from which cells are recruited into these tissue lineages during growth of the blastocyst.

Animals↗

Microinjection of lectins, hyaluronidase, and hyaluronate fragments interferes with cleavage delay and mesoderm induction in embryos of Patella vulgata.

In embryos of Patella vulgata at the 32-cell stage, one of the four vegetally located macromeres makes contacts with overlying animal micromeres. As a result, this macromere (designated 3D) divides significantly later than the other macromeres and forms the mesodermal stem cell 4d. Shortly before and during this interaction two types of extracellular matrix are present: a basal lamina-like layer on the tips of the micromeres and a loose fibrillar meshwork in the blastocoel. In this paper we examine the role of the matrix in cleavage delay and mesoderm determination. The microinjection of extracellular matrix-binding lectins, or of hyaluronidase, or of decasaccharide fragments of hyaluronate into the blastocoel results in embryos in which either no or two macromeres are delayed in cleavage and are presumably determined as mesodermal stem cells. We suggest that the fibrillar meshwork is needed for macromere elongation toward the micromeres and that the basal lamina-like layer is involved in the determination process itself.

Animals↗