Abstract
Recent work in our laboratory has demonstrated that the transplantation of adrenal medullary tissue into the spinal cord subarachnoid space can reduce pain sensitivity, particularly following nicotinic stimulation. This analgesia most likely results from the release of opioid peptides from the implanted chromaffin cells since it is blocked by the opiate antagonist naloxone. The purpose of the present study was to more directly measure opioid peptide release from adrenal medullary implants in the spinal cord using spinal cord superfusions. Basal levels of Met-enkephalin-like immunoreactivity (MELI) in spinal cord superfusates of animals with adrenal medullary implants was twice that in animals with control implants. The injection of nicotine further increased MELI release in adrenal medullary, but not control implanted animals. Both the basal MELI levels and the MELI levels following nicotine were correlated with reduced pain sensitivity in animals with adrenal medullary implants. Morphological studies revealed good long-term survival of grafted chromaffin cells. Results of this study suggest that it is possible to increase opioid peptide levels and concomitantly decrease pain sensitivity by the transplantation of adrenal medullary tissue into the spinal cord subarachnoid space.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-10 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Brain Research |
| Volume | 502 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 13 1989 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Adrenal medulla
- Analgesia
- Chromaffin cell
- Neural graft
- Neural implants
- Nociception
- Opioid peptide
- Spinal cord
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Clinical Neurology
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
Increased levels of Met-enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in the spinal cord CSF of rats with adrenal medullary transplants. / Sagen, Jacqueline; Kemmler, James E.
In: Brain Research, Vol. 502, No. 1, 13.11.1989, p. 1-10.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Increased levels of Met-enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in the spinal cord CSF of rats with adrenal medullary transplants
AU - Sagen, Jacqueline
AU - Kemmler, James E.
PY - 1989/11/13
Y1 - 1989/11/13
N2 - Recent work in our laboratory has demonstrated that the transplantation of adrenal medullary tissue into the spinal cord subarachnoid space can reduce pain sensitivity, particularly following nicotinic stimulation. This analgesia most likely results from the release of opioid peptides from the implanted chromaffin cells since it is blocked by the opiate antagonist naloxone. The purpose of the present study was to more directly measure opioid peptide release from adrenal medullary implants in the spinal cord using spinal cord superfusions. Basal levels of Met-enkephalin-like immunoreactivity (MELI) in spinal cord superfusates of animals with adrenal medullary implants was twice that in animals with control implants. The injection of nicotine further increased MELI release in adrenal medullary, but not control implanted animals. Both the basal MELI levels and the MELI levels following nicotine were correlated with reduced pain sensitivity in animals with adrenal medullary implants. Morphological studies revealed good long-term survival of grafted chromaffin cells. Results of this study suggest that it is possible to increase opioid peptide levels and concomitantly decrease pain sensitivity by the transplantation of adrenal medullary tissue into the spinal cord subarachnoid space.
AB - Recent work in our laboratory has demonstrated that the transplantation of adrenal medullary tissue into the spinal cord subarachnoid space can reduce pain sensitivity, particularly following nicotinic stimulation. This analgesia most likely results from the release of opioid peptides from the implanted chromaffin cells since it is blocked by the opiate antagonist naloxone. The purpose of the present study was to more directly measure opioid peptide release from adrenal medullary implants in the spinal cord using spinal cord superfusions. Basal levels of Met-enkephalin-like immunoreactivity (MELI) in spinal cord superfusates of animals with adrenal medullary implants was twice that in animals with control implants. The injection of nicotine further increased MELI release in adrenal medullary, but not control implanted animals. Both the basal MELI levels and the MELI levels following nicotine were correlated with reduced pain sensitivity in animals with adrenal medullary implants. Morphological studies revealed good long-term survival of grafted chromaffin cells. Results of this study suggest that it is possible to increase opioid peptide levels and concomitantly decrease pain sensitivity by the transplantation of adrenal medullary tissue into the spinal cord subarachnoid space.
KW - Adrenal medulla
KW - Analgesia
KW - Chromaffin cell
KW - Neural graft
KW - Neural implants
KW - Nociception
KW - Opioid peptide
KW - Spinal cord
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0024469243&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0024469243&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0006-8993(89)90455-1
DO - 10.1016/0006-8993(89)90455-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 2819448
AN - SCOPUS:0024469243
VL - 502
SP - 1
EP - 10
JO - Brain Research
JF - Brain Research
SN - 0006-8993
IS - 1
ER -