title: Substance P and NMDA receptors mediate a slow nociceptive ventral root potential in neonatal rat spinal cord.
abstract: Substance P and glutamate actions have separately been implicated in the generation of nociceptive-related slow ventral root potentials (slow VRPs). We report that slow VRPs are dependent on both substance P and NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission. Slow VRPs of 10-40 s duration were evoked by electrically stimulating a lumbar dorsal root and recorded at the corresponding ipsilateral ventral root in spinal cords isolated from 1- to 5-day-old rats; the monosynaptic reflex was also recorded. The NMDA receptor antagonist APV (5-20 microM) and the substance P antagonist spantide (10-20 microM) both reversibly depressed the slow VRP without affecting the monosynaptic reflex; spantide and APV applied together nearly abolished the slow VRP. The quisqualate-kainate receptor antagonist CNQX (1-5 microM) reduced the monosynaptic reflex and an early component of the slow VRP. A slow VRP could be elicited by brief (0.1-1.0 s) focal applications of either substance P (2-20 microM) or NMDA (10 microM), and also by CGRP (2-20 microM). Substance P-evoked and NMDA-evoked responses were blocked by their respective antagonists spantide and APV. Each was also cross-sensitive to the other antagonist. Both excitatory amino acids, acting on an NMDA receptor, and substance P, acting on a tachykinin receptor, thus appear to be involved in generating this slow potential. Both NMDA and tachykinin receptors are necessary to generate a full response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305-5123.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Woodley
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kendig
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012023:Reflex, Monosynaptic / Q000187:drug effects; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013373:Substance P / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D011810:Quinoxalines; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D013373:Substance P; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D007608:Kainic Acid