title: Production of hyperalgesic prostaglandins by sympathetic postganglionic neurons.
abstract: Prostaglandin E2 and prostacyclin (prostaglandin I2) produce hyperalgesia in animals and humans. Because there is evidence that prostaglandins contribute to pain maintained by sympathetic nervous system activity, we evaluated whether sympathetic postganglionic neurons synthesize these hyperalgesic prostaglandins, and whether production of prostaglandins by these neurons can contribute to sensitization of primary afferent nociceptors. Intradermal injection of arachidonic acid but not linoleic acid, in the rat hindpaw, produces a decrease in mechanical nociceptive threshold. This hyperalgesic effect is prevented by indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis or by prior surgical removal of the lumbar sympathetic chain. To test the hypothesis that sympathetic postganglionic neurons are the source of prostaglandins, we measured production of prostaglandin E2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (the stable metabolite of prostacyclin) by homogenates of adult rat sympathetic postganglionic neurons from superior cervical ganglia. These homogenates produced significant amounts of prostaglandin E2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, and most of this production is eliminated by neonatal administration of 6-hydroxydopamine which selectively destroys sympathetic postganglionic neurons. These results demonstrate that sympathetic postganglionic neurons produce prostaglandins, and supports further the hypothesis that the release of prostaglandins from sympathetic postganglionic neurons contributes to the hyperalgesia associated with sympathetically maintained pain.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gonzales
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Goldyne
authors.forename: Y O
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Taiwo
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Levine
mesh_terms: D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006892:Hydroxydopamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000378:metabolism*; D006941:Hyperesthesia / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000187:drug effects*; D016627:Oxidopamine; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D011453:Prostaglandins; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha; D016627:Oxidopamine; D015232:Dinoprostone