Spinal dynorphin involvement in the analgesia of pregnancy: effects of intrathecal dynorphin antisera.
In both rats and humans there is an analgesia associated with pregnancy. This analgesia is spinally mediated and involves the kappa type of opiate receptor. The current study demonstrates that intrathecal administration of high affinity dynorphin antibodies produces a significant reduction in jump thresholds during pregnancy (day 20). The administration of pre-adsorbed antisera fails to produce this effect. These results support the hypothesis that a spinal dynorphin/kappa opiate receptor system is activated during gestation.
Sander
H W
HW
Department of Biochemistry, State University of New York, Brooklyn 11203.
Kream
R M
RM
Gintzler
A R
AR
D000698:Analgesia; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D004399:Dynorphins / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D000906:Antibodies; D004399:Dynorphins