Naloxone blocks the interferon-alpha induced changes in hypothalamic neuronal activity.
The effects of recombinant human interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) and naloxone (NLX) were studied on the single neuron activities of the preoptic and anterior hypothalamus (PO/AH) and the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) in tissue slices. Perfusion of IFN-alpha in physiological doses (10-5000 units/ml) decreased and increased the firing rate of the majority of PO/AH and VMH neurons respectively. The IFN-alpha-induced changes in firing rate of PO/AH and VMH neurons were reversibly blocked or attenuated by simultaneous application of NLX. The results suggest that IFN-alpha may exert its action through opiate receptors in the hypothalamus.
Nakashima
T
T
Department of Physiology, Saga Medical College, Japan.
Hori
T
T
Kuriyama
K
K
Kiyohara
T
T
D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D007032:Hypothalamus, Anterior / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D014697:Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
D007370:Interferon Type I; D009270:Naloxone