Involvement of periaqueductal gray area NMDA receptors in endothelin-induced behavioural effects.
We investigated the behavioural effects induced by endothelin-1 injected into the lateral-caudal periaqueductal gray matter of freely moving rats. Endothelin-1 induced a dose-dependent longitudinal rolling of the body (barrel rolling) which was prevented by D,L-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (2-APV), an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, but not by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), a non-NMDA receptor antagonist. This effect, not reproducible with NMDA alone, indicates that the activation of the NMDA receptors in the periaqueductal gray area may be a necessary, but not sufficient, step for the triggering of endothelin-1-induced barrel-rolling behaviour.
Maione
S
S
Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, II University of Naples, Italy.
D'Amico
M
M
Berrino
L
L
Filippelli
A
A
Leyva
J
J
Rossi
F
F
D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016232:Endothelins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010487:Periaqueductal Gray / Q000187:drug effects*; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*
D016232:Endothelins; D011810:Quinoxalines; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate