title: Nitric oxide synthesis inhibition attenuates behavioral actions of neuropeptide FF.
abstract: Neuropeptide FF (NPFF) has certain antiopiate actions and may play a role in opiate tolerance and dependence. Third ventricle injection of 10 micrograms NPFF induces a quasimorphine abstinence syndrome in opiate-naive rats. Nitric oxide synthesis may also contribute to opiate tolerance and dependence. The present study tests the hypothesis that NPFF acts through stimulation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Third ventricular injection of 10 micrograms NPFF precipitated an average of 46 abstinence-like signs during a 20-min observation. Pretreatment (30 min earlier) with 7.5 or 15 mg/kg s.c. of the NOS inhibitor nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) resulted in a significant and dose-dependent alleviation of NPFF-induced abstinence-like signs. The anti-NPFF activity of 15 mg/kg L-NNA was blocked by 750 mg/kg L-arginine, but not by the same amount of D-arginine, indicating that L-NNA attenuates NPFF activity through a stereospecific inhibition of NOS.
authors.affiliation: University of Houston-Clear Lake, TX 77058, USA.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Malin
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lake
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morel
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Corbit
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Claunch
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kacher
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D019335:Nitroarginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009842:Oligopeptides; D019335:Nitroarginine; D001120:Arginine; C053651:phenylalanyl-leucyl-phenylalanyl-glutaminyl-prolyl-glutaminyl-arginyl-phenylalaninamide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase