title: Contribution of adrenal hormones to nicotine-induced inhibition of synovial plasma extravasation in the rat.
abstract: 1. In this study, we examined the mechanism(s) by which s.c. nicotine inhibits synovial plasma extravasation. We found that nicotine dose-dependently inhibited bradykinin (BK)- and platelet activating factor (PAF)-induced plasma extravasation. 2. The effect of nicotine on both BK- and PAF-induced plasma extravasation was attenuated by adrenal medullectomy. ICI-118,551 (a selective beta 2-adrenoceptor blocker) (30 micrograms ml-1, intra-articularly) significantly attenuated the inhibitory action of high-dose (1 mg kg-1) nicotine on BK-induced plasma extravasation without affecting the inhibition by low- (0.01 microgram kg-1) dose nicotine or that on PAF-induced plasma extravasation by nicotine at any dose. This suggested that beta 2-adrenoceptors mediate the inhibitory actions of high-dose, but not low-dose, nicotine. We also found that systemic naloxone (an opioid receptor antagonist) (two hourly injections of 1 mg kg-1, i.p.) attenuated the inhibitory action produced by all doses of nicotine on BK- or PAF-induced plasma extravasation, suggesting the contribution of endogenous opioids. 3. RU-38,486 (a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist) (30 mg kg-1, s.c.), and metyrapone (a glucocorticoid synthesis inhibitor) (two hourly injections of 100 mg kg-1, i.p.) both attenuated the action of high-dose nicotine without affecting that of low-dose nicotine. 4. Spinal mecamylamine (a nicotinic receptor antagonist) (0.025 mg kg-1, intrathecally, i.t.) attenuated the action of high-dose, but not low-dose, nicotine, suggesting that part of the action of high-dose nicotine is mediated by spinal nicotinic receptors. 5. Combined treatment with ICI-118,551, naloxone and RU-38,486 attenuated the action of low-dose nicotine by an amount similar to that produced by naloxone alone but produced significantly greater attenuation of the effect of high-dose nicotine when compared to the action of any of the three antagonists alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine 94143-0452, USA.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Benowitz
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Levine
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001920:Bradykinin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008464:Mecamylamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D010972:Platelet Activating Factor; D011412:Propanolamines; D015735:Mifepristone; D009270:Naloxone; C026777:ICI 118551; D008464:Mecamylamine; D009538:Nicotine; D001920:Bradykinin