Induction of NADPH-diaphorase activity in the rat periaqueductal gray matter after nociceptive visceral stimulation.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a neuronal messenger that it is thought to be involved in the nociceptive transmission modulation. The activity of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) was shown to be identical to NOS activity in the brain. Since the periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) plays an important role in pain perception and antinociception this study was carried out to monitor the expression of NADPH-d in PAG after nociceptive visceral stimulation. Our data showed that the noxious visceral stimulation significantly increased NADPH-d positive neurons and that these neurons were localized in the ventrolateral areas of the PAG. These findings suggest that NO in the PAG may play a role in pain modulation and antinociception.
Rodella
L
L
Dept. of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, Division of Human Anatomy, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Rezzani
R
R
Agostini
C
C
Bianchi
R
R
D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010487:Periaqueductal Gray / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage
D012965:Sodium Chloride; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase; D019342:Acetic Acid