title: Opioid regulation of gonadotropin release: role of signal transduction cascade.
abstract: The present investigation elucidates the opioidergic modulation of gonadotropin releasing hormone release mechanism by signal transduction cascade in discrete brain regions from estrogen-progesterone primed ovariectomized rats. The effects of mu-opioid agonist morphine and its antagonist naloxone followed by morphine were studied (in two different groups of rats) on protein kinase A, adenosine 3',5' cyclic monophosphate, protein kinase C and calcium/calmodulin protein kinase-II as well as phospholipase C, phospholipase A(2), diacylglycerol and inositol 1,4, 5-triphosphate. Significant decline in phosphoinositide metabolism was observed after morphine treatment as depicted by decrease in phospholipase C and phospholipase A2 activities as well as inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate and diacylglycerol contents from discrete brain regions. Protein kinase A activity showed translocation from membrane bound to cytosolic form along with a decrease in its activator adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate levels in morphine-treated group. Calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II activity also declined, whereas, protein kinase C activity increased in the cytosolic fraction after 45 min of morphine administration. Naloxone was seen to counteract the changes induced by morphine in most of the brain regions studied. Morphine also suppressed luteinizing hormone levels, whereas, follicle stimulating hormone level did not change. The present investigation provides evidence for opioidergic mediated suppression of gonadotropin release through the downregulation of signal transduction cascade.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Neurochemistry and Neuroendocrinology Laboratory, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar Bhardwaj
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaur Sandhu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D004075:Diglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D008473:Median Eminence / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000378:metabolism; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu / Q000819:agonists; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004075:Diglycerides; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D009270:Naloxone; D009020:Morphine; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D010738:Type C Phospholipases