Systemic nitroglycerin increases nNOS levels in rat trigeminal nucleus caudalis.
Systemic administration of nitroglycerin, a nitric oxide donor, triggers in migraineurs a delayed attack of unknown mechanisms. Subcutaneous nitroglycerin (10 mg/kg) produced a significant increase of nitric oxide synthase (NOS)- and c-fos-immunoreactive neurons in the cervical part of trigeminal nucleus caudalis in rats after 4 h. This effect was not observed in the thoracic dorsal horn. Similar increase of NOS and c-fos was obtained in the brain stem after a somatic nociceptive stimulus, i.e. on the side of the formalin injection in the lip. Nitric oxide is thus able to increase NOS availability in second order nociceptive trigeminal neurons, which may be relevant for central sensitization and the understanding of its effect in migraine.
Pardutz
A
A
Department of Neurology, University of Szeged, Hungary.
Krizbai
I
I
Multon
S
S
Vecsei
L
L
Schoenen
J
J
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014275:Trigeminal Caudal Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D005996:Nitroglycerin