title: The ORL-1 (NOP1) receptor ligand nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) inhibits neurogenic dural vasodilatation in the rat.
abstract: The effects of the ORL-1 (NOP(1)) receptor ligand nociceptin (N/OFQ) and the nociceptin antagonists [Nphe(1)]N/OFQ-(1-13)-NH(2) (Nphe) and nocistatin (NST) on neurogenic dural vasodilatation (NDV) in the rat dura mater evoked by electrical stimulation of a closed cranial window were studied. The middle meningeal artery was visualised using intravital microscopy, and the vessel diameter analysed using a video dimension analyser. N/OFQ (1, 10, 100 nmol kg(-1); i.v., n=10) significantly and dose-dependently suppressed NDV maximally by 65% (P<0.01). Neither Nphe (100 nmol kg(-1); n=5) nor NST (100 nmol kg(-1); n=4) alone had an effect on NDV (P>0.05). Baseline vessel diameter was not significantly affected by application of N/OFQ, NST or Nphe. Application of the selective N/OFQ antagonist Nphe (10, 100 nmol kg(-1) i.v., n=8) dose-dependently and significantly (P<0.01) reversed the inhibition of NDV induced by application of N/OFQ (10 nmol kg(-1)). NST (10, 100 nmol kg(-1); n=7) failed to reverse the effects elicited by N/OFQ. Application of N/OFQ elicited a dose-dependent transient decrease in arterial blood pressure (P<0.01). Nphe dose-dependently reversed the cardiovascular effects induced by application of N/OFQ (10 nmol kg(-1)) (P<0.01),while NST did not alter the blood pressure reaction elicited by N/OFQ. The results show that N/OFQ inhibits NDV, an effect which is antagonised by Nphe, but not by NST. ORL-1 (NOP(1)) receptors located on trigeminal sensory fibres may be involved in the regulation of dural vessel diameter and hence may play a role in migraine pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: Headache Group, Institute of Neurology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bartsch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akerman
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Goadsby
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004106:Dilatation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D020875:Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)- / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; D000097629:Nociceptin
chemical_list: D020875:Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; D000097629:Nociceptin; C111148:nocistatin; C000722285:Oprl1 protein, rat