title: Relationship of pronociceptin/orphanin FQ and the nociceptin receptor ORL1 with substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide expression in dorsal root ganglion of the rat.
abstract: Recent evidence suggests a role of prepronociceptin/orphanin FQ (preproN/OFQ) derived neuropeptides in nociceptive signaling. Here, we examined the expression of preproN/OFQ and the nociceptin receptor ORL1 (opioid receptor like receptor 1) in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of the rat in relation to that of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Double labeling in situ hybridization revealed a constitutive expression of preproN/OFQ in a distinct minor subpopulation of very small DRG neurons with no evidence for coexpression with either SP or CGRP. However, a major subpopulation of the preproN/OFQ-positive neurons showed direct juxtaposition to SP and CGRP containing neurons. ORL1 was abundantly expressed with a high degree of coexpression with SP (72%) and CGRP (82%) suggesting that N/OFQ may presynaptically modulate primary sensory nociceptive signaling. The DRG cell line F11 was found to express preproN/OFQ, but not ORL1, and, therefore, is well suited to study the mechanisms of N/OFQ gene regulation in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Philipps University, 35033 Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mika
authors.forename: Yanzhang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weihe
authors.forename: Martin K-H
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Schafer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D013373:Substance P / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor
chemical_list: D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D013373:Substance P; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; C119224:pronociceptin; C000722285:Oprl1 protein, rat