title: Depressor and bradycardic responses to microinjections of endomorphin-2 into the NTS are mediated via ionotropic glutamate receptors.
abstract: The presence of endomorphin-like immunoreactivity has been reported in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). It was hypothesized that endomorphins may play a role in cardiovascular regulation in the medial subnucleus of the NTS (mNTS). Endomorphin-2 (E-2, 0.1-4 mmol/l) was microinjected (100 nl) into the mNTS of urethane-anesthetized, artificially ventilated, adult male Wistar rats. E-2 (0.2 mmol/l) elicited decreases in mean arterial pressure (40 +/- 3.5 mmHg) and heart rate (50 +/- 7.0 beats/min). These responses were blocked by prior microinjections of naloxonazine (1 mmol/l) into the mNTS. Responses to microinjections of E-2 into the mNTS were abolished by prior combined microinjections of d-2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid (an NMDA receptor antagonist, 5 mmol/l) and 2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo[f]quinoxaline-7-sulfonamide disodium (a non-NMDA receptor antagonist, 2 mmol/l) into the mNTS. These results were confirmed by extracellular neuronal recordings. Blockade of GABA receptors in the mNTS by prior combined microinjections of gabazine (a GABA(A) receptor antagonist, 2 mmol/l) and 2-hydroxysaclofen (a GABA(B) receptor antagonist, 100 mmol/l) also blocked the responses to E-2. It was concluded that 1) the depressor and bradycardic responses to microinjections of E-2 into the mNTS are mediated via micro(1)-opioid receptors as well as ionotropic glutamate receptors, 2) GABAergic neurons in the mNTS, which may inhibit the release of glutamate from nerve terminals, are inhibited by E-2 via micro(1)-opioid receptors, and 3) disinhibition caused by the inhibition of GABAergic neurons by E-2 may result in an increase in the glutamate release from nerve terminals, which, in turn, may elicit depressor and bradycardic responses.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Neurological Surgery, MSB H-586, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Ave., Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kasamatsu
authors.forename: Vineet C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Chitravanshi
authors.forename: Hreday N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Sapru
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009270:Naloxone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018079:Receptors, GABA / Q000187:drug effects; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D017552:Solitary Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009842:Oligopeptides; D018079:Receptors, GABA; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D009270:Naloxone; C105294:endomorphin 2; C034643:naloxonazine