An investigation of binding sites for paracetamol in the mouse brain and spinal cord.
Quantitative autoradiography has been used to assess whether [3H]paracetamol (3 microM) binds specifically to any area of the murine brain and spinal cord and to investigate whether paracetamol (1-100 microM) competes for binding to the nociceptin opioid peptide (NOP) receptor or to the nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBTI)-sensitive adenosine transporter in the brains of mice. [3H]paracetamol binding was homogenous and, although there was some indication of specific binding overall, this binding in most individual regions failed to reach statistical significance. However, thoracic segments of the spinal cord were found to have significantly higher specific binding than cervical and lumbar regions. Paracetamol did not significantly compete for binding to the NOP receptor or to the NBTI-sensitive adenosine transporter, showing that it does not mediate its effect via these sites. Although paracetamol did bind specifically to the murine brain and spinal cord, the binding was not region-specific, suggesting binding is not related to any particular neurotransmitter system.
Godfrey
Lisa
L
Pharmacology Group, School of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK.
Morselli
Amanda
A
Bennion
Peter
P
Clarke
Geoffrey D
GD
Hourani
Susanna M O
SM
Kitchen
Ian
I
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography / Q000379:methods; D001665:Binding Sites; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D033703:Nucleoside Transport Proteins; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*; D013868:Thioinosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014316:Tritium; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; D000097629:Nociceptin
D000082:Acetaminophen; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D033703:Nucleoside Transport Proteins; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D013868:Thioinosine; D014316:Tritium; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; D000097629:Nociceptin; C444719:adenosine transporter; C001789:4-nitrobenzylthioinosine; C000722287:Oprl1 protein, mouse