Localization of COX-1 and COX-2 in the intracranial dura mater of the rat.
Primary headaches such as migraine can be aborted by systemic administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), potentially through the non-selective inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) activity in the intracranial meninges. In this study we have used single and double labeling immunohistochemistry to examine the distribution of the COX-1 and COX-2 isoforms in the intracranial dura mater of the rat and identify cell types that express them. COX-1 immunoreactivity was found in medium and small dural blood vessels and was co-expressed with the endothelial cell markers vimentin and the endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS). COX-1 was also found to be present in most dural mast cells. COX-2 was mainly expressed in ED2-positive resident dural macrophages. Constitutive COX-2 expression was also found in some axonal profiles, many of which were co-labeled with the nociceptor peptide marker CGRP. The findings suggest that NSAIDs may abort headache, at least in part, by inhibiting either neuronal or non-neuronal COX activity in the dura mater.
Zhang
Xi-Chun
XC
Department of Anesthesia, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States.
Kainz
Vanessa
V
Jakubowski
Moshe
M
Burstein
Rami
R
Strassman
Andrew
A
Levy
Dan
D
D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D053331:Ectodysplasins / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D010841:Pia Mater / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
D053331:Ectodysplasins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D014746:Vimentin; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496513:Ptgs1 protein, rat; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide