title: Pain is a salient "stressor" that is mediated by corticotropin-releasing factor-1 receptors.
abstract: Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) plays a major role in controlling the body's response to stress. Because painful conditions are inherently stressful, we hypothesize that CRF may act via CRF-1 receptors to contribute to the pain experience. Studies were designed to investigate whether blocking CRF-1 receptors with selective antagonists or reducing their expression with CRF-Saporin, would attenuate ulcer, inflammatory- and neuropathic-like pain. Five experimental designs were undertaken. In experiment 1, ulcer pain was induced in mice following oral administration of indomethacin, while in experiments 2 and 3, inflammatory pain was induced in rats with either carrageenan or FCA, respectively. For these studies, animals were dosed with CP-154,526 (3, 10, 30 mg/kg) and NBI 27914 (1-30 mg/kg) 1 h prior to the assessment of tactile, thermal or mechanical hypersensitivity, respectively. In experiment 4, neuropathic pain was induced. Twenty-one days following spinal nerve ligation (SNL), animals received CRF-Saporin or control. Three weeks later tactile allodynia was assessed. Similarly, in experiment 5, a separate set of rats received CRF-Saporin or control. Twenty-one days later, mechanical hyperalgesia was assessed following intraplantar carrageenan. Results from the antagonist studies showed that CP-154,526 and NBI 27914 either fully or partially reversed the referred ulcer pain with minimal effective doses (MED) equal to 3 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. Similarly, both NBI 27914 and CP-154,526 reversed the thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity elicited by carrageenan and FCA with MEDs </= 5 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. Findings from the two CRF-Saporin studies determined that pre-treatment with this toxin significantly attenuated SNL- and carrageenan-induced tactile hypersensitivity. Together, these findings suggest that CRF-1 receptors mediate pain and implicate CRF in this regard.
authors.affiliation: Pfizer Global Research and Development, Princeton, NJ 08543, USA. Michele_Hummel@msn.com
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hummel
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cummons
authors.forename: Peimin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Lilly
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mark
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Garth T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Whiteside
mesh_terms: D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002351:Carrageenan; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000188:drug therapy; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C471210:2-methyl-4-(N-propyl-N-cycloproanemethylamino)-5-chloro-6-(2,4,6-trichloranilino)pyrimidine; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; C101628:CP 154526; D011743:Pyrimidines; D011758:Pyrroles; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D002351:Carrageenan; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007213:Indomethacin