Kappa opioid binding sites in the dog cerebral cortex and spinal cord

Interleukin-1 beta induces long-term increase of axonally transported opiate receptors and substance P

Interleukin-1 is known to exert pleiotropic effects in host defence mechanisms and in inflammation. Chronic pain, inflammation and interleukin-1 beta enhance the production of substance P. Recently, axonal transport of opiate receptors was found to increase in rat sciatic nerves in the model of Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis. Here we show that a single intraplantar injection of interleukin-1 beta is able to enhance the axonal transport of mu and kappa opiate receptors and substance P. Indeed, their accumulation was markedly increased in the proximal part of ligated sciatic nerves, but only in the paw injected with interleukin-1. The time course revealed a delayed onset and, more importantly, a long-term increase lasting at least six days, which is in contrast with the short-term pyrogenic effect of interleukin-1. Pretreatment of rats with capsaicin or administration of dexamethasone completely prevented the interleukin-1 beta effect. The present results suggest that interleukin-1 beta may serve as a mediator to sensitize nociceptors in chronic inflammation and possibly in hyperalgesia through long-term changes in neuronal plasticity.

IL-1 beta-like Freund's adjuvant enhances axonal transport of opiate receptors in sensory neurons

Chronic pain and inflammation increase substance P in sensory fibres of peripheral nerves in which opiate receptors are known to undergo axonal transport. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a possible modulation of axonal transport of opiate receptors in peripheral nerves during inflammation. After intraplantar injection of Freund's adjuvant to rats, the accumulation of mu and kappa opiate receptors increased on both sides of ligature in sciatic nerves of the injected paw. The contralateral side was unaffected and may serve as control. When IL-1 beta was injected into rat paws, the axonal transport of opiate receptors was increased in a similar way. This suggests that IL-1 beta represents a major mediator to sensitize nociceptors during inflammation through a process requiring retrograde signals.

kappa-1 Opioid receptors of the temporal cortex are preserved in Alzheimer's disease

The binding of [3H]-U-69593 and [3H]-CI-977 to kappa-1 opioid receptors has been examined in the temporal cortex of postmortem brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease and age-matched controls using quantitative autoradiography. There was no significant difference between Alzheimer and control subjects in the level of [3H]-U-69593 and [3H]-CI-977 binding, but ChAT activity was markedly reduced (by 73% compared to controls). These results are not consistent with a presynaptic localisation of kappa-1 receptors on cholinergic terminals in human temporal cortex.

Differential alterations in adenosine A1 and kappa 1 opioid receptors in the striatum in Alzheimer's disease

The alterations in Alzheimer's disease (AD) of two binding sites in the striatum suggested to have a presynaptic localisation have been investigated by quantitative ligand binding autoradiography. Adenosine A1 binding sites labelled with [3H]cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) and kappa 1 opioid binding sites labelled with [3H]U-69593 were studied in adjacent sections of the striatum obtained postmortem from 10 patients with AD and 9 matched controls. In AD, there was a significant reduction of [3H]CHA binding sites in the caudate nucleus (control = 88 +/- 4; AD = 56 +/- 6 pmol/g tissue; mean +/- S.E.M.) and putamen (control = 83 +/- 4; AD = 58 +/- 7 pmol/g). In control subjects, highest levels of [3H]U-69593 binding were localised to patches within the caudate nucleus (9.66 +/- 0.58 pmol/g) with lower levels in the matrix (5.54 +/- 0.48 pmol/g). There was no alteration in [3H]U-69593 binding sites in either the caudate nucleus (patches and matrix) or putamen of AD patients. The activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), determined in the same tissue samples used for autoradiographic analysis, was significantly reduced in AD (control = 124 +/- 11; AD = 64 +/- 14 nmol/h/mg protein). There was a positive correlation between ChAT activity and [3H]CHA binding (r = 0.769), but not [3H]U-69593 binding (r = 0.197). The results indicate that a marked loss of adenosine A1 receptors occurs in the striatum of AD with no loss of kappa 1 opioid receptors, and that the loss of A1 receptors parallels the loss of choline acetyltransferase activity.