The Possible Role of Nitric Oxide signaling and NMDA Receptors in Allopurinol effect on Maximal Electroshock- and Pentylenetetrazol-Induced Seizures in Mice

Allopurinol, a uric-acid-lowering medication, has shown its efficacy in several studies suggesting that allopurinol can be prescribed as adjunctive cure meant for intractable epilepsy. The exact mechanism of allopurinol is still unknown. This study evaluates allopurinol's effect on seizure threshold, seizure incidence, and mortality rate in mice models. Moreover, the possible involvement of nitric oxide (NO) pathway and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are investigated. To evaluate the effect of allopurinol on seizure, we used the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizure along with maximal electroshock (MES)-induced seizure. To assess the underlying mechanism behind the allopurinol activity, we used nitric oxide synthase (NOS) substrate (L-arginine), NOS inhibitors (L-NAME, aminoguanidine, 7-nitroindazole), and NMDA receptor antagonist (MK-801). Intraperitoneal allopurinol administration at a dose of 50 mg/kg in mice showed a significant (p<0.001) anti-convulsant activity in the PTZ-induced seizure. Even though pre-treatment with L-Arginine (60 mg/kg) potentiates allopurinol's anti-convulsant effect in the PTZ-induced seizure, pre-treatment with L-NAME (10 mg/kg), aminoguanidine (100 mg/kg), and 7-nitroindazole (30 mg/kg) reversed the anti-convulsant effect of allopurinol in the PTZ-induced seizure. In addition, pre-treatment with MK-801 also decreased the anti-convulsant effect of allopurinol in the PTZ-induced seizure. While allopurinol at a dose of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg did not induce protection against seizure incidence in the MES-induced seizure, it revealed a remarkable effect in reducing the mortality rate in the MES-induced seizure. Allopurinol increases the seizure threshold in PTZ-induced seizure and enhances the survival rate in MES-induced seizure. Allopurinol exerts its anti-convulsant effect, possibly through targeting NO pathway and NMDA receptors.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidative Effects of Sumatriptan Against Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Rat

The clinical use of doxorubicin as a potent chemotherapeutic agent is limited due to its dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. Oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways have a pivotal role in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Sumatriptan, a 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1B/1D agonist that is mainly used to relieve migraine pain, has suggested exerting protective effects in numerous pathological conditions through antiinflammatory properties. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of sumatriptan on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and the contribution of anti-inflammation and antioxidative responses. Cardiotoxicity was induced by the administration of doxorubicin three times a week (2.5 mg/kg i.p) for two consecutive weeks on male rats. The animals were divided into four groups, including Control, Sumatriptan (0.1 mg/kg) received group, doxorubicin received group, and Doxorubicin+Sumatriptan (0.1 mg/kg) received group. Sumatriptan was administered 30 min before every injection of doxorubicin. On the last day of the second week, the body weight, mortality rate, electrocardiogram (ECG) and histopathological changes, cardiac inotropic study, and biochemical factors were evaluated. The loss of body weight, mortality rate, ECG parameters, reduction of papillary muscle contractility force as well as histopathological scores following administration of doxorubicin indicated severe cardiac damage. However, treatment with sumatriptan inhibited the functional and structural impairment induced by doxorubicin. In addition, sumatriptan could significantly reduce cardiac tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), which were increased in the doxorubicin-treated rats. This study illustrated the protective effects of sumatriptan on decreasing doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity and mortality rate in part through inhibition of inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways.

Anticonvulsant Effects of Thalidomide on Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Seizure in Mice: A Role for Opioidergic and Nitrergic Transmissions

Although accumulating evidence indicates that the immunomodulatory medication thalidomide exerts anticonvulsant properties, the mechanisms underlying such effects of thalidomide are still unknown. Our previous preclinical study suggested that nitric oxide (NO) signaling may be involved in the anticonvulsant effects of thalidomide in a mouse model of clonic seizure. Additionally, several studies have shown a modulatory interaction between thalidomide and opioids in opioids intolerance, nociception and neuropathic pain. However, it is unclear whether opioidergic transmission or its interaction with NO signaling is involved in the anticonvulsant effects of thalidomide. Given the fact that both opioidergic and nitrergic transmissions have bimodal modulatory effects on seizure thresholds, in the present study we explored the involvement of these signaling pathways in the possible anticonvulsant effects of thalidomide on the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced clonic seizure in mice. Our data showed that acute administration of thalidomide (5-50 mg/kg, i.p., 30 min prior PTZ injection) dose-dependently elevated PTZ-induced clonic seizure thresholds. Acute administration of low doses (0.5-3 mg/kg, i.p., 60 min prior PTZ) of morphine exerted anticonvulsant effects (P < 0.001), whereas higher doses (15-60 mg/kg, 60 min prior PTZ) had proconvulsant effects (P < 0.01). Acute administration of a non-effective anticonvulsant dose of morphine (0.25 mg/kg) prior non-effective dose of thalidomide (5 mg/kg) exerted a robust (P < 0.01) anticonvulsant effect. Administration of a non-effective proconvulsant dose of morphine (7.5 mg/kg) prior thalidomide (5 mg/kg) didn't affect clonic seizure thresholds. Acute administration of a non-effective dose of the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone (1 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly prevented anticonvulsant effects of thalidomide (10 mg/kg, i.p.). Pretreatment with non-effective dose of the NO precursor L-arginine (60 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly (P < 0.01) reduced the anticonvulsant effects of combined low doses of morphine (0.25 mg/kg) and thalidomide (5 mg/kg). Conversely, pretreatment with non-effective doses of either non-selective (L-NAME, 5 mg/kg, i.p.) or selective neuronal (7-nitroindazole, 30 mg/kg, i.p.) NO synthase (NOS) inhibitors significantly augmented the anticonvulsant effects of combined low doses of thalidomide and morphine, whereas the inducible NOS inhibitor aminoguanidine (100 mg/kg, i.p.) did not exert such effect. Our results indicate that opioidergic transmission and its interaction with neuronal NO signaling may contribute to the anti-seizure activity of thalidomide in the mice PTZ model of clonic seizure.

Modulatory effect of opioid ligands on status epilepticus and the role of nitric oxide pathway

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder that causes unprovoked, recurrent seizures. Status epilepticus (SE) is a medical emergency associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Morphine has been the cornerstone of pain controlling medicines for a long time. In addition to the analgesic and opioid responses, morphine has also revealed anticonvulsant effects in different epilepsy models including pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures threshold. Some authors suggest that nitric oxide (NO) pathway interactions of morphine explain the reason for its pro or anticonvulsant activities. To induce SE, injection of a single dose of lithium chloride (127 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.)) 20 h before pilocarpine (60 mg/kg, i.p.) was used. Administration of morphine (15 mg/kg, i.p.) inhibited the SE and decreased the mortality in rats when injected 30 min before pilocarpine. On the other hand, injection of L-N^G-nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, a nonselective NO synthase (NOS) blocker; 10 mg/kg, i.p.), 7-nitroindazole (7-NI, a neuronal NOS (nNOS) blocker; 30 mg/kg, i.p.), and aminoguanidine (AG, an inducible NOS (iNOS) blocker; 50 mg/kg, i.p.) 15 min before morphine, significantly reversed inhibitory effect of morphine on SE. Subsequently, measurement of nitrite metabolite levels in the hippocampus of SE-induced rats displayed high levels of nitrite metabolite for the control group. However, after injection of morphine in SE-induced rats, nitrite metabolite levels reduced. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that NO pathway (both nNOS and iNOS) interactions are involved in the anticonvulsant effects of morphine on the SE signs and mortality rate induced by lithium-pilocarpine in rats.

The Possible Role of Nitric Oxide Pathway in Pentylenetetrazole Preconditioning Against Seizure in Mice

Preconditioning is defined as an induction of adaptive response in organs against lethal stimulation provoked by subsequent mild sublethal stress. Several chemical agents have been demonstrated to cause brain tolerance through preconditioning. The aim of the present study is to test the hypothesis that preconditioning with pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) may have protective effect against seizure induced by i.v. infusion of PTZ. Mice were preconditioned by low-dose administration of PTZ (25 mg/kg) for 5 consecutive days, and the threshold of seizure elicited by i.v. infusion of PTZ was measured. To investigate the possible role of nitric oxide, NOS inhibitor enzymes, including L-NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) (10 mg/kg), aminoguanidine (AG) (50 mg/kg), 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) (15 mg/kg), and L-arginine (L-arg) (60 mg/kg), were administered concomitantly with PTZ in both acute and chronic phases. Determination of seizure threshold revealed significant enhancement after preconditioning with low dose of PTZ. While the protective effect of PTZ preconditioning was enhanced after the administration of L-arg, it was reversed following administration of L-NAME and 7NI, suggesting the involvement of nitric oxide pathway as an underlying mechanism of PTZ-induced preconditioning. Preconditioning with PTZ led to brain tolerance and adaptive response in animal model of PTZ-induced seizure. This effect is in part due to the involvement of nitric oxide pathway.

The expression, localization and function of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in rat corpus cavernosum

OBJECTIVES

Alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR), an emerging pharmacological target for a variety of medical conditions, is expressed in the most mammalian tissues with different effects. So, this study was designed to investigate the expression, localization and effect of α7-nAChR in rat corpus cavernosum (CC).

METHODS & KEY FINDINGS

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed that α7-nAChR was expressed in rat CC and double immunofluorescence studies demonstrated the presence of α7-nAChR in corporal neurons. The rat CC segments were mounted in organ bath chambers and contracted with phenylephrine (0.1 μm -300 μm) to investigate the relaxation effect of electrical field stimulation (EFS,10 Hz) assessed in the presence of guanethidine (adrenergic blocker, 5 μm) and atropine (muscarinic cholinergic blocker, 1 μm) to obtain non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) response. Cumulative administration of nicotine significantly potentiated the EFS-induced NANC relaxation (-log EC50 = 7.5 ± 0.057). Whereas, the potentiated NANC relaxation of nicotine was significantly inhibited with different concentrations of methyllycaconitine citrate (α7-nAChR antagonist, P < 0.05) in preincubated strips. L-NAME (non-specific nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, 1 μm) completely blocked the neurogenic relaxation induced by EFS plus nicotine.

CONCLUSION

To conclude α7-nAChR is expressed in rat CC and modulates the neurogenic relaxation response to nicotine.