Levels of neuropeptides nocistatin, nociceptin/orphanin FQ and their precursor protein in a rat neuropathic pain model

• Published in: Peptides (New York, N.Y. : 1980) Vol. 28; no. 7; pp. 1433 - 1440
• Main Authors: Joseph, Tessy, Lee, Tat-Leang, Li, Chunmei, Siau, Chiang, Nishiuchi, Yuji, Kimura, Terutoshi, Tachibana, Shinro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-07-2007; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - metabolism; Cranial nerves. Spinal roots. Peripheral nerves. Autonomic nervous system. Gustation. Olfaction; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hyperalgesia - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Models, Animal; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Neuropathic pain; Nociceptin; Nociceptin/orphanin FQ; Nocistatin; Opioid Peptides - blood; Opioid Peptides - cerebrospinal fluid; Opioid Peptides - metabolism; Pain - metabolism; Pain Measurement; Prepronociceptin; Protein Precursors - blood; Protein Precursors - cerebrospinal fluid; Protein Precursors - metabolism; Radioimmunoassay; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Opioid - blood; Receptors, Opioid - metabolism; Sciatic Nerve - metabolism; Sciatic Nerve - surgery; Spinal Cord - metabolism; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Prepronociceptin; Nociceptin/orphanin FQ; Nocistatin; Radioimmunoassay; Neuropathic pain; Nervous system diseases; Rat; Rodentia; Neuropeptide; Protein; Nociceptin; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Pain; Animal; Models; Neuralgia; Neurological disorder
• ISSN: 0196-9781; 1873-5169
• DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2007.05.009

Neuropeptides nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) and nocistatin (NST) are related to pain modulation. The amounts of these peptides and their precursor protein, prepronociceptin (ppN/OFQ) in the brain, spinal cord and serum samples of rats with partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSNL) were compared with those in naïve rats using radioimmunoassay (RIA). There was a significant rise in the levels of ppN/OFQ, N/OFQ and NST in the brains of PSNL rats. Their spinal cords showed significantly increased ppN/OFQ and NST levels but no change in N/OFQ levels. The PSNL rats also had increased serum NST (statistically significant) and N/OFQ (statistically insignificant) with decreased ppN/OFQ suggesting important roles of these peptides in neuropathic pain mechanism.