• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.237-244
• /
• 1993

The effect of nicotine on the secretion of $[Met^{5}]-enkephalin$ (ME) in addition to proenkephalin A (proENK) mRNA levels and effects of indomethacin, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), and captopril on nicotine-induced responses were studied in bovine adrenal medullary chromaffrin (BAMC) cells. Long-term exposure of BAMC cells to nicotine at a concentration of $10{\mu}M$ significantly increased proENK mRNA level and the secretion of ME into the medium. Treatment of BAMC cells with NDGA (a lipoxygenase inhibitor, $10{\mu}M$), indomethacin (a cycloooxygenase inhibitor) or captopril (an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor) alone did not affect ME secretion and proENK mRNA levels. The pretreatment of BAMC cells with NDGA inhibited the increased ME secretion and proENK mRNA level induced by nicotine. However, indomethacin and captopril did not affect nicotine-induced responses. Our results indicate that neuronal regulations of ME secretion and proENK mRNA level induced by nicotine in BAMC cells are in part mediated by a lipoxygenase-but not cyclooxygenase-and endogenous renin-angiotensin pathway.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.165-178
• /
• 1988

In this study, the effect of single or repeated (daily for 7 or 14 days) electroconvulsive shock (ECS) on central and peripheral opiate system and modification of the actions of ECS by several psychoactive drugs were investigated in the rat. Repeated ECS caused increase of Met-enkephalin content and decrease of Bmax of specific $[^3H]$imorphine binding in the rat brain. These effects were persisted more than 7 days after the last ECS, but single ECS failed to show these effects. However, ${\beta}-endorphin$ content was decreased in midbrain preparation and increased in plasma by repeated or single ECS. These phenomenon was seen shortly after the last ECS. After ECS-induced seizure was prevented by phenobarbital, ECS-induced increase in Met-enkephalin content was significantly attenuated. Imipramine or pargyline did not affect the action of repeated ECS. On the other hand, reserpine, chlorpromazine or haloperidol which were classified as neuroleptic antipsychotics, augmented the ECS-induced changes of central and peripheral opiate parameters. Furthermore, in groups received repeated ECS, changes of Bmax of specific $[^3H]-morphine binding$ binding was inversely correlated with changes of Met-enkephalin contents, but not with changes of ${\beta}-endorphin$ contents. From these results, it is inferred that the central or peripheral opioidergic system may be involved in the therapeutic and/or adverse effects of ECS which also can be influenced by some psychoactive drugs.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.195-206
• /
• 1993

The expression of proenkephalin (proENK) mRNA and Met-enkephalin (ME) secretion in C6 rat glioma cells and bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin (BAMC) cells were elucidated in the present study. The levels of proENK mRNA and ME secreted into the media in BAMC cells were measured in the presence of cycloheximide and 12-tetrade-canoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Cycloheximide (20 nM) abolished the induction of proENK mRNA expression, protein synthesis and ME secretion by TPA (1nM), indicating that de novo protein synthesis was necessary for proENK gene expression and ME secretion.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 1994

In order to study systemic peptide delivery through the ocular route, the stabilities of methionine enkephalin (Met-Enk) and $[D-ala^2]-methionine$ enkephalinamide (YAGFM) in the corneal extracts of rabbits were investigated using reversed phase HPLC. Met-Enk was found to be hydrolyzed most rapidly in the corneal epithelium, but YAGFM was relatively stable. Aminopeptidases appeared to contribute over 60% to the degradation of Met-Enk and the degradation rate of Met-Enk followed the first order kinetics. The half-lives of Met-Enk in the extracts of the corneal epithelium and endothelium were 36 and 673 min, respectively. From the effects of enzyme inhibitors, it was found that the application of the mixture of amastatin, thimerosal and EDTA was very useful for the inhibition of peptide degradation.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.6 no.6
• /
• pp.380-381
• /
• 1985

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.187-194
• /
• 1993

[Met5]-Enkephalin (ME) secretion and the expression of proenkephalin A (proENK) mRNA were studied following long-term exposure of bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin (BAMC) cells to pertussis toxin. Prolonged (24 hr) stimulation of BAMC cells with pertussis toxin increased the secretion of ME as well as proENK gene expression. BAMC cells were also incubated with pertussis toxin in the presence or absence of other secretagogues such as nicotine, angiotensin II and phorbol myristate acetate.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.153-164
• /
• 1988

The potential role of endogenous opioid peptides (EOPS) in cardiovascular regulation has only recently been entertained. EOPS have been localized in brain, spinal cord, autonomic ganglia, particularly the adrenal gland, and many other peripheral tissues. There are at least five major types of opioid receptors; namely ${\mu},\;{\delta},\;k,\;{\sigma},\;and\;{\varepsilon}$ and Experimental evidence indicates that cardiovascular actions of the peptide are mediated primarily by ${\mu},\;{\delta}$ and k receptors, and that these receptor types may be allosterically coupled. In anesthetized rabbits met-enkephalin decreased blood pressure and heart rate, which closely paralleled a reduction in sympathetic discharge. Naloxone, but not naloxone methobromide, antagonized these effects, which suggests a central site of action of met-enkephalin. A number of autonomic agents, particularly adrenergic ${\alpha}$-and, ${\beta}-agonists$ and antagonists modify the cardiovascular actions of met-enkephalin. Experiments in reserpine-treated and adrenalectomized rats provide no evidence of sympathetic nervous system involvement in the pressor responses to intravenous injection of opioid peptides, but rather suggest a direct peripheral action. Finally, activation of a beta-endorphinergic pathway projecting from the arcuate nucleus to the nucleus tractos solitarii in rats can cause naloxone reversible hypotension and bradycardia. There is evidence to implicate this pathway in antihypertensive drug action and in the modulation of baroreflex activity.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.31 no.1 s.57
• /
• pp.17-26
• /
• 1995

The present studies were carried out to determine if antinociceptive action of morphine and ${\beta}-endorphin$ administered intraventricularly was changed in. pentobarbital anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Antinociception was assessed by the tail-flick test. The $ED_{50}$ values of antinociception for morphine administered intraventricularly were 1.9 and 1.2 nmol for WKY and SHR rats, respectively. The $ED_{50}$ values of antinociception for ${\beta}-endorphin$ administered intraventricularly were 0.40 and 0.12 nmol for WKY and SHR rats, respectively. The $[Met^5]-enkephalin$ (ME) and proenkephalin mRNA levels in midbrain, pons and medulla, or lumbar section of the spinal cord in WKY and SHR rats were measured by the radioimmunoassay and Northern blot assay, respectively. There were no differences of ME and proenkephalin mRNA levels in these tissues between WKY and SHR rats. The results suggest that ${\beta}-endorphin$ but not morphine administered intraventricularly produces a greater antinociception in SHR rats. This increased antinociceptive effect of ${\beta}-endorphin$ in SHR rats may be not, at least, due to the alterations of ME And proenkephalin mRNA levels in the midbrain, pons and medulla, or spinal cord.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.417-424
• /
• 2001

Objective : Adrenal medullary chromaffin cells are known to release analgesic substances such as opioides and catecholamines. Transplantation of them is a novel method that challenges current approaches in treating chronic pain. The transplantation of xenogeneic chromaffin cells into the central nervous system(CNS) supply antinociception in animals. In this study, we investigated the analgesic effects of rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells transplanted into the CNS of the mouse. To study the antinociceptive efficacy of transplanted chromaffin cells, the survival of rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells transplanted into the CNS of mouse was determined. Methods : The adrenal medullary chromaffin cells isolated from rat were transplanted into the striatum of mouse. These cells were confirmed of the release of Met-enkephalin and Leu-enkephalin by HPLC, and immunoblots for tyrosine hydroxylase(TH). Two weeks after transplantation, we performed immunohistochemistry for TH to determine the survival of implanted cells and assessed pain sensitivity at the same time. Results : The isolated rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells were positive for anti-TH antibody and released Met-enkephalin and Leu-enkephalin more than rat endothelial cells. Transplanted rat chromaffin cells were stained with anti-TH antibody in striatum of mouse after 2 weeks. Pain sensitivity was reduced on the chromaffin cell-transplanted mouse compared to endothelial cell-transplanted mouse by the hot plate test. Conclusion : These results suggest that the rat chromaffin cells were suitably transplanted into the CNS of mouse. This approach could be used as a therapy for reducing of chronic pain induced by cancer or neuronal injury.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.181-190
• /
• 1992

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of opioids on catecholamine (CA) secretion evoked by a selective cholinergic nicotinic agonist, 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenyl piperazinium (DMPP) and acetylcholine from the retrogradely perfused rat adrenal glands. Methionine-enkephalin $(9.68{\times}10^{-6}\;M)$ caused a significant inhibition of CA secretion evoked by DMPP (100 uM) and $ACh\;(50\;{\mu}g)$, but had no effect on the spontaneous (basal) CA release. Morphine $(1.73{\times}10^{-5}\;M)$ attenuated considerablely the increase in CA release induced by DMPP and ACh. Morphine itself also did not affect the basal CA output. A 20 to 65% reduction of the DMPP- and ACh-evoked increase in CA release was observed after the pretreatment with methionine-enkephalin or morphine. The increase in CA release evoked by DMPP and ACh was reduced markedly by preloading with an opiate antagonist naloxone $(1.22{\times}10^{-7}\;M)$ while basal CA output was not affected by naloxone. These present experimental results suggest that the nicotinic stimulation-evoked CA release from the perfused rat adrenal gland is inhibited by endogenously released opioid peptides through activation of opiate receptors located in the adrenal gland.