Scratching behavior and Fos expression in superficial dorsal horn elicited by protease-activated receptor agonists and other itch mediators in mice

J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2009 Jun;329(3):945-51. doi: 10.1124/jpet.109.152256. Epub 2009 Mar 17.

Abstract

Protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 and PAR-4 are implicated in nonhistaminergic itch. We investigated dose dependence, tachyphylaxis, and cross-tachyphylaxis of itch-associated scratching elicited by intradermal injections of PAR-2 and PAR-4 agonists, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), and histamine in ICR mice, as well as mu-opioid modulation of PAR-2 agonist-evoked scratching. Each agent elicited dose-related increases in scratch bouts. Scratching elicited by the PAR-4 agonist and histamine both exhibited significant tachyphylaxis but no cross-tachyphylaxis with each other. Scratching evoked by 5-HT did not exhibit significant tachyphylaxis but did exhibit significant cross-tachyphylaxis to scratching evoked by the PAR-2 and PAR-4 agonists and histamine. Naltrexone and high-dose morphine (10 mg/kg) attenuated PAR-2 agonist-evoked scratching, whereas lower dose morphine (1 mg/kg) had no effect. High-dose morphine also significantly increased circling behavior, which may have interfered with scratching. The PAR-2 agonist and 5-HT produced overlapping distributions of Fos-like immunoreactivity in the superficial dorsal horn. These results indicate that PAR-2 and PAR-4 agonists, histamine, and 5-HT elicit itch-related scratching and activate superficial dorsal horn neurons that may participate in scratch reflex and ascending itch signaling pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects*
  • Capsaicin / pharmacology
  • Histamine / pharmacology
  • Injections, Intradermal
  • Mice
  • Morphine / pharmacology
  • Naltrexone / analogs & derivatives
  • Naltrexone / pharmacology
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology
  • Posterior Horn Cells / drug effects
  • Posterior Horn Cells / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / metabolism*
  • Pruritus / chemically induced*
  • Receptor, PAR-2 / agonists
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu / agonists
  • Receptors, Proteinase-Activated / agonists*
  • Serotonin / pharmacology
  • Spinal Cord / drug effects
  • Spinal Cord / metabolism*
  • Tachyphylaxis / physiology

Substances

  • AYPGKG-NH(2)
  • Oligopeptides
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
  • Receptor, PAR-2
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu
  • Receptors, Proteinase-Activated
  • protease-activated receptor 4, mouse
  • seryl-leucyl-isoleucyl-glycyl--arginyl-leucinamide
  • Serotonin
  • Naltrexone
  • naltrexazone
  • Morphine
  • Histamine
  • Capsaicin