Suppression of pancreatitis-related allodynia/hyperalgesia by proteinase-activated receptor-2 in mice

Br J Pharmacol. 2006 May;148(1):54-60. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0706708.

Abstract

1 Proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2), a receptor activated by trypsin and tryptase, is abundantly expressed in the gastrointestinal tract including the C-fiber terminal, and might play a role in processing of visceral pain. In the present study, we examined and characterized the roles of PAR2 in pancreatitis-related abdominal hyperalgesia/allodynia in mice. 2 Caerulein, administered i.p. once, caused a small increase in abdominal sensitivity to stimulation with von Frey hairs, without causing pancreatitis, in PAR2-knockout (KO) mice, but not wild-type (WT) mice. 3 Caerulein, given hourly six times in total, caused more profound abdominal hyperalgesia/allodynia in PAR2-KO mice, as compared with WT mice, although no significant differences were detected in the severity of pancreatitis between the KO and WT animals. 4 The PAR2-activating peptide, 2-furoyl-LIGRL-NH(2), coadministered repeatedly with caerulein six times in total, abolished the caerulein-evoked abdominal hyperalgesia/allodynia in WT, but not PAR2-KO, mice. Repeated doses of 2-furoyl-LIGRL-NH(2) moderately attenuated the severity of caerulein-induced pancreatitis in WT animals. 5 Our data from experiments using PAR2-KO mice provide evidence that PAR2 functions to attenuate pancreatitis-related abdominal hyperalgesia/allodynia without affecting pancreatitis itself, although the PAR2AP applied exogenously is not only antinociceptive but also anti-inflammatory.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / chemically induced
  • Abdominal Pain / metabolism*
  • Abdominal Pain / prevention & control
  • Analgesics / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Ceruletide
  • Female
  • Hyperalgesia / chemically induced
  • Hyperalgesia / metabolism*
  • Hyperalgesia / prevention & control
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology
  • Pain Measurement
  • Pain Threshold / drug effects
  • Pancreatitis / chemically induced
  • Pancreatitis / metabolism*
  • Receptor, PAR-2 / agonists
  • Receptor, PAR-2 / genetics
  • Receptor, PAR-2 / metabolism*
  • Touch

Substances

  • 2-furoyl-LIGRLO-amide
  • Analgesics
  • Oligopeptides
  • Receptor, PAR-2
  • Ceruletide