Nocistatin and nociceptin modulate c-Fos expression in the mice thalamus.

Nocistatin and nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) are two neuropeptides which may have opposite effects in several biological functions but their neuro-anatomical sites of interaction are not fully clear. We investigated interaction between the effect of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of nocistatin and N/OFQ, on c-Fos expression in the mouse thalamus, using c-Fos immunohistochemistry. We found that co-injection of nocistatin with N/OFQ significantly modulates c-Fos expression in the thalamus. The present study strongly suggests that "Nocistatin-Nociceptin" interaction system in the thalamus may be the promising neuromodulatory sites in the investigation of unlocking their possible therapeutic circuit in nociception, memory and anxiety.