[MrgC receptor activation reverses chronic morphine-evoked alterations of glutamate transporters and nNOS in rats].

This study was aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the modulation effect of Mas-related gene (Mrg) C receptors (MrgC) on morphine tolerance. Saline, morphine (20 μg), morphine plus bovine adrenal medulla 8-22 (BAM8-22, 1 nmol) or (Tyr(6))-2-MSH-6-12 (MSH, 5 nmol) were administered intrathecally in rats for 6 days. Pain-related molecules in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were examined using Western blot, immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR techniques. The results showed that intrathecal administration of the selective MrgC receptor agonists (BAM8-22 or MSH) remarkably attenuated or abolished chronic morphine-evoked reduction in glutamate transporters (GLAST, GLT-1 and EAAC1) in the spinal cord and increase in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the spinal cord as well as DRG. In addition, MrgC receptor-like immunoreactivity (IR) was detected in superficial laminae of the spinal cord. Chronic morphine induced significant increases in MrgC receptor-IR in the spinal cord and MrgC receptor mRNA levels in DRG. These results suggest that the modulation of pro-nociceptive mediators in the spinal cord and DRG underlies the inhibition of morphine tolerance by MrgC receptor activation.