RESUMO
Substantial evidence has suggested that deep brain stimulation of the cuneiform nucleus has become a remarkable treatment option for intractable pain, but the possible mechanism is poorly understood. Using a melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R)-green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter knockin mouse, we showed that a large number of MC4R-GFP-positive neurons were expressed in the cuneiform nucleus. Immunofluorescence revealed that approximately 40%-50% of MC4R-GFP-positive neurons expressed mu opioid receptors, indicating that they were opioidergic signaling. Our findings support the hypothesis that MC4R expression in the cuneiform nucleus is involved in the modulation of opioidergic signaling.
Assuntos
Formação Reticular Mesencefálica/metabolismo , Neurônios/metabolismo , Receptor Tipo 4 de Melanocortina/genética , Receptores Opioides mu/genética , Transdução de Sinais , Animais , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Técnicas de Introdução de Genes , Genes Reporter , Proteínas de Fluorescência Verde/genética , Proteínas de Fluorescência Verde/metabolismo , Camundongos , Camundongos Transgênicos , Microtomia , Formação Reticular Mesencefálica/citologia , Neurônios/citologia , Receptor Tipo 4 de Melanocortina/metabolismo , Receptores Opioides mu/metabolismo , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/genética , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusão/metabolismoRESUMO
Substantial evidence has suggested that deep brain stimulation of the cuneiform nucleus has become a remarkable treatment option for intractable pain, but the possible mechanism is poorly understood. Using a melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R)-green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter knockin mouse, we showed that a large number of MC4R-GFP-positive neurons were expressed in the cuneiform nucleus. Immunofluorescence revealed that approximately 40%-50% of MC4R-GFP-positive neurons expressed mu opioid receptors, indicating that they were opioidergic signaling. Our findings support the hypothesis that MC4R expression in the cuneiform nucleus is involved in the modulation of opioidergic signaling.
