Abstract
Changes in the levels of muscarinic M4 receptors in spinal cord of acute and chronic arthritic rats (animal models of pain) were studied by receptor autoradiography using muscarinic M4 receptor subtype selective ligand. Arthritis was induced in female Lewis rats by single intradermal injection of heat-killed Mycobacterium butyricum and sacrificed 12 days (acute group) and 30 days (chronic and control groups) after induction of arthritis. Our results demonstrate significant reduction in the level of M 4 receptors in the spinal cord (Rexed laminae I-X) of acute and chronic arthritic rats compared to controls. These findings suggest that the muscarinic M4 receptor subtype may be involved in cholinergic mechanisms of analgesia.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 284-287 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Brain Research |
Volume | 982 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Aug 29 2003 |
Keywords
- Acetylcholine
- Analgesia
- Antinociception
- Arthritis
- Inflammatory pain
- Muscarinic receptor subtype
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
- Molecular Biology
- Clinical Neurology
- Developmental Biology