Biochemistry & Pharmacology: Open Access
Open Access
ISSN: 2167-0501
+44-77-2385-9429
ISSN: 2167-0501
+44-77-2385-9429
Piotr Wojciechowski and Katarzyna Kaczynska
Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Biochem Pharmacol (Los Angel)
Neuropeptide FF (NPFF) behaves as an endogenous opioid-modulation peptide that seems to be involved in opiate-induced
tolerance and dependence and is thought to present strong inhibitory interaction with opioids. Although pharmacological
properties of NPFF on pain perception and opioid-induced tolerance seem to be well documented, its effect on breathing
pattern and respiratory depression induced by opioids remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine an impact
of intravenous NPFF injection on respiration and its potency in elimination post-opioid apnoea. Experiments were performed
on urethane-chloralose anaesthetized male Wistar rats breathing spontaneously room air. Respiratory parameters, arterial
blood pressure and heart rate were measured. Rats were treated with an intravenous injection of NPFF in four doses: 0.1; 0.3;
0.6 and 1.2 mg/kg. Two minutes later, a dose of endomorphine-1 (EM-1) (50 �¼g/kg) was administered. Systemic injection of
NPFF in doses: 0.1�0.6 mg/kg evoked only dose dependent hypertensive effect. The highest dose caused also a short-lived
reduction in tidal volume, which affected minute ventilation immediately after the challenge and evoked a single episode of
apnoea in one rat lasting 3.7 s. Bolus injection of 50 �¼g/kg of endomorphin-1 was administered into the femoral vein of control
animals without NPFF pre-treatment evoked apnoea in 5 of 6 rats of mean duration of 11.2�±1.2 s, short-lived hypotension and
a slow down in the heart rate. Pre-treatment with NPFF diminished the number of post-endomorphin-1 apnoeas, to 2 in 5 rats
at a dose of 0.1�0.3 mg/kg and to 1 in 5 animals at a dose of 0.6 mg/kg. EM-1 induced hypotensive effects and decrease in the
heart rate were also reduced at all tested doses of NPFF. Our experiments showed that stimulation of neuropeptide FF receptors
in the periphery diminishes the number of EM-1-induced arrests of breathing, as well as its hypotensive effect.
Recent Publications
1. Li N, Han Z L, Wang Z L, Xing Y H, Sun Y L, et al. (2016) BN-9, a chimeric peptide with mixed opioid and neuropeptide FF
receptor agonistic properties, produces nontolerance-forming antinociception in mice. Br J Pharmacol. 173(11):1864�80.
2. Lin Y T, Kao S C, Day Y J, Chang C C and Chen J C (2016) Altered nociception and morphine tolerance in neuropeptide FF
receptor type 2 over-expressing mice. Eur J Pain. 20(6):895�906.
3. Ayachi S and Simonin F (2014) Involvement of mammalian RF-amide peptides and their receptors in the modulation of
nociception in rodents. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 5:158.
4. Moul�©dous L, Mollereau C and Zajac J M (2010) Opioid-modulating properties of the neuropeptide FF system. Biofactors
36(6):423�9.
Piotr Wojciechowski is an Assistant in the Department of Respiration Physiology, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Warsaw, Poland. His interests scope within the crosstalk and interaction between neuropeptide and opioid systems and their effects on cardio-respiratory pattern.
E-mail: pwojciechowski@imdik.pan.pl