Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of stroke, traumatic brain injuries, and neurodegenerative diseases affecting both neuronal and glial cells in the CNS.In this study we have demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) dramatically induce the expression of two neuropeptide genes, the opioid proenkephalin (pENK) and the opioid-related proorphanin FQ (pOFQ; also known as pronociceptin) in primary astrocytes. Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) treatment dose-dependently increased pENK and pOFQ mRNA levels with a maximal effect (,15-fold increase) being detected at 50 mM concentration. Exposing the astrocyte cultures to hypoxia and subsequent re-oxygenation also led to a profound elevation of pOFQ and pENK mRNA levels. Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry revealed that H 2 O 2 treatment elicited the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of ERK 1/2 and p38 MAP kinases. Blockade of the p38 or the ERK MAP kinase pathways (by SB202190 and PD98059, respectively) prevented the H 2 O 2 -induced increase in pENK and pOFQ mRNA levels indicating a central role for these cascades in the regulation of pOFQ and pENK genes in response to oxidative stress. Regulation of pOFQ and pENK gene expression by ERK and p38 activation may be mediated through the transcription factor cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB). We observed CREB phosphorylation in response to H 2 O 2 , which was also prevented by SB202190 and PD98059. The nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) pathway appears to be involved exclusively in the induction of pOFQ transcription by H 2 O 2 , as NF-kB inhibitors antagonized the effect of oxidative stress on pOFQ, but not on pENK expression. The profound induction of these genes by oxidative stress and these other factors may suggest a role for orphanin FQ and enkephalin in injury and stress responses of the CNS and neuropathophysiological conditions involving reactive oxygen species.

Nociceptin (N/OFQ) is an endogenous neuropeptide that plays a role in the behavioral deficits associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of the present study was to characterize the protective effects of prepro (pp)N/OFQ gene deletion against two dopamine toxins, MPTP and methamphetamine (METH). Results demonstrate that ppN/OFQ gene deletion attenuates the loss of both the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and loss of TH and vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT) immunoreactivity in the caudate putamen (CPu) of MPTP-treated mice. This protection was unaffected by age or gender, although, when loss of TH exceeded 90% in 5-6 month-old mice, the protective effect was greatly diminished. In contrast, METH administration preferentially

The effects of both (-)- and (+)-nicotine isomers were examined on in vitro uptake and release of [3H]dopamine in rat striatum. Both isomers inhibited uptake of [3H]dopamine in chopped tissue at concentrations well below those necessary for promoting release of preloaded [3H]dopamine. (-)-Nicotine was more potent than (+)-nicotine both at inhibiting uptake and at promoting release. Unlike other dopamine uptake inhibitors, however, nicotine inhibited only 50% of the total uptake. In the presence of 1 nM nicotine, the residual [3H]dopamine uptake was less sensitive to inhibition by cocaine than uptake in the absence of nicotine. Nicotine did not compete against the binding of [3H]GBR 12935, a selective dopamine uptake inhibitor. The nicotinic receptor agonists carbachol and 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium iodide also inhibited uptake, whereas the nicotinic antagonists chlorisondamine and mecamylamine blocked nicotine's effect. Thus, the effect of nicotine on dopamine uptake appears to be mediated by a receptor similar to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. These receptors do not seem to be on the terminals that are accumulating dopamine, however, since tetrodotoxin prevented the effect of nicotine on [3H]dopamine uptake and nicotine had no effect on uptake in a synaptosomal preparation.

In the central nervous system, glial cells play an important role in inflammatory and immune responses, and opioid peptides have been identified as essential mediators between the nervous and the immune systems. We report the profound upregulation of the opioid-related nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) by inflammatory mediators in astrocytes. The bacterial endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), induced levels of N/OFQ mRNA and immunoreactivity. HPLC analysis of the immunoreactivity in astrocyte extracts revealed that a large molecular weight precursor for N/OFQ is being synthesized and released in response to LPS and astrocytes appear to lack the enzymes required to process the precursor protein. Western blot analysis showed that LPS treatment elicited the activation of ERK 1/2 and p38 MAP kinases. Blockade of the p38 or the ERK MAP kinase pathways prevented the LPS-induced increase in N/OFQ mRNA levels indicating a role for these cascades in the regulation of N/OFQ genes in response to LPS. Regulation of N/OFQ gene expression by ERK and p38 activation may be mediated through the transcription factor CREB. We observed CREB phosphorylation in response to LPS, which was also prevented by SB202190 and PD98059. The NFkappaB pathway also appears to be involved in the induction of N/OFQ transcription by LPS, since NFkappaB inhibitors antagonized the effect of LPS on N/OFQ expression. Regulation of N/OFQ by inflammatory mediators in astrocytes may suggest a role for N/OFQ in neural-glial communication and in inflammatory responses in certain neuropathophysiological conditions.

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