Emerging evidence indicates that neuroinflammatory responses in astroglia, including chemokine expression, are altered by opioids. Astroglial chemokines, such as CXCL10, are instrumental in response to many neuropathological insults. Opioid mediated disruption of astroglial CXCL10 expression may be detrimental in opioid abusers or patients receiving acute opioid therapy. We have characterized the in vitro effects of opioids on CXCL10 protein expression in human astroglial (A172) cells. The proinflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α induced CXCL10 expression in A172 cells. Using MG-132, helenalin and SN50 [inhibitors of the transcription factor, nuclear factor (NF)-κB], we determined that NF-κB activation is instrumental in TNFα induced CXCL10 expression in A172 astroglia. Morphine exposure during the 24 h TNFα stimulation period did not alter CXCL10 expression. However, fentanyl, a more potent mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonist, inhibited TNFα induced CXCL10 expression. Interestingly, neither the nonselective opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone nor β-funaltrexamine (β-FNA), a highly selective MOR antagonist, blocked fentanyl mediated inhibition of TNFα induced CXCL10 expression. Rather, β-FNA dose dependently inhibited TNFα induced CXCL10 expression with a greater potency than that observed for fentanyl. Immunoblot analysis indicated that morphine, fentanyl and β-FNA each reduced TNFα induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65. These data show that β-FNA and fentanyl inhibit TNFα induced CXCL10 expression via a MOR independent mechanism. Data also suggest that inhibition of TNFα induced CXCL10 expression by fentanyl and β-FNA is not directly related to a reduction in NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation. Further investigation is necessary in order to fully elucidate the mechanism through which these two opioid compounds inhibit CXCL10 expression. Understanding the mechanism by which chemokine expression is suppressed, particularly by the opioid antagonist, β-FNA, may provide insights into the development of safe and effective treatments for neuroinflammation.

The inducible isoform of nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) is involved in neuropathogenesis associated with infection and disease in the brain. Hence, there is considerable interest in the identification of therapeutic interventions to prevent iNOS-mediated pathology. Astroglia are a major site of iNOS expression during neuropathogenesis. To mimic a key component of neuroinflammation, human A172 astroglial cells were exposed in vitro to a cytokine mixture containing interferon γ, tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin-1β, resulting in significant iNOS expression. Next, we assessed the effects of the mu opioid receptor antagonist, β-funaltrexamine (β-FNA), on cytokine induced iNOS expression in human astroglia. β-FNA dose-dependently inhibited iNOS expression. β-FNA transcriptionally (or pre-transcriptionally) inhibited cytokine-induced iNOS activation as indicated by a significant decrease in NOS2 messenger RNA expression. Further characterization of the novel, anti-inflammatory actions of β-FNA may provide insights for pharmacologic strategies to treat or prevent brain pathologies associated with neuroinflammation.