Role of central arginine vasopressin receptors in the analgesic effect of CDP-choline on acute and neuropathic pain

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated that arginine vasopressin (AVP) plays a crucial role in pain modulation. In addition, our previous studies have proven that centrally administered cytidine-5'-diphosphate-choline (CDP-choline; citicoline) elicits an analgesic effect in different pain models in rats. Given that CDP-choline enhances central and peripheral vasopressin levels, the present study was designed to investigate the role of central AVP receptors in the analgesic effect of CDP-choline in acute and chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain models. For this purpose, rats were pretreated intracerebroventricularly with the AVP V1 or AVP V2 receptor antagonist 15 min before intracerebroventricular injection of CDP-choline or saline, and pain threshold was determined using the Randall-Selitto test. AVP V1 and AVP V2 receptor antagonist blocked the CDP-choline-induced analgesic effect either in acute or neuropathic models of pain in rats. These results suggest, for the first time, that central AVP receptors are involved in the CDP-choline-elicited analgesic effect.

Citicoline in the Treatment of Cognitive Impairment

“…Citicoline has an extensive effect on the cholinergic system and could act as a choline donor to increase the synthesis of acetylcholine. The central cholinergic activating effect of citicoline has been emphasized, with this effect explaining the cardiovascular [103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110], metabolic [111][112][113][114][115][116][117][118], and antinociceptive effects [119][120][121] of the drug, together with effects on signaling systems [122][123][124][125][126][127].…”

The AVPR1A Gene and Its Single Nucleotide Polymorphism rs10877969: A Literature Review of Associations with Health Conditions and Pain

“…The human AVPR1A gene is located in the long arm of chromosome 12 (12q14.2) (Babb, Fernandez-Duque, & Schurr, 2010; Bagdas et al, 2013; Birnbaumer, 2000; Thibonnier et al, 1994; Thibonnier et al, 1996; Walum et al, 2008; Yang et al, 2010; Young, Nilsen, Waymire, MacGregor, & Insel, 1999). The protein coded from this gene behaves as a receptor for arginine vasopressin and belongs to a family of G-protein coupled receptors that include oxytocin.…”

“…Vasopressin has been described as playing a crucial role in the modulation of pain and several studies have shown that AVP can regulate the pain process in the brain through the mediation of central cholinergic and opioidergic systems (Bagdas et al, 2013; Mogil et al, 2011). In a recent study, a three-way interaction between, genetics (AVPR1A, re10877969), sex, and acute stress in both the in both mice and humans was demonstrated.…”

“…Using Cytidine-5’-diphosphate-choline (CDP-Choline; citicoline) in the rat model, Bagdas et al (2013), examined analgesic responses via CDP-choline. CDP-Choline enhances central and peripheral vasopressin levels in acute, inflammatory and chronic injury-induced neuropathic pain models in rats without any motor impairment (Bagdas et al, 2013).…”

“…Although this SNP has been identified as a pain related SNP, association studies need to be performed. Some investigators have reported that rs10877969 plays a role in acute, neuropathic and stress related pain (Bagdas et al, 2013; Mogil et al, 2011). In recent studies, investigators found that Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), that metabolizes catecholamines, and AVPR1A are involved in pain modulation (George et al, 2015; Jhun et al, 2014).…”