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Effects of Thy-1+ cell depletion on the capacity of donor lymphoid cells to induce tolerance across an entire MHC disparity in sublethally irradiated adult hosts.

Thy-1+ cell depletion with anti-Thy-1.2 mAb and complement markedly reduced the capacity of C57BL/6J, H-2b bone marrow to establish mixed lymphoid chimerism and induce tolerance to C57BL/6J skin grafts across an entire MHC disparity in BALB/c, H-2d hosts conditioned with sublethal, fractionated 7.5 Gy total-body irradiation. In this model tolerance can be transferred to secondary irradiated BALB/c hosts only by cells of C57BL/6J donor, not host, genotype isolated from the spleens of tolerant hosts. Thy-1+ cell depletion abolished the capacity of C57BL/6J donor cells from tolerant BALB/c host spleens to transfer tolerance. The capacity of semiallogeneic BALB/c x C57BL/6J F1, H-2d/b donor BM and spleen cells to induce chimerism and tolerance to C57BL/6J skin grafts in BALB/c parental hosts was also reduced by Thy-1+ cell depletion. Thus the requirement for donor Thy-1+ cells cannot be explained simply on the basis of alloaggression. It is unlikely that the requisite Thy-1+ cells are nonspecific suppressor cells: Thy-1+ cell depletion had no effect on the slight but significant prolongation of third-party C3H/HeJ, H-2k skin grafts in irradiated BALB/c hosts injected with allogeneic C57BL/6J or semiallogeneic BALB/c x C57BL/6J F1 BM compared to irradiated controls injected with medium only. Furthermore, injections of semiallogeneic F1 spleen cells had no significant effect on the survival of the third-party grafts, although these cells were fully capable of inducing tolerance, and their capacity to induce tolerance was significantly reduced by Thy-1+ cell depletion. The requirement for a specific population of lymphoid cells, i.e. Thy-1+, remains unexplained but suggests that donor cells might play a role in the induction or maintenance of tolerance in this model other than merely providing a circulating source of donor antigens.

Animals↗

Allogeneic versus semiallogeneic F1 bone marrow transplantation into sublethally irradiated MHC-disparate hosts. Effects on mixed lymphoid chimerism, skin graft tolerance, host survival, and alloreactivity.

In models of tolerance associated with mixed lymphoid chimerism, depletion of Thy 1+ cells from the allogeneic donor inoculum may decrease the level of chimerism achieved and the capacity of donor cells to induce tolerance. To determine whether the apparent role of Thy 1+ cells in the facilitation of bone marrow engraftment and induction of skin graft tolerance is related to alloaggression, the capacity of fully allogeneic C57BL/6J, H-2b BM cells to establish mixed lymphoid chimerism and skin graft tolerance in sublethally irradiated (2.5 Gy x 3) BALB/c, H-2d hosts was compared with that of semi-allogeneic BALB/c x C57BL/6J F1 H-2d/b BM cells which genetically lack the potential for graft-versus-host reactivity against parental recipients. The levels of mixed chimerism observed with allogeneic and semi-allogeneic F1 BM cells were nearly identical: 21.0 +/- 9.7% of spleen cells in H-2b BM-injected and 18.6 +/- 8.8% of spleen cells in H-2d/b BM-injected H-2d hosts were of donor allotype. There was no difference in the fraction of hosts rendered tolerant to C57BL/6J, H-2b skin grafts by H-2b vs. H-2d/b BM at either excess (94% vs. 92% tolerant) or threshold (37% vs. 40% tolerant) numbers of donor cells. Spleen cells from both types of mixed chimeras failed to respond to donor antigens in MLR. Both H-2b and H-2d/b BM-injected H-2d hosts rejected third party C3H/HeJ, H-2k skin grafts and responded to third party stimulators in MLR. Although these nonspecific allo-immune responses were not as strong as the responses of normal animals, they were suppressed to an equivalent degree in both types of chimeras. Graft-versus-host disease, if present in irradiated H-2b BM-injected hosts, did not significantly affect survival compared with survival of irradiated H-2d/b BM-injected animals. These results suggest that the tolerizing capacity of allogeneic BM does not depend upon GVHD and that allogeneic and semi-allogeneic BM establish mixed lymphoid chimerism and induce skin graft tolerance by similar mechanisms across a complete MHC disparity in sublethally irradiated adult hosts.

Animals↗

Induction of stable chimerism and transplantation tolerance to rat islet and heart allografts by ultraviolet-B modulation of bone marrow cells.

Ultraviolet-B irradiation (UV-B) (700 J/m2) of BM cells prior to transplantation into lethally gamma-irradiated (1050 rads) allogeneic rats prevents the development of GVHD and results in stable chimerism. This study was developed to determine if UV-B modulation of BMT is useful for preconditioning recipients for the induction of tolerance to donor islets and heart allografts. Lethally irradiated Lewis rats that received UV-B irradiated (700 J/m2) WF BMT (10(8) BM cells) demonstrated stable chimerism without any evidence of GVHD. The stable Lewis chimeras were made diabetic with streptozotocin (STZ) at 28-35 days after BMT and subdivided into 3 experimental groups that received 1000-1200 islets from WF, Lewis, or BN (third-party), respectively. The results showed that group I diabetic Lewis chimeras accepted permanently (greater than 300 days) BM donor WF islets and became normoglycemic. When 3 of 6 Lewis chimeras transplanted with WF islets were rechallenged with WF hearts 60 days after islet grafts, they accepted both islets and cardiac allografts permanently (greater than 240 days). Similarly, the remaining 3 animals accepted Lewis cardiac allografts permanently, thus indicating tolerance to both donor and recipient alloantigens. Group II diabetic chimeras accepted permanently (greater than 300 days) recipient (Lewis) islets. In contrast, group III chimeras rejected acutely (7-8 days) third-party (BN) islets. However, when these animals that rejected BN islets and again became diabetic were retransplanted with BM donor-type (WF) islets, they became permanently normoglycemic (greater than 200 days). This finding emphasizes the specificity of the induction of tolerance in this model and the apparent lack of organ-specific sensitization. To define the underlying mechanism of tolerance, in vivo adoptive transfer of 10(8) spleen cells to naive Lewis or WF recipients, obtained from tolerant Lewis chimeras carrying donor islets and heart allografts, showed no prolongation of cardiac allografts in the unmodified syngeneic hosts, thus questioning the role of suppressor mechanisms in the tolerant rats. Furthermore, cells from the tolerant chimeras that showed no mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) response to Lewis or; WF alloantigens failed to suppress anti-Lewis and anti-WF MLR-response in coculture MLR. These results suggest that tolerance to donor alloantigens in the UV-B BMT model is most likely due to selective elimination of anti-BM donor helper or effector cell precursors (clonal deletion) rather than induction of suppressor cell activity. This study demonstrates that this relatively simple and effective approach to modulation of T cells in BM treatment may be potentially useful in the induction of tolerance to donor organs.

Animals↗

CD2 and CD3 receptor-mediated tolerance: constraints on T cell activation.

BACKGROUND: Antigen specific allograft tolerance is induced in mice by anti-CD2 plus anti-CD3epsilon monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment. Because anti-CD2 mAb inhibits several aspects of anti-CD3epsilon driven T cell activation, we investigated what components of T cell activation are required or may be dispensed with for tolerance induction. Anti-CD3epsilon-mediated T cell activation depends on FcgammaR interactions. METHODS: To assess the role of FcgammaR-mediated T cell activation in tolerance induction, FcgammaR binding IgG or non-binding IgG3 anti-CD3epsilon mAbs were examined. RESULTS: These mAbs, administered in conjunction with anti-CD2, were equally effective in inducing tolerance. Moreover, in vivo administration of a blocking mAb directed against the FcgammaR, or the use of allograft recipients deficient in FcgammaR, had no effect on tolerance induction. Blocking IL-2 using mAb directed against IL-2 or IL-2R also did not prevent the induction of tolerance. These results suggest that complete T cell activation was not required for tolerance induction. However, substitution of a partially activating mAb, directed against the T cell receptor (TCR) beta subunit for anti-CD3epsilon, failed to synergize with anti-CD2 mAb to induce tolerance. The anti-TCRbeta mAb and anti-CD3epsilon mAb were found to differentially down modulate expression of TCR/CD3 complex subunits. In particular, anti-CD3epsilon caused transient down modulation of the TCRbeta receptor subunit and the TCRzeta signaling module, and this pattern was enhanced and prolonged by anti-CD2. Anti-TCRbeta caused persistent TCRzeta modulation but no TCRbeta modulation, and anti-CD2 did not influence this pattern. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that, although full T cell activation is not required for the induction of tolerance by anti-CD2 plus anti-CD3epsilon mAb, a signal transduction pathway that is associated with TCRbeta and TCRzeta expression, and, specifically, is perturbed by mAb binding of the CD3epsilon epitope, is critical.

Animals↗

Association of CD8+ natural killer T cells in the liver with neonatal tolerance phenomenon.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal tolerance is a very interesting phenomenon, because even allogeneic skin grafts are not rejected in these mice at the adult stage. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. METHODS: In this study we prepared such tolerant C57BL/6 (B6) mice (H-2b) by the injection of allogeneic lymphocytes of BALB/c origin (H-2d) at the neonatal stage. RESULTS: The total number of liver lymphocytes in these tolerant mice was found to increase when it was examined at the adult stage. Nevertheless, the retention of allogeneic lymphocytes that were injected at the neonatal stage was highest in the spleen. It is speculated that these allogeneic lymphocytes stimulate the hepatic immune system via the portal vein and that such stimulation maintains the tolerance phenomenon. Indeed, these tolerant mice showed elevated levels of IL-2R beta+ CD3int cells (i.e., extrathymic T cells) and NK1.1+ CD3int cells (i.e., NKT cells) in the liver. Even more interestingly, the number and proportion of CD8+ NKT cells, which are usually a minor population in normal mice, increased among NKT cells in the liver of tolerant mice. This became much more prominent when tolerant mice were grafted with allogeneic (H-2d) skin. CONCLUSION: In conjunction with additional data from a cell-transfer experiment and a splenectomy experiment, our results suggest that CD8+ NKT cells in the liver of tolerant mice might be intimately associated with the neonatal tolerance phenomenon.

Animals↗

Axotrophin and leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in transplantation tolerance.

Immune self-tolerance is controlled by a subset of T lymphocytes that are regulatory (Treg) and epigenetically programmed to suppress auto-reactive immune effector cells in vivo. By extrapolation, donor-specific transplantation tolerance might be controlled by donor-specific Treg that have acquired the appropriate epigenetic program for tolerance. Although such tolerance has yet to be achieved in man, proof of concept comes from mouse models where regulatory transplantation tolerance can be induced within the complex micro-environment of the spleen or draining lymph node. By studying whole spleen cell populations in a murine model of transplantation tolerance we have incorporated a complexity of environmental factors when looking for specific features that characterize tolerance versus aggression. This approach has revealed unexpected patterns of gene activity in tolerance and most notably that a novel stem cell gene, axotrophin, regulates T lymphocyte responsiveness both in terms of proliferation and in release of leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Since LIF is a regulator of stem cells in addition to being a key neuropoietic cytokine, these preliminary results linking both axotrophin and LIF to transplantation tolerance lead us to propose that regulatory pathways encoded during the epigenetic development of Treg cells are related to pathways that regulate fate determination of stem cells.

Cell Differentiation↗

Detection of penicillin tolerance in Streptococcus pyogenes.

Three traditional assays were used to determine the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococci) in two phases of growth and the time taken to kill the organisms. Three other methods were used for the determination of penicillin tolerance: a cell-lysis assay, the beta-lactamase disk method and the replication method. Twenty strains, comprising penicillin-tolerant clinical isolates and two laboratory mutants, were used to evaluate the six tests. Results indicated that two groups of S. pyogenes can be distinguished--four highly tolerant and three moderately tolerant strains. The moderately tolerant strains were not recognised when rapidly growing instead of stationary cultures were used for the MBC and MIC determinations. The MBC/MIC ratio for tolerant strains was > 100. Tolerance percentage ranged from 0.30 to 1.07 and 0.29 to 3.96 for cultures in the mid-logarithmic and stationary phases of growth, respectively. The cell-lysis assay, the beta-lactamase disk method and the replication method may be used to screen for tolerance. Detection of high or moderate tolerance by determining the MBC/MIC ratio for mid-logarithmic or stationary cultures is recommended.

Analysis of Variance↗

Unidirectional cross-tolerance from levetiracetam to carbamazepine in amygdala-kindled seizures.

PURPOSE: Tolerance is a potential problem in long-term anticonvulsant therapy of epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and neuropathic pain. The present study was designed to determine whether cross-tolerance occurs between levetiracetam (LEV) and carbamazepine (CBZ) in amygdala-kindled rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with an electrode into the left amygdala. While kindling stimulation was started, animals received repeated treatment (i.p.) with saline (n = 7) or LEV (150 mg/kg, n = 8). Saline-injected rats were subsequently challenged with a single dose of 150 mg/kg LEV when full kindling developed (stage > or =4). Both groups of rats were then administered long-term CBZ (5 mg/kg) until rats developed complete tolerance. All CBZ-tolerant rats were subsequently re-exposed to LEV (150 mg/kg) for an additional 10 consecutive days. RESULTS: Repeated LEV treatment significantly suppressed the increase in seizure stage, seizure duration, and afterdischarge duration induced by amygdala stimulation, markedly increasing the number of stimulations to achieve a kindling major motor seizure. The LEV challenge produced a more robust suppression of seizure stage in saline-injected rats compared with LEV-treated animals. CBZ treatment markedly suppressed fully kindled seizures in rats initially injected with saline, and then anticonvulsant tolerance rapidly developed after 3-4 days of repeated treatment. In contrast, rats that had initially received repeated LEV treatment did not show a response to treatment with CBZ (5 mg/kg). When CBZ-tolerant rats were subsequently exposed to LEV (150 mg/kg), noticeable anticonvulsant effects were observed; but these were gradually lost with increasing numbers of LEV exposures. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas LEV shows potent antiepileptogenic and anticonvulsant effects in amygdala-kindled rats, its repeated treatment induces anticonvulsant tolerance and unidirectional cross-tolerance to CBZ. In contrast, anticonvulsant tolerance to CBZ does not transfer to LEV. The mechanistic implications of the present results for clinical therapeutics remain to be evaluated.

Amygdala↗

The evolution of compensation to herbivory in scarlet gilia, Ipomopsis aggregata: herbivore-imposed natural selection and the quantitative genetics of tolerance.

Tolerance is the ability of plants to maintain fitness after experiencing herbivore damage. We investigated scarlet gilia tolerance to browsing in the framework of phenotypic plasticity using both an operational and candidate trait approach. Individuals from full-sib families were split into an artificial clipping treatment, a natural-damage treatment, or left as controls. We tested for genetic variation in tolerance by evaluating family x herbivory treatment interactions on fitness in a mixed model analysis of variance. In addition, we used selection analyses to assess the function of flowering phenology and compensatory regrowth (via branch production) as candidate tolerance traits. We found a strong detrimental fitness effect of browsing and considerable variation among sire half-sib families in levels of tolerance (25% to 63% of the fitness of controls). There was no evidence of overcompensation at either the population or family level and no additive genetic variation in operationally defined tolerance. Phenotypic selection analyses provide evidence that early flowering and compensatory regrowth function as tolerance characters. We found strong linear and correlational selection for early flowering and increased branch production for damaged plants and linear selection for apical dominance (reduced branchiness) and early flowering in control plants. Moreover, reduced phenological delay and increased plasticity in branch production were correlated with tolerance. We detected significant additive genetic variation in flowering phenology in both treatments and a positive genetic correlation between the phenology of control and damaged plants. We found significant additive genetic variation in branch production in undamaged and naturally damaged plants, but not in clipped plants. Damaged plants exhibited marginally significant additive genetic variance in fitness, although its heritability was very low (approximately 3.6%). We failed to find additive genetic variation in the fitness of control plants. Our results suggest that tolerance traits are under herbivore-imposed natural selection in this population, but that responses to selection are limited by available genetic variation and selective constraints.

Animals↗

Effect of imipramine on tolerance to morphine antinociception in the formalin test.

In this study, the effect of imipramine on morphine antinociception in tolerant and non-tolerant mice in the formalin test, was investigated. Subcutaneous administration of different test doses of morphine (3, 6 and 9 mg/kg) and intraperitoneal injection of test doses of imipramine (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) induced a dose-dependent antinociception in non-tolerant mice, both in the first and second phases of the formalin test. The combination of morphine (1 mg/kg) with imipramine (10 mg/kg) showed a potentiated response in the second phase of the test. Combination of a single dose of morphine (1.5 mg/kg) with lower doses of imipramine (2, 4 and 8 mg/kg) did not show potentiation. The antinociceptive response of either morphine or morphine plus imipramine was reduced by the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (2 mg/ kg). In order to induce tolerance, mice were treated subcutaneously with morphine (50 mg/kg) once daily for 3 days. On day 4, the antinociceptive effect of test doses of morphine or imipramine were assessed. Tolerance to the responses of test doses of morphine (3, 6 and 9 mg/kg), but not imipramine (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) in both phases of the test was observed. Administration of lower dose of imipramine (4 mg/kg) before the test doses of morphine (3, 6 and 9 mg/kg) was not able to alter the expression of morphine tolerance. When imipramine was used during development of tolerance, either on days 1 and 2 or on days 2 and 3, the morphine tolerance in the second phase of the test was reduced. It is concluded that opioid receptor mechanism(s) may mediate the antidepressant-induced antinociception, however, imipramine may be useful in inhibiting morphine tolerance.

Analgesics, Opioid↗

Morphine-tolerant longitudinal muscle strip from guinea-pig ileum.

1. Implantation of morphine pellets in guinea-pigs produced a high degree of tolerance and dependence within 3 days.2. The contractions of the longitudinal muscle induced by electrical stimulation of the myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle preparations obtained from tolerant animals were less depressed by morphine than the contractions evoked in preparations from non-tolerant animals.3. Naloxone did not alter the size of the evoked twitch but antagonized the depressant action of morphine in tolerant and in non-tolerant animals. When given to tolerant guinea-pigs, naloxone caused an increase in intestinal activity in vivo.4. The contractile response of the longitudinal muscle to acetylcholine was the same in preparations obtained from tolerant and non-tolerant animals. Electrically evoked contractions of the myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle preparations from tolerant animals showed reduced sensitivity to the depressant effects of adrenaline, isoprenaline, and particularly, dopamine.

Animals↗

Changes of brain neuropeptide Y and its receptors in rats with flurazepam tolerance and dependence.

AIM: Anticonvulsant tolerance and dependence are two obstacles that restrict the clinical use of benzodiazepines (BDZ). In order to explore the mechanism of these two adverse reactions, changes of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and its receptors in the hippocampus of rat models, in relation to flurazepam (FZP, a member of BDZ) tolerance and dependence, were investigated. METHODS: The mRNA of preproNPY and its receptors (Y1, Y2, and Y5) in the hippocampus were determined by competitive RT-PCR, and the distribution of NPY in the hippocampus was examined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: A decrease of preproNPY mRNA in the hippocampus was found in tolerant and dependent rats. The level of preproNPY mRNA in the hippocampus was reversely correlated with the degree of tolerance and dependence, measured by the threshold of pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures. Immunohistochemistry indicated a decrease of NPY-immunoreactive material in neurons of the CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus regions of both tolerant and dependent rats. The mRNA of NPY receptors Y1 and Y5 decreased in tolerant rats but did not change in dependent rats. The mRNA of NPY receptor Y2 increased in tolerant rats but decreased in dependent rats. CONCLUSION: A decrease of NPY in the hippocampus might be involved in anticonvulsant tolerance and dependence following long-term treatment with FZP. Y1, Y2, and Y5 mRNA were also altered in FZP tolerance and dependence.

Animals↗

Aspects of tolerance to and dependence on cannabis.

Tolerance at all levels of complexity in the brain involves "learning" in the sense of the acquisition of compensatory adaptations to the consequences of the presence of a drug-produced disturbance in function. Depending on the function, species, and dose of cannabis, "tissue tolerance," behaviorally augmented (to provide the presence of the disturbed function) or not, develops at different rates or not all (e.g., to impairment of the logical sequence of thoughts, to which no tolerance has yet been demonstrated). "Dispositional tolerance" (increased rate of metabolism of delta 9-THC due to enzyme induction) may play a role in the development of tolerance or "reverse tolerance" to cannabis in man. There is evidence that for the label "high," placebo effects may account for the "reverse tolerance" seen in experienced users on smoking (but not on ingestion of delta 9-THC or placebo) along with evidence of residual tolerance to other not-so-labeled effects of the drug. Dependence on cannabis, in the sense of abstinence phenomena on abrupt withdrawal of delta 9-THC, has been demonstrated in monkeys made tolerant to delta 9-THC given four times daily for about 1 month. In man, physiologic marijuana abstinence signs have not been demonstrated, but behavioral (and some physiologic) abstinence phenomena have been reported in heavy users of hashish or ganja. The between-dose hyperirritability and dysphoria reported to occur in experimental studies on chronic marijuana intoxication may actually be early and short-lived abstinence changes. In the West, where marijuana with relatively low delta 9-THC content is widely smoked, dependence in the sense of drug-seeking behavior appears to be less a function of any pharmacologic reinforcing properties the drug may have than of secondary (conditioned) reinforcement derived from the social milieu in which the marijuana is smoked. In cultures where marijuana of higher delta 9-THC content, hashish, or ganja is used, pharmacologic reinforcement (through suppression of abstinence changes) may play a greater role in maintaining drug-seeking behavior.

Animals↗

The role of several kinases in mice tolerant to delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

It has been suggested that the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1), a G protein-coupled receptor, is internalized after agonist binding and activation of the second messenger pathways. It is proposed that phosphorylation enhances the down-regulation of the CB1 receptor, thus contributing to tolerance. Alterations in phosphorylation of proteins in the signal transduction cascade after CB1receptor activation could also alter tolerance to cannabinoids. We addressed our hypothesis by evaluating the role of several kinases in antinociceptive tolerance to Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). We evaluated cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) using KT5720, a PKA inhibitor; protein kinase C (PKC) using bisindolylmaleimide I, HCl (bis), a PKC inhibitor; cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) using KT5823, a PKG inhibitor; beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (beta-ARK) using low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), a beta-ARK inhibitor; and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3-K) using 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (LY294002), a PI3-K inhibitor and PP1, a Src family tyrosine kinase inhibitor. The cAMP analog used was dibutyryl-cAMP and the cGMP analog used was dibutyryl-cGMP. Our data indicate that selective kinases may be involved in cannabinoid tolerance. Mice and rats were rendered tolerant to Delta(9)-THC. The PKG inhibitor KT5823, the beta-ARK inhibitor LMWH, the PI3-K inhibitor LY294002, and inhibition of PKC by bis had no effect on tolerance. At a higher dose, bis attenuated the antinociceptive effect of delta(9)-THC in nontolerant mice. PP1, the Src family tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and KT5720, the PKA inhibitor, reversed THC-induced tolerance. In addition, inhibition of PKA reversed a decrease in dynorphin release shown to accompany THC tolerance in rats. These data support a role for PKA and Src tyrosine kinase in phosphorylation events in delta(9)-THC-tolerant mice.

Animals↗

Calcium-acting drugs modulate expression and development of chronic tolerance to nicotine-induced antinociception in mice.

Initial studies in our laboratory suggested that tolerance to nicotine is thought to involve neuronal adaptation not only at the level of the drug-receptor interaction but at postreceptor events such as calcium-dependent second messengers. The present study was undertaken to investigate the hypothesis that L-type calcium channels and calcium-dependent calmodulin protein kinase II are involved in the development and expression of nicotine tolerance. To that end, the effects of modulation of L-type calcium channels (through the use of inhibitors or activators) as well as calcium-dependent calmodulin protein kinase II inactivation were studied in a mouse model of tolerance where mice were infused with nicotine in minipumps (24 mg/kg/day) for 14 days. In addition, the activity of calcium-dependent calmodulin protein kinase II in the lumbar spinal cord region obtained from nicotine-tolerant mice was measured. Our data showed that chronic administration of L-type calcium channel antagonists nimodipine (1 and 5 mg/kg) and verapamil (10 mg/kg) prevented the development of tolerance to nicotine-induced antinociception. In contrast, chronic exposure of BAYK8644 [(+/-)-1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-[2-(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl]-3-pyridine carboxylic acid methyl ester], a calcium channel activator, enhanced nicotine's tolerance. Moreover, a significant increase in both dependent and independent calcium-dependent calmodulin protein kinase II activity was seen in the spinal cord in nicotine-tolerant mice. Finally, spinal administration of 1-[N,O-bis(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-N-methyl-tyrosyl]-4-phenylpiperazine (KN-62), a calcium-dependent calmodulin protein kinase II antagonist, reduced the expression of tolerance to nicotine-induced antinociception in mice. In conclusion, our data indicate that calcium-dependent mechanisms such as L-type calcium channels and calcium-dependent calmodulin protein kinase II activation are involved in the expression and development of nicotine tolerance.

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine↗

Inhibition of phosphodiesterase 5 selectively reverses nitrate tolerance in the venous circulation.

An important component of the antianginal efficacy of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) is attributable to its selective venodilator effect, resulting in decreased cardiac preload and myocardial oxygen demand. Tolerance to nitrates occurs during chronic exposure, and the current study assessed whether this was due to increased phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity in the venous circulation. Tolerance was induced in rats by continuous exposure to 0.4 mg/h GTN for 48 h. Tension recordings of isolated femoral artery and vein indicated that tolerance was more pronounced in femoral vein. 4-[[3,4-(Methylenedioxy)benzyl]amino]-6-chloroquinazoline (MBCQ), a selective PDE5 inhibitor, significantly decreased the EC(50) values for GTN-induced relaxation in both tolerant and nontolerant tissues, but with the greatest relative shift occurring in tolerant veins. MBCQ also increased the vasodilator potency of 1,1-diethyl-2-hydroxy-2-nitrosohydrazine (DEA/NO), a nitric oxide donor; however, cross-tolerance between DEA/NO and GTN was not observed. A significant increase in cGMP PDE activity was observed in tolerant femoral vein, whereas PDE activity was unchanged in femoral artery. Conscious rats treated with hexamethonium (30 mg/kg) to induce ganglionic blockade exhibited blunted central venous pressure (CVP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) responses to bolus i.v. doses of GTN in GTN-tolerant animals. The cGMP PDE inhibitor zaprinast (1 mg/kg) selectively reversed the blunted CVP response to GTN in tolerant animals but had no effect on the CVP response to GTN in nontolerant animals or on the MAP response in either group. These results suggest that increased PDE5 activity in the venous circulation contributes to the altered hemodynamic response to GTN following chronic GTN exposure.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Reversal of morphine antinociceptive tolerance and dependence by the acute supraspinal inhibition of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II.

Previous studies have suggested that Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) can modulate opioid tolerance and dependence via its action on learning and memory. In this study, we examined whether CaMKII could directly regulate opioid tolerance and dependence. CaMKII activity was increased after the treatment with morphine (100 mg/kg s.c. or 75 mg s.c. of morphine/pellet/mouse); the effect exhibited a temporal correction with the development of opioid tolerance and dependence. In mice treated with morphine (100 mg/kg s.c.), morphine tolerance and dependence developed in 2 to 6 h. An acute supraspinal administration of KN93 [2-[N-(2-hydroxyethyl)]-N-(4-methoxybenzenesulfonyl)]amino-N-(4-chlorocinnamyl)-N-methylbenzylamine)], a CaMKII inhibitor, was able to dose-dependently reverse the already-established antinociceptive tolerance to morphine (p < 0.001 for 15-30 nmol; not significant for 5 nmol). KN92 [2-[N-(4-methoxybenzenesulfonyl)]amino-N-(4-chlorocinnamyl)-N-methylbenzylamine] (30 nmol i.c.v.), a kinase-inactive analog of KN93, did not affect opioid tolerance. Neither KN92 nor KN93 affected basal nociception or acute morphine antinociception (1-10 nmol i.c.v.). Likewise, dependence on morphine was abolished by the acute administration of KN93, but not KN92, in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment of mice with KN93 also prevented the development of morphine tolerance and dependence. The effect of acute CaMKII inhibition was not limited to the particular experimental model, because KN93 also acutely reversed the established opioid tolerance and dependence in mice treated with morphine (75 mg/pellet/mouse s.c.) for 6 days. Taken together, these data strongly support the hypothesis that CaMKII can act as a key and direct factor in promoting opioid tolerance and dependence. Identifying such a direct mechanism may be useful for designing pharmacological treatments for these conditions.

Analgesics, Opioid↗

Profound spinal tolerance after repeated exposure to a highly selective mu-opioid peptide agonist: role of delta-opioid receptors.

Recent studies suggest that delta-opioid receptors play a role in the development of opioid tolerance and led us to hypothesize that highly selective mu-opioid agonists may produce less tolerance. H-2',6'-dimethyltyrosine-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH(2) ([Dmt(1)]DALDA) has extraordinary selectivity for mu-receptors (K(i)(delta)/K(i)(mu) > 14,000). Daily administration of [Dmt(1)]DALDA (5 times ED(50); s.c.) for 7 days increased ED(50) 3.6-fold from 0.16 to 0.58 micromol/kg. A higher dose of [Dmt(1)]DALDA (10 times ED(50), every 12 h) for 2.5 days resulted in a 11.7 times increase in the ED(50) (1.9 micromol/kg). Complete cross-tolerance to morphine was observed, with a 3.4- and 15.1-fold shift in the morphine ED(50), respectively. We also compared the extent of spinal versus supraspinal tolerance after repeated s.c. [Dmt(1)]DALDA administration. Five doses of [Dmt(1)]DALDA (10 times ED(50), every 12 h) resulted in a 3.4 times shift in the i.c.v. ED(50) (15.4 versus 4.6 pmol/mouse) but a 44 times shift in the i.t. ED(50) (52.9 versus 1.2 pmol/mouse). Tolerance to [Dmt(1)]DALDA was associated with 30 to 35% reduction in [(3)H][Dmt(1)]DALDA binding in brain and spinal cord. Coadministration of [Dmt(1)]DALDA with delta-antagonist naltriben (NTB) reduced spinal tolerance by 50%. Even after spinal tolerance had been established, addition of a delta-antagonist (NTB or H-Tyr-TicPsi[CH(2)NH]Phe-Phe-OH) significantly enhanced the potency of i.t. [Dmt(1)]DALDA 2- to 4-fold. These results suggest that agonist activation of delta-receptors is not necessary for the development of opioid tolerance; however, delta-receptors play a modulatory role in the maintenance of the tolerant state.

Analgesics, Opioid↗