Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P61278 (somatostatin)
 22,083 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The substantia gelatinosa (SG) of the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) receives many thin-myelinated Adelta-fiber and unmyelinated C primary afferent fibers and has been implicated in the processing of nociceptive information. Somatostatin (SST) is a neuromodulator in the brain and spinal cord. A number of studies have demonstrated that SST can play a key role in pain modulation at the spinal cord level. However, there is little information available on functional SST receptor expression in the SG neurons of the Vc in mice. This study examined the direct membrane effects of SST and SST receptor type 2 agonist, seglitide (SEG) on the SG neurons of Vc in gramicidin perforated current clamp mode. In addition, SSTR2 mRNA expression was detected on the SG neurons using single cell RT-PCR in juvenile mice. Most SG neurons (37/68, 54%) were hyperpolarized after a bath application of SST. When SST was applied in stages, the second responses (83% of the first response) were less intense than those after the first application suggesting that SSTRs are desensitized by repeated application. The SST-induced hyperpolarizing response was maintained in the presence of TTX (Na(+) channel blocker), AP-5 (NMDA receptor antagonist), CNQX (non-NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist), picrotoxin (GABA(A) receptor antagonist) and strychnine (glycine receptor antagonist), respectively, suggesting that SST has direct effects on the postsynaptic SG neurons. SSTR2 mRNA was detected in 11 out of 28 (39%) SG neurons tested. The SST-induced hyperpolarizing effects were mimicked by SEG, a SSTR2 agonist. These results suggest that functional SSTR2 receptors are expressed on the SG neurons of Vc in juvenile mice and can be a potential target for modulating orofacial pain.
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PMID:Inhibitory effects of somatostatin on the substantia gelatinosa neurons of trigeminal subnucleus caudalis via somatostatin type 2 receptors in juvenile mice. 1978 64

Nociceptive stimulation has been considered to affect the expression of genes encoding endogenous neuropeptides and their receptors. The effect of electric stimulation of the tooth pulp and/or periaqueductal gray (PAG) in rats on mRNA levels of the selected neuropeptides and opioid receptors (ORs) was investigated in comparison with control group, without stimulation. The levels of mRNA for the selected neuropeptides: galanin (GAL), vasopressin (AVP), oxytocin (OT), substance P (SP), somatostatin (SOM), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), endomorphin-2 (EM-2), and opioid receptors: MOR, DOR and KOR in mesencephalic, hypothalamic and thalamic tissues were determined by real-time PCR. It was demonstrated that in the control group expression of the tested neuropeptides was at a very low level in the mesencephalon and thalamus, but at the higher level in the hypothalamus. The highest expression of ORs was observed in the mesencephalon. Nociceptive tooth pulp stimulation had the strongest effect in the hypothalamus, elevating mRNA levels of all tested neuropeptides except SOM. Electric stimulation of PAG either did not change or down-regulated mRNA levels of the neuropeptides in the cerebral structures. Simultaneous stimulation of PAG and tooth pulp either did not affect mRNA levels of the investigated neuropeptides or caused their slight decrease versus tooth pulp stimulation. The noxious stimulation of tooth pulp increased also the levels of OR mRNAs, while stimulation of PAG had the opposite effect. The above results demonstrated that tooth pulp stimulation significantly up-regulated the mRNA levels for a number of neuropeptides and all three types of ORs in the rat brain, which would result in more potent antinociception. In contrast, PAG stimulation down-regulated the mRNA levels of several neuropeptides and ORs in the cerebral tissues, which would cause decreased synthesis of ORs. The obtained results represent a new insight into the mechanism of orofacial pain.
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PMID:Effect of tooth pulp and periaqueductal central gray stimulation on the expression of genes encoding the selected neuropeptides and opioid receptors in the mesencephalon, hypothalamus and thalamus in rats. 2124 68