Neuropeptides最新文献

{"title":"The effects of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and urocortins on the serotonin (hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) released from the raphe nuclei (RN)","authors":"Aliz Kovács ,&nbsp;Patrícia Tancsics ,&nbsp;Miklós Palotai ,&nbsp;Zsolt Bagosi","doi":"10.1016/j.npep.2025.102503","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.npep.2025.102503","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and urocortins (UCN1, UCN2 and UCN3) belong to the same CRF family of neuropeptides. They regulate the neuroendocrine, autonomic and behavioral responses to stress <em>via</em> two CRF receptors (CRF1 and CRF2). Stress, anxiety and depression affects the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the serotoninergic neurotransmission, both being regulated by CRF and CRF-related peptides. However, the exact action of CRF and urocortins on the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) release was not fully elucidated yet. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the actions of CRF and urocortins on the 5HT released from the rat raphe nuclei (RN), the most important brain regions producing 5HT, and the participation of CRF receptors in these actions. In order to do so, male Wistar rats were used, their RN were isolated and dissected, and the RN slices were incubated with tritium-labelled 5HT, superfused and stimulated electrically. During superfusion, the RN slices were treated with CRF, UCN1, UCN2 or UCN3, and, when significant effect was observed, pretreated with selective CRF1 antagonist antalarmin or selective CRF2 antagonist astressin2B. The release of tritium-labelled 5HT from the RN was determined by liquid scintillation counting. CRF and UCN1 decreased significantly the tritium-labelled 5HT release from the RN, and these effects were reversed by antalarmin, but not by astressin2B. In addition, UCN3, but not UCN2, increased significantly the tritium-labelled 5HT release from the RN, and this effect was reduced by astressin2B, but not antalarmin. Our results indicate the existence of two apparently opposing CRF systems in the RN: activation of CRF1 by CRF and UCN1 may inhibit, whereas activation of CRF2 by UCN3 may stimulate the 5HT release. The dysbalance between CRF1 and CRF2 activation and, consequently, alteration of serotoninergic signalling may result in anxiety and depression, associated with hyperactivity of the HPA axis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19254,"journal":{"name":"Neuropeptides","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102503"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142971772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sucralose uses reward pathways to promote acute caloric intake","authors":"Qiao-Ping Wang ,&nbsp;An-Qi Li ,&nbsp;Bei Wang ,&nbsp;Xin-Yuan Zhao ,&nbsp;Sha-Sha Li ,&nbsp;Herbert Herzog ,&nbsp;G. Gregory Neely","doi":"10.1016/j.npep.2025.102502","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.npep.2025.102502","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) are used to reduce caloric intake by replacing sugar with compounds that are sweet but contain little or no calories. In this study, we investigate how non-nutritive sweetener sucralose to promote acute food intake in the fruit fly <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em>. Our results showed that acute exposure to NNSs sweetness induces a robust hyperphagic response in flies. Cellular and molecular dissection of this acute effect revealed the requirement of a reward pathway comprising of sweet taste neurons, octopaminergic neurons, and NPF neurons which drive increased food intake in response to sucralose. These data provide mechanistic insight into how NNSs can increase food intake, information that may help us better understand how artificially sweeteners may impact our physiology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19254,"journal":{"name":"Neuropeptides","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102502"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142966180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcranial pulsed current stimulation alleviates neuronal pyroptosis and neurological dysfunction following traumatic brain injury via the orexin-A/NLRP3 pathway","authors":"Peng Yao ,&nbsp;Qianhui Zhou ,&nbsp;Bingkai Ren ,&nbsp;Li Yang ,&nbsp;Yang Bai ,&nbsp;Zhen Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.npep.2025.102501","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.npep.2025.102501","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a life-threatening condition with high incidence and mortality rates. The current pharmacological interventions for TBI exhibit limited efficacy, underscoring the necessity to explore novel and effective therapeutic approaches to ameliorate its impact. Previous studies have indicated that transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS) can improve neurofunctional deficits in patients by modulating brain neuroplasticity. However, the exact mechanism underlying this neuroprotective effect remains elusive. In this study, mice with TBI induced by controlled cortical impact were subjected to 30 min of daily tPCS for 5 consecutive days and intraperitoneally administered an orexin receptor type 1 (OX₁R) antagonist (SB334867). The neuroprotective effects of tPCS and its potential mechanisms were assessed through behavioral tests, histopathological examination, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. In vitro experiments involved stimulating HT22 cells with LPS + ATP to assess the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of Orexin-A (OX-A) using CCK-8, Western blotting, and Flow cytometry. The results demonstrated that tPCS reduced the mNSS in TBI mice, ameliorated tissue damage, improved motor and cognitive deficits, and upregulated OX-A expression. Notably, SB334867 reversed the protective effects of tPCS. In vitro studies revealed that OX-A inhibited the formation and activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes, resulting in reduced levels of ROS and restoration of MMP. However, this effect could be reversed by the NLRP3 agonist BMS-986299. Our findings suggest that tPCS promotes the release of OX-A and modulates the OX₁R/NLRP3 pathway to mitigate the inflammatory response following TBI, thereby exerting neuroprotective effects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19254,"journal":{"name":"Neuropeptides","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102501"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143137317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of endogenous N/OFQ on DPN: Insights into lower limb blood flow regulation in rats","authors":"Yuan-jing Qin ,&nbsp;Po Zhang ,&nbsp;Peng Zhang ,&nbsp;Jing Li ,&nbsp;Qixing Yang ,&nbsp;Jun-li Sun ,&nbsp;Yu-zhang Liang ,&nbsp;Li-li Wang ,&nbsp;Lin-zhong Zhang ,&nbsp;Yi Han","doi":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102492","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102492","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes, often accompanied by impaired vascular endothelial function in the lower limbs. This dysfunction is characterized by a reduced vasodilatory response, leading to decreased blood flow in the lower limbs and ultimately contributing to the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. To delve deeper into this pathological process, the study employed bioinformatics to identify and analyze genes highly active in DPN. The investigation revealed that Membrane metallo-endopeptidase (MME) was effectively mitigated by its antagonist. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats served as the model to systematically explore the intrinsic connection among the nociceptible/orphanin FQ-N/OFQ receptor (N/OFQ-NOP) system, femoral artery blood flow in the lower extremities, MME, and DPN. The rats were randomized into two groups: a control group and a DPN group induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 55 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ), with 6 rats in each group. The findings indicated that compared to the control group, the DPN group exhibited a significant reduction in femoral artery blood flow. This was accompanied by a notable increase in serum N/OFQ concentration, heightened expression of opioid-related nociceptive protein receptor 1 (OPRL1) and MME in femoral artery tissues of the lower limbs, and an elevated sciatic nerve stimulation threshold. These results suggest that the serum N/OFQ level in DPN rats is increased, which may promote the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy by up regulating MME and reducing peripheral flow distribution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19254,"journal":{"name":"Neuropeptides","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102492"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142792147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"FMRFamide G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) in the cuttlefish Sepiella japonica: Identification, characterization and expression profile","authors":"Jian-jun Xie ,&nbsp;Ying Li ,&nbsp;Jun-hong Wu,&nbsp;Pei-xuan Fang,&nbsp;Shuang Li,&nbsp;Xu Zhou,&nbsp;Chang-feng Chi","doi":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102491","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102491","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>FMRFamide is a ubiquitous neuromodulator in the animal kingdom. Once FMRFamide or similar neuropeptides bind to their G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR), a series of signal transduction events are triggered, thereby mediating various physiological effects. FMRFamide had been reported to be involved in the regulation of sexual maturation in <em>Sepiella japonica</em>. In this research, the full-length cDNA of <em>FMRFamide G protein-coupled receptor of S. japonica</em> (<em>SjFaGPCR</em>) was cloned. The sequence is 1396 bp long and encodes a protein consisting of 418 amino acid residues, lacking a signal peptide at the N-terminal region. The 3D structure of <em>Sj</em>FaGPCR was predicted using <em>Todarodes pacificus</em> rhodopsin as a template, and the result indicated the presence of seven transmembrane regions. Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic trees indicated that <em>Sj</em>FaGPCR is conserved among invertebrates, and shares highly similar sequence characteristics with other cephalopods. <em>In situ</em> hybridization (ISH) results revealed that significant signals of <em>SjFaGPCR</em> were detected in the central medulla and the granular layer cells of the optic lobe, and were also observed in the supraesophageal and subesophageal masses of the brain<em>.</em> Meanwhile, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) results showed that a higher expression level of <em>SjFaGPCR</em> mRNA was detected in the brain and optic lobe of female cuttlefish at stage III and stage VI, and also in the brain (stage V) and optic lobe (stages IV and V) of male cuttlefish than that in other tissues. The co-localization results demonstrated that fluorescence signals of <em>Sj</em>FMRFamide and <em>Sj</em>FaGPCR were overlapped in HEK293 cells, suggesting a possible interaction between the <em>Sj</em>FMRFamide and <em>Sj</em>FaGPCR. These findings provide molecular support for further exploring the roles of FMRFamide and FaGPCR in the reproductive regulation of <em>S. japonica</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19254,"journal":{"name":"Neuropeptides","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102491"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142770728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antioxidant PRDX3 gene therapy protects brain cells and prevents neurodegeneration in an animal model of Parkinson's disease","authors":"Sheila Adela Villa-Cedillo ,&nbsp;Esrom Jared Acosta-Espinoza ,&nbsp;Adolfo Soto-Domínguez ,&nbsp;Humberto Rodríguez-Rocha ,&nbsp;Carlos R. Montes-de-Oca-Saucedo ,&nbsp;Aracely García-García ,&nbsp;María de Jesús Loera-Arias ,&nbsp;Cristina Sarahi Ríos-Vazquez ,&nbsp;Guillermo Sánchez-Torres ,&nbsp;Jesús Valdés ,&nbsp;Odila Saucedo-Cárdenas","doi":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102494","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102494","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's Disease (PD), are a significant global health challenge with no effective therapies to counteract neurodegeneration. Genetic and environmental factors lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in oxidative stress. This stress reduces levels of Peroxiredoxin 3 (PRDX3), a key protein for maintaining ROS balance at the mitochondrial level, increasing the substantia nigra's susceptibility to damage. To investigate the protective role of antioxidant gene therapy in a PD model, we overexpressed the PRDX3 enzyme using a cell-penetrating peptide-based delivery system (mRVG9R-PRDX3 complex). The mRVG9R peptide was combined with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter plasmid expressing PRDX3 to create the complex. Overexpression of the PRDX3 gene in neuronal phenotype cells was confirmed in vitro using dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells. Following successful in vitro expression, the mRVG9R-PRDX3 complex was stereotaxically injected into the striatum of male C57BL/6 mice. The PD model was induced by administering paraquat (PQ) twice a week for 6 weeks. After the final PQ injection, motor and cognitive functions were evaluated, followed by histological analysis. Animals treated with the mRVG9R-PRDX3 complex showed a clear reduction in PQ-induced PD symptomatology and prevented cellular senescence in the substantia nigra's neuronal population. The mRVG9R-PRDX3 gene therapy improved motor and cognitive functions in the PD animal model and demonstrated potential in protecting substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons from PQ-induced death.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19254,"journal":{"name":"Neuropeptides","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102494"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142907342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phoenixin-14 inhibits the formation of cerebral aneurysms in rats by downregulating the p38/NF-κB signaling pathway","authors":"Qizheng Li ,&nbsp;Lin Zeng ,&nbsp;Songyang Peng ,&nbsp;Mengting Zhu ,&nbsp;Yaodan Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102493","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102493","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cerebral aneurysms (CA) are a serious condition characterized by the bulging of a blood vessel in the brain, which can lead to rupture and life-threatening bleeding. The pathophysiology of CA involves complex processes, particularly inflammation and macrophage infiltration. Phoenixin-14 (PNX-14) is a neuropeptide with diverse biological effects, including roles in reproduction, energy homeostasis, and inflammation. Recent evidence has highlighted the therapeutic potential of PNX-14 in various conditions. Notably, PNX-14 has demonstrated neuroprotective effects in the central nervous system, and we hypothesized that it could also offer vascular protection in the context of CA. In this study, we demonstrate that serum PNX-14 levels are reduced in patients and rat models with CA compared to healthy controls. Our findings show that PNX-14 administration significantly reduces aneurysmal size in a rat model with left renal artery ligation. Furthermore, PNX-14 mitigates the inflammatory response by inhibiting the expression of IL-1β and MCP-1 at both the mRNA and protein levels in the Circle of Willis (COW) region. PNX-14 treatment also decreases the levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the COW region. Mechanistically, PNX-14 suppresses macrophage infiltration and inhibits the activation of the p38/NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings suggest that PNX-14 could be a promising therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of CA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19254,"journal":{"name":"Neuropeptides","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102493"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143008140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Protective effect of Apelin-13 on D-glutamic acid-induced excitotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cell line: An in-vitro study","authors":"Kadriye Yağmur Oruç ,&nbsp;Gökhan Ağtürk ,&nbsp;Aykut Oruç ,&nbsp;Karolin Yanar ,&nbsp;Hakkı Oktay Seymen","doi":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102483","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102483","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Excitotoxicity, resulting from excessive accumulation of glutamate in the extracellular space, leads to neuronal cell death. This study investigates the protective effects of Apelin-13 on D-Glutamic acid-induced excitotoxicity in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells, an in-vitro model for neurodegenerative diseases. Unlike the commonly studied L-glutamic acid, this research focuses on D-Glutamic acid to understand its specific impacts. SH-SY5Y cells were treated with varying concentrations of D-Glutamic acid and Apelin-13, followed by analyses at 12 and 24 h to evaluate cell viability, oxidative stress markers, and inflammatory cytokine levels. Cell viability assays revealed significant cytotoxic effects of D-Glutamic acid at doses of 10 mM and 20 mM, reducing viability by over 50 %. However, Apelin-13 treatment mitigated these effects, especially at 2 μg/ml, enhancing cell viability and reducing inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1β and TNF-α). Apelin-13 also increased anti-inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-10 and TGF-β1) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), indicating its neuroprotective role. Oxidative stress markers, including ROS, AGE, AOPP, DT, T-SH, were significantly elevated by D-Glutamic acid but effectively reduced by Apelin-13. The neuroprotective mechanisms of Apelin-13 involve modulation of cAMP/PKA and MAPK signaling pathways, enhancing BDNF synthesis and suppressing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. This study is the first to demonstrate the effects of D-Glutamic acid on SH-SY5Y cells. It highlights Apelin-13's potential as a therapeutic agent against excitotoxicity-induced neuronal damage, emphasizing its ability to modulate key molecular pathways involved in inflammation and oxidative stress. Further in-vivo studies are warranted to explore the long-term neuroprotective effects of Apelin-13 in treating neurodegenerative diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19254,"journal":{"name":"Neuropeptides","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102483"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142639305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuroanatomical mapping of spexin and nesfatin-1-expressing neurons in the human brainstem","authors":"Artur Pałasz ,&nbsp;Klaudia Ozimirska ,&nbsp;Aleksandra Suszka-Świtek ,&nbsp;Katarzyna Bogus ,&nbsp;Iwona Błaszczyk ,&nbsp;Veerta Sharma ,&nbsp;Marta Pukowiec ,&nbsp;John J. Worthington ,&nbsp;Izabela Młynarczuk-Biały ,&nbsp;Anna Lipiec-Borowicz","doi":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102484","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102484","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Neuropeptides are involved in numerous brain activities being able to control a wide spectrum of physiological functions. In recent years, a number of novel pleiotropic regulatory peptides have been discovered in animal brain structures. The purpose of this descriptive neurochemical investigation was to detect the possible expression of the novel multifunctional neuropeptides spexin (SPX) and nesfatin-1 within the human brainstem. Using immunohistochemical and fluorescence techniques, neuroanatomical analysis of the SPX and nesfatin-1 expression and distribution was performed in selected sections of the human midbrain and medulla oblongata. The presence of SPX-positive neurons in the human brainstem was revealed for the first time and previous reports on the expression of nesfatin-1 were additionally confirmed. The research results suggest that SPX and nesfatin-1 are new regulatory neuropeptides of the human brainstem potentially involved in the regulation of key autonomic activities of this brain region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19254,"journal":{"name":"Neuropeptides","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 102484"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142624999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuropeptide FF prevented histamine- or chloroquine-induced acute itch behavior through non-NPFF receptors mechanism in male mice","authors":"Honghai Tang ,&nbsp;Ting Zhang ,&nbsp;Jiamin Feng ,&nbsp;Mengna Zhang ,&nbsp;Biao Xu ,&nbsp;Qinqin Zhang ,&nbsp;Ning Li ,&nbsp;Nan Zhang ,&nbsp;Quan Fang","doi":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102481","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.npep.2024.102481","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The neuropeptide FF (NPFF) system regulates various physiological and pharmacological functions, particularly pain modulation. However, the modulatory effect of NPFF system on itch remains unclear. To investigate the modulatory effect and functional mechanism induced by NPFF system on acute itch, we examined the effects of supraspinal administration of NPFF and related peptides on acute itch induced by intradermal (i.d.) injection of histamine or chloroquine in male mice. Our results indicated that intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of NPFF dose-dependently prevented histamine- or chloroquine-induced acute itch behaviors. In addition, the modulatory effect of NPFF was not affected by the selective NPFF receptor antagonist RF9. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of NPVF and dNPA, the selective agonists of NPFF₁ and NPFF₂ receptors respectively, on the acute itch. The results demonstrated that both NPFF agonists effectively prevented acute itch induced by histamine or chloroquine in a manner similar to NPFF, and their effects were also not modified by RF9. To further investigate the possible mechanism of the NPFF receptors agonists, the NPFF-derived analogues [Phg⁸]-NPFF and NPFF(1–7)-NH₂ that could not activate NPFF receptors in cAMP assays were subsequently tested in the acute itch model. Interestingly, [Phg⁸]-NPFF, but not NPFF(1–7)-NH₂, prevented acute itch behavior after i.c.v. administration. In conclusion, our findings reveal that NPFF and related peptides prevent histamine- and chloroquine-induced acute itch through a NPFF receptor-independent mechanism. And it was revealed that the C-terminal phenyl structure of NPFF may play a crucial role in these modulatory effects on acute itch.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19254,"journal":{"name":"Neuropeptides","volume":"108 ","pages":"Article 102481"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142587200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}