Inhibitory effects of microinjection of morphine into thalamic nucleus submedius on ipsilateral paw bee venom-induced inflammatory pain in the rat

Objective To examine whether microinjectlon of morphine into the rat thaiamle nucleus submedlus (Sin) could depress the bee venom (BV)-induced nociceptive behaviours. Methods In inflammatory pain model induced by BV subcutaneous injection into rat unilateral hind paw, the inhibitory effects of morphine microinjection into thalamic nucleus suhmedius (Sin) on the spontaneous nociecptlve behavior, heat hyperalgesia and tactile ailodynia, and the influence of naioxone on the morphine effects were observed in the rat. Results A single dose of morphine (5.0 μg, 0. 5μL) applied into the Sm ipsilaterni to the BV injected paw significantly depressed the spontaneous paw flinching response. Morphine also significantly increased the heat paw withdrawal iateneies in the bilateral hind paw and the tactile paw withdrawal threshold in the ipsilnteral hind paw 2 hours after BV injection. All these depressive effects could be effectively antagonized by pre-treatment with the opiuld receptor antagonist naloxone (1.0μg, 0. 5μL) in the Sm 5rain prior to morphine administration. Naloxone alone injected to the Sm had no effect on the BV-induecd nociceptive behavior. Conclusion These results suggest that Sm is involved in opioid receptor-mediated antt-nociception in the rat with the BV-induced inflammatory pain. Together with results from previous studies, it is likely that this effect is produced by activation of the Sm-ventrolateral orbital cortex-periaqueductal gray pathway, leading to activation of the brainstem descending inhibitory system and depression of the nodceptive inputs at the spinal cord level.     

Expression and Purification of the Melittin Gene from Polistes hebraeus by the GST Gene Fusion System

The venoms of Hymenopteran social waspsand bees such as hornets, paper wasps and honey-bees are used to defend themselves and their lar-vae. Stinging with these venoms can produce se-vere pain, local damage and occasionally death inlarge vertebrates including man. Comparing withhoney bees, solitary wasps use their venoms in adifferent way, for preying on the captures. Theyinject their venoms to insects or spiders and para-lyze the preys to feed their larvae[1,2]. Melittin, theprincipal protei…     

SCREENING A CDNA LIBRARY FOR PHOSPHOLIPASE A2 CLONES USING BLOOD AGAR PLATES

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