Aya Reda
Pronouns:
Research Mentor(s): Emily Jutkiewicz
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Pharmacology / Medicine
Program:
Authors: Aya Reda, Farzanna Mohamed, Emily Jutkiewicz
Session: Session 2: 10:00 am – 10:50 am
Poster: 52
Abstract
Pain is often treated with opioid analgesics that bind to and activate µ-opioid receptors. The µ-opioid receptors (MORs) are inhibitory Gi/o- protein-coupled receptors and are widely distributed across the peripheral and central nervous systems. When an agonist binds to the MORs, it releases the alpha and beta-gamma subunits of the heterotrimeric G-protein. Previous research has shown that gallein, a small molecule Gßg inhibitor, can potentiate the antinociceptive effects of morphine in the warm water tail withdrawal assay at 55°C. We hypothesize that gallein will attenuate the nociceptive effects of noxious stimuli by enhancing endogenously-mediated MOR activation. Our preliminary data has shown that gallein produces dose-dependent (0-100mg/kg, i.p.), naloxone-sensitive antihyperalgesia (NLX, 1mg/kg, i.p.) in nitroglycerin-induced hypersensitivity (NTG 10mg/kg, i.p.). After examining nociceptive effects in WWTW, we assessed the affective components of NTG-induced hypersensitivity through conditioned place aversion (CPA). For this assay, mice were injected with saline or NTG (10 mg/kg, i.p.) and confined to different environments within a 2 chambered apparatus. Following multiple days of pairing treatment with environment (process called conditioning), mice were given access to both sides of the chamber and side preference was evaluated. We hypothesized that NTG alone will induce conditioned place aversion. Our initial findings suggest that NTG alone may not be able to induce a conditioned place aversion in all mice.
