Capsaicin increases GFAP and glutamine synthetase immunoreactivity in rat arcuate nucleus and median eminence.

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Okere CO, Waterhouse BD

Capsaicin increases GFAP and glutamine synthetase immunoreactivity in rat arcuate nucleus and median eminence.

Neuroreport. 2004 Feb 9;15(2):255-8.

PubMed ID

15076747 [ View in PubMed

]

Abstract

Antibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and glutamine synthetase (GS) were used to determine the effect of s.c. capsaicin (after 75 min) on astroglial cells in the rat arcuate nucleus-median eminence (ARC-ME). Compared to vehicle, capsaicin significantly increased GFAP and GS immunoreactivity in the ARC-ME. Co-localization of GFAP and GS was observed in the ARC-ME complex. Since GS is primarily responsible for glutamate-glutamine metabolism, the increase in total immunostaining for GFAP-and GS- staining suggests a functional adjustment to cope with some of the capsaicin-induced effects. Together with the involvement of nitric oxide synthase in the ARC-ME response to capsaicin, these observations indicate activity-dependent plasticity of the neuron-glia network in response to this stressful/noxious stimulus.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Enzymes

Drug	Enzyme	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Capsaicin	Glutamine synthetase	Protein	Humans	Unknown	Inducer	Details