Inhibition of Dorsal Root Ganglia Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 Upregulation Contributes to the Protective Effect of Morphine Against Gastric Mucosal Damage Induced by Water-Immersion Restraint Stress

Turk J Gastroenterol. 2024 Feb 23;35(6):453-464. doi: 10.5152/tjg.2024.23267.

Abstract

The pathogenesis mechanism of acute gastric mucosal lesions (AGML) is still unclear; further exploration is urgently needed to find a new therapeutic target. This study aimed to investigate whether morphine might regulate the expression and function of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) through a cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA)-dependent pathway, thereby alleviating gastric mucosal lesions caused by water-immersion restraint stress (WIRS). Rats were administered with intrathecal morphine, TRPA1 antagonist (HC-030031), µ-opioid receptor antagonist, or protein kinase A inhibitor (H-89), respectively, before WIRS. After 6 hours of WIRS, microscopic lesions, hematoxylin and eosin staining, and transmission electron microscopy were applied to assess the damage of the gastric mucosa. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were conducted to detect the levels of TRPA1 and substance P (SP) in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and gastric tissues. In addition, immunofluorescence was used to explore the possible co-expression of TRPA1 and µ-opioid receptors in the DRG. The results indicated that WIRS upregulated TRPA1 and SP in gastric mucosa, and HC-030031 or H-89 could alleviate gastric mucosal lesions caused by WIRS (P < .0001). Morphine was found to suppress both WIRS-induced gastric mucosal lesions (P < .0001) and the upregulation of TRPA1 (P = .0086) and SP (P = .0013). Both TRPA1 and SP play important roles in the pathogenesis of WIRS-induced AGML. Exogenous gastroprotective strategies reduce elevated levels of TRPA1 via the cAMP/PKA-dependent pathway. Inhibition of TRPA1 upregulation in the DRG is critical for intrathecal morphine preconditioning-induced gastric protection.

MeSH terms

  • Acetanilides / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Cyclic AMP / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Ganglia, Spinal* / drug effects
  • Ganglia, Spinal* / metabolism
  • Gastric Mucosa* / drug effects
  • Gastric Mucosa* / metabolism
  • Immersion
  • Isoquinolines* / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Morphine* / pharmacology
  • Purines / pharmacology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley*
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu / metabolism
  • Restraint, Physical* / adverse effects
  • Stress, Psychological / complications
  • Sulfonamides
  • TRPA1 Cation Channel* / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation* / drug effects

Substances

  • Morphine
  • TRPA1 Cation Channel
  • Trpa1 protein, rat
  • 2-(1,3-dimethyl-2,6-dioxo-1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-7H-purin-7-yl)-N-(4-isopropylphenyl)acetamide
  • Isoquinolines
  • Acetanilides
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Purines
  • N-(2-(4-bromocinnamylamino)ethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Sulfonamides

Grants and funding

The study was funded by the Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Traditional Chinese Medicine (number: 20201123).