Skip to main content
Download PDF
Download ePub

Endovanilloids are potential activators of the trigeminovascular nocisensor complex

The Journal of Headache and Pain volume 17, Article number: 53 (2016) Cite this article

Abstract

Background

In the dura mater encephali a significant population of trigeminal afferents coexpress the nociceptive ion channel transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) receptor and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Release of CGRP serves the central transmission of sensory information, initiates local tissue reactions and may also sensitize the nociceptive pathway. To reveal the possible activation of meningeal TRPV1 receptors by endogenously synthetized agonists, the effects of arachidonylethanolamide (anandamide) and N-arachidonoyl-dopamine (NADA) were studied on dural vascular reactions and meningeal CGRP release.

Methods

Changes in meningeal blood flow were measured with laser Doppler flowmetry in a rat open cranial window preparation following local dural applications of anandamide and NADA. The release of CGRP evoked by endovanilloids was measured with ELISA in an in vitro dura mater preparation.

Results

Topical application of NADA induced a significant dose-dependent increase in meningeal blood flow that was markedly inhibited by pretreatments with the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine, the CGRP antagonist CGRP8–37, or by prior systemic capsaicin desensitization. Administration of anandamide resulted in minor increases in meningeal blood flow that was turned into vasoconstriction at the higher concentration. In the in vitro dura mater preparation NADA evoked a significant increase in CGRP release. Cannabinoid CB1 receptors of CGRP releasing nerve fibers seem to counteract the TRPV1 agonistic effect of anandamide in a dose-dependent fashion, a result which is confirmed by the facilitating effect of CB1 receptor inhibition on CGRP release and its reversing effect on the blood flow.

Conclusions

The present findings demonstrate that endovanilloids are potential activators of meningeal TRPV1 receptors and, consequently the trigeminovascular nocisensor complex that may play a significant role in the pathophysiology of headaches. The results also suggest that prejunctional CB1 receptors may modulate meningeal vascular responses.

Background

The pathophysiology of primary headaches is thought to involve an activation of trigeminal sensory nerves that densely innervate the dura mater encephali. The activation of trigeminal peptidergic dural afferents elicits both nociceptive and local vascular responses. Prolonged activation of meningeal primary afferents may even sensitize second order neurons of the nociceptive pathway in the caudal trigeminal nucleus [1, 2]. Neurogenic inflammation of meningeal tissues is a process that accompanies nociception and the generation of pain and is therefore frequently used as a readout of nociceptive events possibly leading to headaches [3]. A great body of experimental evidence indicates that in a variety of organs neurogenic inflammatory responses are mediated by chemosensitive primary sensory neurons which can be selectively activated with capsaicin. Importantly, chemosensitive afferents besides conveying nociceptive information to the central nervous system release vasoactive peptides, such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) from their peripheral endings producing a sterile neurogenic inflammation [4–8]. Recent studies in our laboratory have revealed that a significant population of meningeal sensory nerves is sensitive to capsaicin and expresses the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) receptor [9–11], a non-selective cation channel that serves as a molecular integrator of different noxious stimuli, such as heat, low pH and chemical irritants like capsaicin [12, 13]. Accordingly, stimulation of dural sensory nerves with capsaicin results in an increase in meningeal blood flow which is mediated by CGRP via the activation of the TRPV1 receptor [9, 14]. In the meninges, the release of neuropeptides may be accompanied by an increase in vascular permeability and degranulation of mast cells besides arterial vasodilatation [15].

Based on experimental and clinical observations a pathophysiological role for meningeal TRPV1 activation in primary headaches and the TRPV1 receptor as a novel target for antimigraine drugs have been suggested. Hence, the specific antimigraine drug sumatriptan has been shown to inhibit the TRPV1-mediated activation of trigeminal ganglion neurons innervating the rat dura mater [16]. The use of kinase inhibitors counteracting an enhanced activity or an increased expression of the TRPV1 receptor was also suggested as a promising new approach of headache therapy [17]. Desensitization of the receptor by the TRPV1 agonist olvanil modulated neuronal activity within the trigeminocervical complex by acting on both vanilloid and cannabinoid receptors [18].

Activation of meningeal chemosensitive afferents expressing TRPV1 nociceptive channels may initiate a complex interplay among the different components of the trigeminovascular nocisensor complex that consists of the trigeminovascular chemosensitive primary afferent neurons with their peripheral and central processes, the meningeal vascular bed and dural mast cells and macrophages [19]. The events, which follow the activation of dural chemosensitive nocisensors, may be regarded as components of a positive feedback regulation, which may augment the initial vascular and nociceptive responses. In addition, neurogenic sensory vasodilatation may have also beneficial effects by removing tissue metabolites inducing, aggravating or maintaining headache attacks [19].

Clinical studies support the role of CGRP in the pathophysiology of headaches; during migraine attacks increased levels of CGRP could be measured in jugular venous blood collected from the affected side [20]. Further, CGRP receptor antagonists seem to be promising new drugs in the medication of migraine attacks since they reduce significantly the severity of headache pain [21, 22].

The significance of chemosensitive primary sensory neurons in headache mechanisms is further supported by the observation that some pathophysiological events may sensitize meningeal sensory nerves [11]. Further, the hypothesis has also been put forward that peripheral sensitization may be responsible for the intracranial hypersensitivity observed in migraine and other types of headaches when otherwise innocuous stimuli or even pulsatile changes in meningeal blood flow or intracranial pressure activate the trigeminal nociceptive pathway [23]. Prolonged activation of the primary sensory neurons may also alter the excitability of second-order neurons in the caudal trigeminal nuclear complex leading to the central sensitization of the nociceptive pathway which, in turn, increases the transmission of nociceptive information [24].

Different metabolites of membrane lipids have been recently characterized as endogenous activators of the TRPV1 receptor [25]. Many endovanilloids were shown to act also as endogenous cannabinoids [26]. Arachidonylethanolamide (anandamide) is probably the most widely studied endogenous ligand in the trigeminal system that acts on both cannabinoid (CB) and TRPV1 receptors. During migraine attacks endogenous ligands of the TRPV1 receptor may play more important role in the activation of peptidergic nociceptive primary afferents than heat or low pH. Putative endovanilloids may mediate meningeal vascular reactions in a similar way as capsaicin, through the release of CGRP induced via the activation of the TRPV1 receptor. In studying the biological activity of endovanilloid compounds, simultaneous activations of the TRPV1 and the CB receptors with pre- and postsynaptic localizations should be considered. In the trigeminal system cannabinoid CB1 receptor immunoreactive neurons were found mainly in the maxillary and mandibular divisions of the trigeminal nerve [27]. These branches of the trigeminal nerve innervate the temporal part of the dura mater where its main arterial blood vessels, the branches of the middle meningeal artery are also localized. Earlier observations indicate, that activation of trigeminal CB1 receptors inhibited dural vasodilatation brought about by electrical stimulation of the dura mater [28], and the release of CGRP induced by thermal stimulation in an in vitro dura mater preparation [29].

The aim of this study was to reveal the contribution of intracranial TRPV1 and CB1 receptor activation to changes in meningeal blood flow elicited by topically applied endogenous vanilloid/cannabinoid compounds, anandamide and N-arachidonoyl-dopamine (NADA), which have been previously identified in dorsal root ganglion neurons [30–33].

Methods

Experimental animals and surgery

Experiments were approved by the Ethical Committee for Animal Care of the University of Szeged (XIV/00065/2011). Study procedures were carried out in accordance with the Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament. All efforts were made to minimize the number of animals used and their suffering. Control and capsaicin-desensitized adult male Wistar rats weighing 300–350 g were used, the number of animals in different experimental groups were between n: 6–13. Animals were raised and maintained under standard laboratory conditions. Capsaicin desensitization of animals was induced by subcutaneous injections of capsaicin on three consecutive days at increasing doses of 10, 20 and 100 mg/kg [34]. Intact animals and rats given the solvent for capsaicin (6 % ethanol and 8 % Tween 80 in saline) served as controls. Rats were anaesthetized with an initial dose of thiopental sodium (120 mg/kg, i.p. Thiopental, Biochemie GmbH, Austria). Additional doses of thiopental sodium (25 mg/kg i.p.) were administered throughout the experiment to avoid changes of systemic blood pressure or nociceptive reactions to noxious stimuli. Systemic blood pressure was recorded with a pressure transducer via a cannula inserted into the femoral artery. The animals were tracheotomized and breathed spontaneously [9]. The body temperature was kept at 37–37.5 °C with a heating pad. A cranial window for the measurement of dural blood flow was prepared according to Kurosawa et al. [35]; the head of the animal was fixed in a stereotaxic frame, the scalp was removed and the parietal bone was exposed on one side. A cranial window was drilled with a saline-cooled drill into the exposed parietal bone.

Drug application

The open cranial window was filled with a modified synthetic interstitial fluid (SIF) containing (in mM) 135 NaCl, 5 KCl, 1 MgCl2, 5 CaCl2, 10 glucose and 10 Hepes [36]. Stock solutions of capsaicin, capsazepine, anandamide, NADA and the CB1 receptor antagonist AM 251 were prepared. Capsaicin (32 mM) and capsazepine (1 mM) were dissolved in saline containing 6 % ethanol and 8 % Tween 80, stock solutions of anandamide (14 mM), NADA (11 mM) and AM 251 (10 mM) were prepared with ethanol. Before the experiment drugs were further diluted with SIF to their final concentration.

At the beginning of the experiments the blood flow increasing effect of capsaicin (100 nM) was measured, then anandamide or NADA were applied at increasing concentrations (anandamide 100 nM, 1 μM and 10 μM, NADA 10 nM, 100 nM and 1 μM). To minimize the desensitizing effect of repeated vanilloid applications, in this series of experiments drugs were applied for 3 min.

To determine the contribution of TRPV1-receptors and the role of CGRP in the endovanilloid-induced changes in meningeal blood flow, the TRPV1-receptor antagonist capsazepine (10 μM) or the CGRP-receptor antagonist CGRP8–37 (100 μM) were applied onto the exposed surface of the dura mater, respectively. Five min later, NADA (100 nM) was administered for 3 min. In capsaicin-desensitized animals meningeal blood flow changes induced by the topical application of capsaicin (100 nM) and NADA (100 nM) were determined. In control and capsaicin-desensitized animals histamine at 10 μM was applied onto the dura mater for 3 min after completion of the measurement of the vanilloid-induced blood flow changes. To study the role of CB1 receptor activation on endovanilloid-induced meningeal vasodilatation, the effects of anandamide (10 μM) administrations were tested before and after CB1 receptor antagonist AM 251 (100 μM) application for 5 min. In some experiments the vasodilatory effect of anandamide (10 μM) was tested also after blocking both CB1- and CGRP receptors with pre-treatment of the dura mater with AM 251 (100 μM) and CGRP8–37 (100 μM).

Anandamide, NADA and AM 251 were purchased from Tocris Bioscience (United Kingdom), all the other drugs from Sigma-Aldrich Chemie Gmbh (Germany).

Measurement of dural blood flow and evaluation of data

Meningeal blood flow was recorded on-line with a needle type probe of a laser Doppler flowmeter (Perimed, Sweden) over branches of the middle meningeal artery. To minimize flow signals from the cortical blood vessels, recording sites lying distant from the visible cortical blood vessels were chosen. Under these circumstances, changes in the laser Doppler signal almost exclusively reflected the changes in meningeal blood flow [35]. Meningeal blood flow (measured in perfusion units, PU), systemic blood pressure and body temperature were stored and processed with the Perisoft program (Perimed, Sweden). The basal blood flow was the mean flow value measured during a 5-min period prior to drug application. The percentage changes induced in the blood flow by topical applications of capsaicin, endovanilloids and histamine were determined as mean flow values relative to the basal blood flow, calculated as average for the 3 min application periode. The effects of TRPV1-, CGRP- and CB1-receptor antagonists on the endovanilloid-induced blood flow changes were determined by comparing the changes in blood flow in response to NADA before and after the application of the respective antagonist(s).

Measurement of meningeal CGRP release in vitro

The release of CGRP from the dural afferent nerves was measured by the method of Ebersberger et al. [37]. Control rats were deeply anaesthetized with thiopental sodium (150 mg/kg, i.p.) and decapitated. After removal of the skin and muscles, the skull was divided into halves along the midline and the cerebral hemispheres were removed. The skull preparations were washed with SIF at room temperature for 30 min and then mounted in a humid chamber at 37 °C. The cranial fossae were filled with 300 μl of SIF solution. In one series of experiments three consecutive samples of the superfusate were collected at periods of 5 min by carefully removing the content of the skull halves with a pipette. The first sample served as reference indicating the basal CGRP release in the dura mater. The second sample was collected after incubation in the presence of NADA at 100 nM and the third sample after capsaicin at 100 nM. In another series of experiments the effect of CB1 receptor antagonist pre-treatment was studied on the anandamide-(10 μM) induced CGRP release; in these preparations after measuring the basal CGRP release, anandamide (10 μM) was applied twice for five minutes. CB1 receptor antagonist AM 251 was applied at 100 μM prior to the second anandamide application. All samples were frozen at −70 °C for later analysis.

The CGRP contents of the samples were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay kit (Bertin Pharma, France). The absorbance of the reaction product representing the CGRP content of the sample was determined photometrically, using a microplate reader (DYNEX MRX). CGRP content was measured in pg/ml, changes induced in CGRP release by vanilloids were expressed as percentage changes relative to the basal release calculated for the 5-min application period. Changes in anandamide-induced CGRP release were compared before and after blocking the CB1 receptors with its antagonist.

Statistics

All values were expressed as mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using Statistica 12 (StatSoft, Tulsa, OK, USA). For the statistical comparisons one-way ANOVA followed by the Bonferroni test was used. A probability level of p < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.

Results

Effect of topical application of vanilloids on dural blood flow

In accord with previous findings [9], in control rats topical application of the exogenous vanilloid capsaicin at a concentration of 100 nM produced significant increases in blood flow which amounted to 16.4 ± 3.4 % (n = 7, p = 0.002) of the baseline value. Administration of the endovanilloid anandamide resulted in minor changes of meningeal blood flow. At concentrations of 100 nM and 1 μM anandamide slightly increased meningeal blood flow by 3.4 ± 1.5 (n = 8, p = 0.06) and 2.5 ± 1 % (n = 10, p = 0.033), respectively, whereas at the highest concentration tested in our experiments (10 μM), it had a slight vasoconstrictor effect decreasing blood flow by 2.1 ± 0.8 % (n = 10, p = 0.022). Topical application of NADA induced a significant dose-dependent increase in meningeal blood flow which amounted to 7.4 ± 2 % (n = 10, p = 0.003) and 24 ± 4.7 % (n = 11, p = 0.016) at concentrations of 10 nM and 100 nM, respectively. However, NADA applied at 1 μM decreased meningeal blood flow by 7.7 ± 4.3 % (n = 6, p = 0.09; Table 1). Systemic blood pressure was not influenced by topical applications of endovanilloids or capsaicin. Systolic blood pressure measured before and after the applications of the compounds was 110 ± 22.4 and 92 ± 27.8 mmHg (p = 0.20).

Table 1 Effects of topical applications of anandamide and NADA on meningeal blood flow
Full size table

Effect of systemic capsaicin desensitization on vanilloid-induced changes in meningeal blood flow

In accord with our previous observations, in capsaicin-desensitized animals the vasodilatory effect of capsaicin (100 nM) was completely abolished. It was 99.8 ± 1 % of the basal flow (n = 10, p = 0.91). Similarly, in capsaicin-desensitized animals the administration of NADA (100 nM) resulted in a slight decrease (0.9 ± 1.2 %, n = 13, p = 0.018) in blood flow instead of the marked vasodilatory effect observed in control animals (Fig. 1). Systolic blood pressure of capsaicin-desensitized animals was in the same range as in controls (97 ± 17.3 mmHg) and it was not affected by the applications of the compounds. Desensitization with capsaicin did not interfere with local vascular mechanisms involved in vasodilatation, since topical application of histamine resulted in similar increases of 22.3 ± 0.7 (n = 10) and 19.3 ± 0.5 % (n = 7, p = 0.64) in meningeal blood flow in control and desensitized rats, respectively.

Fig. 1
figure 1

Effect of systemic capsaicin desensitization and preapplication of capsazepine or CGRP8–37 on NADA-induced changes in meningeal blood flow. Percentage changes in blood flow were calculated as mean ± SEM for the 3-min application period relative to the baseline. The number of experiments is indicated in the bars. *: statistically different from the corresponding control values (p < 0.05)

Full size image

Effect of capsazepine and CGRP8–37 on changes of meningeal blood flow elicited by endovanilloids

To obtain pharmacological evidence for the involvement of TRPV1 receptor activation and consequent CGRP release in endovanilloid-induced meningeal vasodilatation, the specific TRPV1 receptor antagonist capsazepine (10 μM) or the CGRP receptor antagonist CGRP8–37 (100 μM) were applied topically prior to NADA (100 nM). Administrations of capsazepine and CGRP8–37 did not significantly influence basal blood flow, but resulted in a significant inhibition of the vasodilatory effect of NADA. Following the application of capsazepine the blood flow increasing effect of NADA was only 2.23 ± 3.3 % (n = 8, p = 0.019), while after the application of CGRP8–37, NADA elicited a moderate decrease in meningeal blood flow by 4.82 ± 1.42 % (n = 11, p < 0.001; Fig. 1).

Modulating effect of CB1 receptor activation on endovanilloid-induced changes in meningeal blood flow

In control rats, dural application of a CB1 receptor antagonist AM 251 (100 μM) did not affect basal meningeal blood flow. Although anandamide, at a concentration of 10 μM had a moderate vasoconstrictor effect on meningeal blood vessels, following the administration of AM 251 prior to the application of anandamide, a moderate but significant increase in meningeal blood flow was recorded. Indeed, the slight decrease by 2.1 ± 0.8 % produced by anandamide (10 μM) turned into an increase by 4.1 ± 0.6 % after pre-treatment with the CB1 antagonist (n = 10, p < 0.001). This vasodilatory effect of anandamide was abolished after additional blocking of CGRP receptors by pre-treatment with CGRP8–37 (100 μM) resulting in a decrease of blood flow by 1.1 ± 1.8 % (n = 6, p = 0.005; Fig. 2).

Fig. 2
figure 2

Effect of AM 251 and CGRP8–37 on anandamide-induced vasodilatation in the dura mater. Original recording (a) and statistical evaluation (b) of changes induced by anandamide (10 μM) before and after the application of AM 251 (100 μM) or AM 251 (100 μM) and CGRP8–37 (100 μM). Percentage changes in blood flow were calculated as mean ± SEM for the 3-min application period relative to the baseline. The number of experiments is indicated in the bars. *: statistically different from the effect of anandamide after AM 251 pretreatment (p < 0.05)

Full size image

Effect of endovanilloids on the release of CGRP in the in vitro dura mater preparation

The basal release of CGRP amounted to 22.6 ± 5 pg/ml in the in vitro dura mater preparations. NADA at 100 nM induced a marked increase in the release of CGRP amounting to 140.3 ± 16.2 % of the basal release (n = 11, p = 0.024). In this series of experiments the capsaicin-induced CGRP release was also measured following the challenge with NADA in the same preparation. The capsaicin-induced release of CGRP amounted to 328.8 ± 63.6 % of the basal value (n = 11, p = 0.008). Under these experimental conditions, the capsaicin-induced peptide release was taken as an indication of the functional integrity of the dura mater preparations. In the other series of experiments, the anandamide (10 μM)-induced release of CGRP was studied. Anandamide-induced release of CGRP amounted to 122.2 ± 9.6 % (n = 10, p = 0.08) of the basal, while after blocking the CB1 receptors with AM 251 (100 μM) an increase of 170.4 ± 23.7 % (n = 10) was measured. The changes in anandamide-induced peptide release measured after blocking the CB1 receptors were significantly different both from the baseline release and the anandamide-induced CGRP release (SIF vs. anadamide + AM 251: p = 0.05; anandamide vs. anadamide + AM 251: p = 0.04; Fig. 3).

Fig. 3
figure 3

Effects of endovanilloids on meningeal CGRP release. Relative changes in the CGRP concentration are indicated after NADA (100 nM) and capsaicin (100 nM) applications (a) and after anandamide (10 μM) application with and without prior AM 251 (100 μM) treatment (b). The number of experiments is indicated in the bars. *: statistically different from the CGRP releasing effect of SIF, #: statistically different from the CGRP releasing effect of anandamide (p < 0.05)

Full size image

Discussion

The present findings furnish evidence for the vascular actions of anandamide and NADA in the dura mater encephali and suggest that endovanilloid compounds may bear significance in the activation of the trigeminal nocisensor complex implicated in the pathophysiology of headaches [3, 9, 19, 38]. The results indicate, that endogenous membrane lipid metabolites which have been already identified in primary sensory ganglion cells may activate trigeminal chemosensitive afferent nerves which express the TRPV1 nociceptor ion channel. Available experimental evidence indicates that activation of chemosensitive primary sensory neurons plays an important role in the pathophysiology of certain headaches. For example, it has been demonstrated that, in a rat experimental headache model, activation of meningeal TRPV1 receptors by capsaicin resulted in the release of CGRP from trigeminal afferent nerves. Further, release of CGRP and expression of c-fos in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis were significantly inhibited by TRPV1 antagonists [14]. The release of vasoactive neuropeptides, in particular CGRP from both central and peripheral trigeminal terminals modulates the activity of second order neurons of the trigeminal nucleus caudalis [39] and increases meningeal blood flow [9, 35]. Hence, measurements of the changes in dural blood flow in vivo, and the release of CGRP from meningeal sensory nerves in vitro, are reliable indicators of the activation of trigeminal nociceptive primary sensory neurons [9, 40–42]. Endovanilloids are defined as endogenous ligands of the TRPV1 receptor and are synthetized or may be taken up by sensory ganglion neurons [30, 43]. Anandamide and NADA are two membrane lipid metabolites present in primary sensory ganglion neurons acting on both TRPV1 and CB1 receptors with different efficacies. The cellular concentration of endovanilloids may be elevated either by increased activity of the synthetizing enzymes and/or by increased endovanilloid transport across the cell membrane [44]. Several lines of evidence suggest that anandamide binds to the same binding site of the TRPV1 receptor as capsaicin [45]. Further, anandamide may activate the TRPV1 receptors under experimental and pathophysiological conditions leading to sensitization of nociceptive primary afferent neurons [46–48]. Although tissue content of anandamide measured under physiological conditions is moderate [49], its level may increase through neurogenic inflammatory processes mediated by meningeal peptidergic nociceptive afferents and mast cells [19].

The present findings indicate that the vasoregulatory propensities of anandamide and NADA are different in the trigeminovascular system. While anandamide induced only slight, if any, increase, NADA produced a marked increase in meningeal blood flow. This difference may be explained by the different activity of these agents on TRPV1 and CB1 receptors [50]. The application of endovanilloids at higher concentrations turned the vasodilatory effects of lower concentrations of anandamide and NADA into slight vasoconstriction. This phenomenon is similar to the concentration-dependent effects of the archetypal exogenous vanilloid capsaicin on mesenteric, renal and meningeal blood flow [9, 51–53]. Capsaicin-induced vasoconstriction is generally regarded as a direct vascular action of capsaicin [54–56], although a TRPV1 receptor mediated effect can not be fully excluded [57]. Systemic pretreatment of the animals with capsaicin producing profound depletions of sensory neuropeptides CGRP and SP from afferent nerves markedly inhibited the vasodilatory effect of endovanilloids. In contrast, histamine-induced vasodilatation mediated by a direct action on endothelial and smooth muscle receptors was not affected by capsaicin-desensitization [10, 58]. Capsazepine, a specific antagonist of the TRPV1 receptors and blockage of CGRP receptors by CGRP8–37 inhibited the NADA-induced vasodilatation. The present findings therefore suggest that, besides exogenous vanilloids, endovanilloids can also elicit sensory neurogenic meningeal vasodilatation involving chemosensitive afferent nerves which express the TRPV1 receptor.

The moderate vasodilatory effect of anandamide in our in vivo blood flow model can be explained by its dual effects on both TRPV1 and presynaptic CB1 receptors, the latter inhibiting the release of CGRP from trigeminal nerve fibres [59]. Immunhistochemical studies revealed the presence of CB1 receptors on trigeminal nerve fibres and ganglion cells [59, 60]. The relatively strong activity of anandamide on CB1 receptors may interfere with its endovanilloid action stimulating TRPV1 receptors and CGRP release in the meningeal tissue. Our notion about the interaction between TRPV1 and CB1 receptor activation in the meningeal blood flow regulatory effect of anandamide application was supported by the observation, that blockage of CB1 receptors with AM251 has a potentiating effect on anandamide-induced vasodilatation. This vasodilatation was induced by the enhanced release of the sensory vasodilator neuropeptide CGRP, since additional blockage of CGRP receptors abolished the anandamide-induced vasodilatation after CB1 receptor antagonism. Although in vivo anandamide failed to significantly increase meningeal blood flow, in vitro a slight but non-significant increase in meningeal CGRP-release was measured after the application of anandamide at the same concentration (10 μM). The putative blood flow increasing effect of the moderate amount of CGRP released by anandamide is probably counterbalanced by its direct vasoconstrictor effect. Blocking the presynaptic CB1 receptors induced a more than threefold increase in the amount of CGRP released in the in vitro dura mater preparation; the vasodilator effect of this higher amount of CGRP could override the direct vasoconstrictor effect of anandamide. After CB1 receptor blockade, the anandamide-induced vasodilatation was mediated entirely by CGRP, since it was completely abolished by pretreatment with the CGRP antagonist.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that similar to exogenous vanilloid compounds, endovanilloids synthesized or taken up by sensory neurons are capable of the activation of trigeminovascular nociceptive afferent nerves resulting in the release of CGRP and a consequent increase in meningeal blood flow. Chemosensitive afferents expressing the TRPV1 receptor may contribute significantly not only to the vascular reactions but also to the nociceptive mechanisms of the dura mater possibly associated with the pathomechanisms of headaches. Increased production and/or uptake of endovanilloids may be implicated in the sustained activation of the trigeminal sensory system leading to peripheral and/or central sensitization of the nociceptive pathway and, eventually head pain.

Abbreviations

Andamide:

arachidonylethanolamide

CB:

cannabinoid

CGRP:

calcitonin gene-related peptide

NADA:

N-arachidonoyl-dopamine

SIF:

synthetic interstitial fluid

SP:

substance P

TRPV1:

transient receptor potential vanilloid 1

References

  1. Burgos-Vega C, Moy J, Dussor G (2015) Meningeal afferent signaling and the pathophysiology of migraine. Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci 131:537–564. doi:10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.01.001

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Lukács M, Haanes KA, Majláth Z et al (2015) Dural administration of inflammatory soup or Complete Freund’s Adjuvant induces activation and inflammatory response in the rat trigeminal ganglion. J Headache Pain 16:564. doi:10.1186/s10194-015-0564-y

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Moskowitz MA (1984) The neurobiology of vascular head pain. Ann Neurol 16:157–168. doi:10.1002/ana.410160202

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Jancsó G, Kiraly E, Jancsó-Gábor A (1977) Pharmacologically induced selective degeneration of chemosensitive primary sensory neurones. Nature 270:741–743

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Jancsó N, Jancsó-Gábor A, Szolcsányi J (1967) Direct evidence for neurogenic inflammation and its prevention by denervation and by pretreatment with capsaicin. Br J Pharmacol Chemother 31:138–151

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Katona M, Boros K, Sántha P et al (2004) Selective sensory denervation by capsaicin aggravates adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy in rats. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 370:436–443. doi:10.1007/s00210-004-0985-7

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Maggi CA, Patacchini R, Santicioli P et al (1989) The “efferent” function of capsaicin-sensitive nerves: ruthenium red discriminates between different mechanisms of activation. Eur J Pharmacol 170:167–177

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Sann H, Dux M, Schemann M, Jancsó G (1996) Neurogenic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract of the rat. Neurosci Lett 219:147–150

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Dux M, Sántha P, Jancsó G (2003) Capsaicin-sensitive neurogenic sensory vasodilatation in the dura mater of the rat. J Physiol 552:859–867. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2003.050633

    CAS  Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Dux M, Rosta J, Pintér S et al (2007) Loss of capsaicin-induced meningeal neurogenic sensory vasodilatation in diabetic rats. Neuroscience 150:194–201. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2007.09.001

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Dux M, Rosta J, Sántha P, Jancsó G (2009) Involvement of capsaicin-sensitive afferent nerves in the proteinase-activated receptor 2-mediated vasodilatation in the rat dura mater. Neuroscience 161:887–894. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.04.010

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Caterina MJ, Schumacher MA, Tominaga M et al (1997) The capsaicin receptor: a heat-activated ion channel in the pain pathway. Nature 389:816–824. doi:10.1038/39807

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Julius D, Basbaum AI (2001) Molecular mechanisms of nociception. Nature 413:203–210. doi:10.1038/35093019

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Meents JE, Hoffmann J, Chaplan SR et al (2015) Two TRPV1 receptor antagonists are effective in two different experimental models of migraine. J Headache Pain 16:57. doi:10.1186/s10194-015-0539-z

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Buzzi MG, Moskowitz MA (1992) The trigemino-vascular system and migraine. Pathol Biol (Paris) 40:313–317

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Evans MS, Cheng X, Jeffry JA et al (2012) Sumatriptan inhibits TRPV1 channels in trigeminal neurons. Headache 52:773–784. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.2011.02053.x

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Meents JE, Neeb L, Reuter U (2010) TRPV1 in migraine pathophysiology. Trends Mol Med 16:153–159. doi:10.1016/j.molmed.2010.02.004

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Hoffmann J, Supronsinchai W, Andreou AP et al (2012) Olvanil acts on transient receptor potential vanilloid channel 1 and cannabinoid receptors to modulate neuronal transmission in the trigeminovascular system. Pain 153:2226–2232. doi:10.1016/j.pain.2012.07.006

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Dux M, Sántha P, Jancsó G (2012) The role of chemosensitive afferent nerves and TRP ion channels in the pathomechanism of headaches. Pflüg Arch Eur J Physiol 464:239–248. doi:10.1007/s00424-012-1142-7

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Goadsby PJ, Edvinsson L, Ekman R (1990) Vasoactive peptide release in the extracerebral circulation of humans during migraine headache. Ann Neurol 28:183–187. doi:10.1002/ana.410280213

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Ho TW, Ferrari MD, Dodick DW et al (2008) Efficacy and tolerability of MK-0974 (telcagepant), a new oral antagonist of calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor, compared with zolmitriptan for acute migraine: a randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-treatment trial. Lancet Lond Engl 372:2115–2123. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61626-8

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Olesen J, Diener H-C, Husstedt IW et al (2004) Calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist BIBN 4096 BS for the acute treatment of migraine. N Engl J Med 350:1104–1110. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa030505

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Olesen J (1991) Clinical and pathophysiological observations in migraine and tension-type headache explained by integration of vascular, supraspinal and myofascial inputs. Pain 46:125–132

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Goadsby PJ (2005) Migraine, allodynia, sensitisation and all of that. Eur Neurol 53(Suppl 1):10–16. doi:10.1159/000085060

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Di Marzo V, Blumberg PM, Szallasi A (2002) Endovanilloid signaling in pain. Curr Opin Neurobiol 12:372–379

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Ralevic V (2003) Cannabinoid modulation of peripheral autonomic and sensory neurotransmission. Eur J Pharmacol 472:1–21

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Price TJ, Helesic G, Parghi D et al (2003) The neuronal distribution of cannabinoid receptor type 1 in the trigeminal ganglion of the rat. Neuroscience 120:155–162

    CAS  Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Akerman S, Kaube H, Goadsby PJ (2004) Anandamide acts as a vasodilator of dural blood vessels in vivo by activating TRPV1 receptors. Br J Pharmacol 142:1354–1360. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705896

    CAS  Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Fischer MJM, Messlinger K (2007) Cannabinoid and vanilloid effects of R(+)-methanandamide in the hemisected meningeal preparation. Cephalalgia Int J Headache 27:422–428. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01312.x

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Dinis P, Charrua A, Avelino A et al (2004) Anandamide-evoked activation of vanilloid receptor 1 contributes to the development of bladder hyperreflexia and nociceptive transmission to spinal dorsal horn neurons in cystitis. J Neurosci Off J Soc Neurosci 24:11253–11263. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2657-04.2004

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Khasabova IA, Holman M, Morse T et al (2013) Increased anandamide uptake by sensory neurons contributes to hyperalgesia in a model of cancer pain. Neurobiol Dis 58:19–28. doi:10.1016/j.nbd.2013.04.018

    CAS  Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. van der Stelt M, Trevisani M, Vellani V et al (2005) Anandamide acts as an intracellular messenger amplifying Ca2+ influx via TRPV1 channels. EMBO J 24:3026–3037. doi:10.1038/sj.emboj.7600784

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Van Der Stelt M, Di Marzo V (2004) Endovanilloids. Putative endogenous ligands of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channels. Eur J Biochem FEBS 271:1827–1834. doi:10.1111/j.1432-1033.2004.04081.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Ferdinandy P, Csont T, Csonka C et al (1997) Capsaicin-sensitive local sensory innervation is involved in pacing-induced preconditioning in rat hearts: role of nitric oxide and CGRP? Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 356:356–363

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Kurosawa M, Messlinger K, Pawlak M, Schmidt RF (1995) Increase of meningeal blood flow after electrical stimulation of rat dura mater encephali: mediation by calcitonin gene-related peptide. Br J Pharmacol 114:1397–1402

    CAS  Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. Levy D, Strassman AM (2002) Mechanical response properties of A and C primary afferent neurons innervating the rat intracranial dura. J Neurophysiol 88:3021–3031. doi:10.1152/jn.00029.2002

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Ebersberger A, Averbeck B, Messlinger K, Reeh PW (1999) Release of substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide and prostaglandin E2 from rat dura mater encephali following electrical and chemical stimulation in vitro. Neuroscience 89:901–907

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Schwenger N, Dux M, de Col R et al (2007) Interaction of calcitonin gene-related peptide, nitric oxide and histamine release in neurogenic blood flow and afferent activation in the rat cranial dura mater. Cephalalgia Int J Headache 27:481–491. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01321.x

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Raddant AC, Russo AF (2011) Calcitonin gene-related peptide in migraine: intersection of peripheral inflammation and central modulation. Expert Rev Mol Med 13:e36. doi:10.1017/S1462399411002067

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Hoffmann J, Wecker S, Neeb L et al (2012) Primary trigeminal afferents are the main source for stimulus-induced CGRP release into jugular vein blood and CSF. Cephalalgia Int J Headache 32:659–667. doi:10.1177/0333102412447701

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Kageneck C, Nixdorf-Bergweiler BE, Messlinger K, Fischer MJ (2014) Release of CGRP from mouse brainstem slices indicates central inhibitory effect of triptans and kynurenate. J Headache Pain 15:7. doi:10.1186/1129-2377-15-7

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Neeb L, Hellen P, Hoffmann J et al (2016) Methylprednisolone blocks interleukin 1 beta induced calcitonin gene related peptide release in trigeminal ganglia cells. J Headache Pain 17:19. doi:10.1186/s10194-016-0609-x

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  43. Ligresti A, Morera E, Van Der Stelt M et al (2004) Further evidence for the existence of a specific process for the membrane transport of anandamide. Biochem J 380:265–272. doi:10.1042/BJ20031812

    CAS  Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. McVey DC, Schmid PC, Schmid HHO, Vigna SR (2003) Endocannabinoids induce ileitis in rats via the capsaicin receptor (VR1). J Pharmacol Exp Ther 304:713–722. doi:10.1124/jpet.102.043893

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Ross RA, Gibson TM, Brockie HC et al (2001) Structure-activity relationship for the endogenous cannabinoid, anandamide, and certain of its analogues at vanilloid receptors in transfected cells and vas deferens. Br J Pharmacol 132:631–640. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0703850

    CAS  Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  46. Singh Tahim A, Sántha P, Nagy I (2005) Inflammatory mediators convert anandamide into a potent activator of the vanilloid type 1 transient receptor potential receptor in nociceptive primary sensory neurons. Neuroscience 136:539–548. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.08.005

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Sousa-Valente J, Varga A, Ananthan K et al (2014) Anandamide in primary sensory neurons: too much of a good thing? Eur J Neurosci 39:409–418. doi:10.1111/ejn.12467

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Tognetto M, Amadesi S, Harrison S et al (2001) Anandamide excites central terminals of dorsal root ganglion neurons via vanilloid receptor-1 activation. J Neurosci Off J Soc Neurosci 21:1104–1109

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Pacher P, Bátkai S, Kunos G (2006) The endocannabinoid system as an emerging target of pharmacotherapy. Pharmacol Rev 58:389–462. doi:10.1124/pr.58.3.2

    CAS  Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  50. Starowicz K, Nigam S, Di Marzo V (2007) Biochemistry and pharmacology of endovanilloids. Pharmacol Ther 114:13–33. doi:10.1016/j.pharmthera.2007.01.005

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Gardiner SM, March JE, Kemp PA, Bennett T (2002) Complex regional haemodynamic effects of anandamide in conscious rats. Br J Pharmacol 135:1889–1896. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704649

    CAS  Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  52. Rózsa Z, Jancsó G, Varró V (1984) Possible involvement of capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves in the regulation of intestinal blood flow in the dog. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 326:352–356

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Tamaki C, Nawa H, Takatori S et al (2012) Anandamide induces endothelium-dependent vasoconstriction and CGRPergic nerve-mediated vasodilatation in the rat mesenteric vascular bed. J Pharmacol Sci 118:496–505

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Duckles SP (1986) Effects of capsaicin on vascular smooth muscle. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 333:59–64

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Pórszász R, Porkoláb A, Ferencz A et al (2002) Capsaicin-induced nonneural vasoconstriction in canine mesenteric arteries. Eur J Pharmacol 441:173–175

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Toda N, Usui H, Nishino N, Fujiwara M (1972) Cardiovascular effects of capsaicin in dogs and rabbits. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 181:512–521

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Kark T, Bagi Z, Lizanecz E et al (2008) Tissue-specific regulation of microvascular diameter: opposite functional roles of neuronal and smooth muscle located vanilloid receptor-1. Mol Pharmacol 73:1405–1412. doi:10.1124/mol.107.043323

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Dux M, Schwenger N, Messlinger K (2002) Possible role of histamine (H1- and H2-) receptors in the regulation of meningeal blood flow. Br J Pharmacol 137:874–880. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704946

    CAS  Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  59. Ahluwalia J, Urban L, Bevan S, Nagy I (2003) Anandamide regulates neuropeptide release from capsaicin-sensitive primary sensory neurons by activating both the cannabinoid 1 receptor and the vanilloid receptor 1 in vitro. Eur J Neurosci 17:2611–2618

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Hermann H, De Petrocellis L, Bisogno T et al (2003) Dual effect of cannabinoid CB1 receptor stimulation on a vanilloid VR1 receptor-mediated response. Cell Mol Life Sci CMLS 60:607–616

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA) K-101873.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 10, H-6720, Szeged, Hungary

    Mária Dux, Éva Deák, Noémi Tassi, Péter Sántha & Gábor Jancsó

Authors
  1. Mária Dux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Éva Deák
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Noémi Tassi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Péter Sántha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Gábor Jancsó
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mária Dux.

Additional information

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Authors’ contributions

GJ and MD designed the study. NT, ÉD and MD performed the experiments. PS, MD and GJ analyzed the data. MD and GJ prepared the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dux, M., Deák, É., Tassi, N. et al. Endovanilloids are potential activators of the trigeminovascular nocisensor complex. J Headache Pain 17, 53 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0644-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-016-0644-7

Keywords

  • Dura mater encephali
  • Endovanilloid
  • Meningeal blood flow
  • Trigeminovascular nocisensor complex
  • Headache
  • Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1

The Journal of Headache and Pain

ISSN: 1129-2377

Contact us