1. Our previous studies, in which we used in vitro canine testispermatic nerve preparations, showed that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) augments both bradykinin (BK)- and heat-induced discharges of polymodal receptors. However, the PGE2 concentration required to augment the BK responses were 100 times lower than those necessary for the heat responses, suggesting that different receptors are involved in these phenomena. We studied which receptors for E series of prostaglandins (EP receptors) were responsible, using the antagonist and agonists for three subtypes of EP receptors. 2. PGE2-induced augmentation of the BK responses was unaffected when treated with an antagonist for the EP1 receptor, AH6809. 3. An agonist for the EP3 receptor, M&B28767, at > or = 10 nM, significantly augmented the BK responses in a concentration-dependent manner that mimics the PGE2-induced effect. An agonist for the EP1 receptor, 17-phenyl trinor PGE2 (17-phen PGE2), at the high concentrations of 0.1 and 1 microM, augmented the BK responses in two and four of nine cases tested, respectively. However, this augmentation was not suppressed by the antagonist for the EP1 receptor, AH6809. In addition, an agonist for the EP2 receptor, butaprost, did not affect the BK responses even when applied at 10 microM. 4. In contrast, butaprost at > or = 10 nM significantly augmented the heat responses in a concentration-dependent manner. M&B28767 and 17-phen PGE2, respectively, augmented the heat responses at higher concentrations of 100 nM and 1 microM. 5. These results indicate that the EP3 and EP2 receptor subtypesx are differentially implicated in the respective PGE2-induced augmentation of BK responses and heat responses of polymodal receptors.

Hyperalgesia to mechanical stimulation and heat is commonly observed in inflamed conditions. Although sensitization to heat is well documented and its mechanism has also been well studied, it remains unclear whether and how nociceptors are sensitized to mechanical stimulation. Therefore we conducted in vitro investigation of which inflammatory mediators (bradykinin, histamine, prostaglandin E2, and protons) sensitize nociceptors to suprathreshold mechanical stimulation and at what concentrations. In addition, we studied the effects of possible second messengers for these mediators downstream of the receptors and also the effects of mild burn. Single polymodal receptor activities were recorded in canine testis-spermatic nerve preparations excised from deeply anesthetized dogs. Mechanical stimulation was applied to the identified receptive field for 10 s with a servo-controlled mechanical stimulator. Bradykinin at 0.001 microM induced neither excitation nor facilitation of the mechanical response; however, it facilitated the mechanical response at 0.01 microM and higher, levels at which significant excitation was also induced by bradykinin alone. Histamine excited the nociceptor and sensitized it to mechanical stimulation at 10 microM and higher. PG E(2) also sensitized the mechanical response, but starting at 1 microM, without inducing excitation by itself. The effects of two possible intracellular messengers for these mediators were studied using forskolin (10 microM), which increases intracellular cAMP, and a protein-kinase-C-stimulating phorbol ester, phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (0.1 microM). Both substances reversibly facilitated the mechanical response of testicular polymodal receptors. In contrast, low-pH solution (pH: 6.6-4.5) seldom induced excitation and failed to facilitate the mechanical response. After 55 degrees C, 30-s heat stimulation, testicular polymodal receptors were sensitized to mechanical stimulation. These results demonstrated that inflammatory mediators and burn sensitized nociceptor responses to mechanical stimulation and provide support for the idea that peripheral nociceptor sensitization is a mechanism involved in hyperalgesia to mechanical stimulation in inflamed tissues.

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1. We examined excitation and the facilitatory effect on the heat responses induced by histamine in visceral polymodal receptors with the use of the canine testis-spermatic nerve preparation in vitro. 2. The proportion of units that showed excitation (> 10 impulses 1 min after application of histamine was initiated) increased roughly with higher concentrations of histamine: 7% at 1 microM, 26% at 10 microM, 79% at 100 microM, and 61% at 1,000 microM. The discharge rate also increased with the concentration. 3. Histamine (100 and 1,000 microM) responses > 0.5 imp/s were observed only in units with conduction velocities (CVs) of < or = 10 m/s, but not in those with CVs faster than 10 m/s. On average, histamine-induced discharges were significantly greater in units with CVs of < or = 10 m/s at all concentrations > or = 10 microM. Thus units studied in this experiment were empirically divided into slow-CV (< or = m/s) and fast-CV (> 10 m/s) groups. 4. Histamine significantly facilitated the heat responses of the slow-CV group from 10 microM, and also facilitated the fast-CV group from 100 microM. This sensitizing effect was observed irrespective of the precedent histamine-induced excitation. The magnitude of sensitization tended to increase with an increase in histamine concentration. 5. For studying the histamine receptor subtype involved in excitation and facilitation, we used D-chlorpheniramine maleate (5 microM) (an H1 receptor antagonist), famotidine (20 microM) (an H2 receptor antagonist), and thioperamide maleate (20 microM) (an H3 receptor antagonist). The magnitude of histamine-induced excitation of the slow-CV group was significantly suppressed by the H1 receptor antagonist but not by other antagonists. 6. The facilitatory effect of histamine on the heat response was also suppressed by the H1 receptor antagonist in both slow- and fast-CV groups. 7. These results strongly suggested that both excitation and facilitation of the heat response induced by histamine are mediated through the H1 receptor.

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