Characterizations of sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced scratching responses in ICR mice using naltrexon, capsaicin, ketotifen and Y-27632

• Published in: European journal of pharmacology Vol. 583; no. 1; pp. 92 - 96
• Main Authors: Kim, Hyoung June, Kim, Hyuk, Han, Eun-Sil, Park, Sun-Mi, Koh, Jae-Young, Kim, Kwang-Mi, Noh, Min-Soo, Kim, Jung-Ju, Lee, Chang-Hoon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 31.03.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Amides - pharmacology; Animals; Antipruritics - pharmacology; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Capsaicin - pharmacology; d- erythro SPC; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Injections, Intradermal; Itch; Ketotifen - pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Muscle Relaxants, Central - pharmacology; Naltrexone - pharmacology; Narcotic Antagonists - pharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phosphorylcholine - administration & dosage; Phosphorylcholine - analogs & derivatives; Phosphorylcholine - pharmacology; Pruritus - chemically induced; Pruritus - drug therapy; Pruritus - psychology; Pyridines - pharmacology; rho-Associated Kinases - metabolism; Rho-associated protein kinase; Scratching; SPC [sphingosylphosphorylcholine]; Sphingosine - administration & dosage; Sphingosine - analogs & derivatives; Sphingosine - pharmacology; Itch; Rho-associated protein kinase; SPC [sphingosylphosphorylcholine]; Scratching; d- erythro SPC; Skin disease; Capsaicin; Non-specific serine/threonine protein kinase; Pruritus; Antiasthma agent; Antihistaminic; Characterization; Ketotifen; Antagonist; Enzyme; Transferases; Rodentia; Enzyme inhibitor; Protein; D-erythro SPC; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Oxidoreductases; Lipoxygenase; H1 Histamine receptor
• ISSN: 0014-2999; 1879-0712
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2008.01.005

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) is upregulated in the stratum corneum of atopic dermatitis patients by sphingomyelin deacylase. We conducted an investigation, both to confirm that intradermal injection of SPC elicits scratching in mice, and to elucidate the detailed mechanism of the SPC-induced itch–scratch response. Intradermal administration of SPC increased the incidence of scratching behavior in a dose-dependent manner. SPC-induced scratching could be suppressed, significantly, by the μ-opoid receptor antagonist, naltrexon, the vaniloid receptor agonist, capsaicin, and the histamine H 1 receptor antagonist ketotifen. d- erythro SPC, one of the SPC stereotypes, could elicit the scratch response, but not l- threo SPC. Y-27632 (1 mg/kg, an inhibitor of Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK)), was found to suppress SPC-induced scratching. Both the stereospecificity of SPC and the involvement of the Rho/ROCK pathway suggested that SPC-induced scratching is related to the receptor.