Neuropeptide FF and related peptides attenuates warm-, but not cold-water swim stress-induced analgesia in mice

Neuropeptide FF (NPFF) belongs to a neuropeptide family including two receptors (NPFF1 and NPFF2). NPFF system has been reported to play important roles in pain transmission. The aim of the present study was to investigate the roles of NPFF related peptides and their receptors in swim stress-induced analgesia (SIA). Nociceptive test was performed in mice stressed by forced swimming in water at 15 °C (cold water swimming) or 32 °C (warm water swimming). Warm water swimming produced a naloxone-mediated antinociceptive effect. This warm water swim SIA was dose-dependently antagonized by i.c.v. injection of NPFF and two related peptides (3–30 nmol), NPVF and dNPA, which exhibited the highest selectivities for NPFF1 and NPFF2 receptors, respectively. Moreover, the selective NPFF receptor antagonist RF9 (30 nmol) was inactive by itself, but prevented the effects of NPFF and related peptides. Cold-water swimming produced a wilder analgesic effect that was blocked by MK-801, but not naloxone. However, NPFF system failed to modify the cold water swim stress-induced analgesia. These findings demonstrated that NPFF and related peptides attenuated opioid-mediated form of SIA via NPFF receptors in the brain, but not non-opioid swim stress-induced analgesia. These data further support an anti-opioid character of NPFF system.

► NPFF system selectively attenuated warm-, but not cold-water swim stress-induced analgesia.
► The activation of central NPFF1 and NPFF2 receptors induces similar modulating effects on swim stress-induced analgesia.
► The data of the current study further support an anti-opioid character of NPFF system.