Involvement of spinal cord opioid mechanisms in the acute antinociceptive effect of hyperbaric oxygen in mice

• HBO2 produces acute antinociception in the mouse abdominal constriction test.
• HBO2 antinociception is antagonized by norbinaltorphimine and β-funaltrexamine.
• HBO2 antinociception is antagonized by rabbit antiserum against rat dynorphin.
• HBO2 antinociception involves activation of opioid mechanisms in the spinal cord.

Earlier research has demonstrated that treatment with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) can elicit an antinociceptive response in models of acute pain. We have demonstrated that this antinociceptive effect is centrally-mediated and is dependent on opioid receptors. The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of endogenous opioid peptides and opioid receptors specifically in the spinal cord in the acute antinociceptive effect of HBO2 in mice. Male NIH Swiss mice were exposed to HBO2 (100% oxygen at 3.5 atm absolute) for 11 min and their antinociceptive responsiveness was determined using the glacial acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction test. HBO2-induced antinociception was sensitive to antagonism by intrathecal (i.t.) pretreatment with the κ- and μ-selective opioid antagonists norbinaltorphimine and β-funaltrexamine, respectively, but not the δ-selective antagonist naltrindole. The antinociceptive effect of HBO2 was also significantly attenuated by i.t. pretreatment with a rabbit antiserum against rat dynorphin1–13 but not antisera against β-endorphin or methionine–enkephalin. Based on these experimental findings, the acute antinociceptive effect of HBO2 appears to involve neuronal release of dynorphin and activation of κ- and μ-opioid receptors in the spinal cord.