Characterization of opioidergic mechanisms related to the anti-migraine effect of vagus nerve stimulation

TY - JOUR

T1 - Characterization of opioidergic mechanisms related to the anti-migraine effect of vagus nerve stimulation

AU - Hu, Bing

AU - Akerman, Simon

AU - Goadsby, Peter J.

N1 - Funding Information: The work was funded by the Sandler Family Foundation . Funding Information: BH – nothing to report, SA – reports honoraria and personal fees from Amgen, Novartis, GSK and Allergan, unrelated to this work. PJG – reports, over the last 36 months, grants and personal fees from Amgen and Eli-Lilly and Company, grant from Celgene, and personal fees from Aeon Biopharma, Alder Biopharmaceuticals, Allergan, Autonomic Technologies Inc., Biohaven Pharmaceuticals Inc., Clexio, Electrocore LLC, Epalex, eNeura, Epalex, Impel Neuropharma, MundiPharma, Novartis, Sanofi, Santara Therapeutics, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Trigemina Inc., WL Gore, and personal fees from MedicoLegal work, Massachusetts Medical Society, Up-to-Date, Oxford University Press, and Wolters Kluwer; and a patent magnetic stimulation for headache assigned to eNeura without fee. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier Ltd Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/9/1

Y1 - 2021/9/1

N2 - Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a promising neuromodulation approach used in the treatment of migraine, whose therapeutic mechanism is largely unknown. Previous studies suggest that VNS's anti-nociceptive effects may, in part, involve engaging opioidergic mechanisms. We used a validated preclinical model of head pain, with good translational outcomes in migraine, acute intracranial-dural stimulation, which has responded to invasive VNS. We tested the effects of μ (MOR), δ (DOR) and κ (KOR) opioid receptor agonists in this model, and subsequently the effects of opioid receptor antagonists against VNS-mediated neuronal inhibition. MOR, DOR, and KOR agonists all inhibited dural-evoked trigeminocervical neuronal responses. Both DOR and KOR agonists also inhibited ongoing spontaneous firing of dural responsive neurons. Both DOR and KOR agonists were more efficacious than the MOR agonist in this model. We confirm the inhibitory effect of invasive VNS and demonstrate that this effect was prevented by a broad-spectrum opioid receptor antagonist, and by a highly selective DOR antagonist. Our data confirm the role of MOR in dural-trigeminovascular neurotransmission and additionally provide evidence of a role of both DOR and KOR in dural-nociceptive transmission of trigeminocervical neurons. Further, the results here provide evidence of engagement of opioidergic mechanisms in the therapeutic action of VNS in headache, specifically the DOR. These studies provide further support for the important role of the DOR in headache mechanisms, and as a potential therapeutic target. The data begin to dissect the mode of action of the analgesic effects of VNS in the treatment of primary headache disorders.

AB - Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a promising neuromodulation approach used in the treatment of migraine, whose therapeutic mechanism is largely unknown. Previous studies suggest that VNS's anti-nociceptive effects may, in part, involve engaging opioidergic mechanisms. We used a validated preclinical model of head pain, with good translational outcomes in migraine, acute intracranial-dural stimulation, which has responded to invasive VNS. We tested the effects of μ (MOR), δ (DOR) and κ (KOR) opioid receptor agonists in this model, and subsequently the effects of opioid receptor antagonists against VNS-mediated neuronal inhibition. MOR, DOR, and KOR agonists all inhibited dural-evoked trigeminocervical neuronal responses. Both DOR and KOR agonists also inhibited ongoing spontaneous firing of dural responsive neurons. Both DOR and KOR agonists were more efficacious than the MOR agonist in this model. We confirm the inhibitory effect of invasive VNS and demonstrate that this effect was prevented by a broad-spectrum opioid receptor antagonist, and by a highly selective DOR antagonist. Our data confirm the role of MOR in dural-trigeminovascular neurotransmission and additionally provide evidence of a role of both DOR and KOR in dural-nociceptive transmission of trigeminocervical neurons. Further, the results here provide evidence of engagement of opioidergic mechanisms in the therapeutic action of VNS in headache, specifically the DOR. These studies provide further support for the important role of the DOR in headache mechanisms, and as a potential therapeutic target. The data begin to dissect the mode of action of the analgesic effects of VNS in the treatment of primary headache disorders.

KW - Migraine

KW - Opioid

KW - Trigeminovascular

KW - Vagus nerve stimulation

KW - δ-Opioid receptor

KW - κ-Opioid receptor

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85102931240&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108375

DO - 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108375

M3 - Article

C2 - 33444636

AN - SCOPUS:85102931240

SN - 0028-3908

VL - 195

JO - Neuropharmacology

JF - Neuropharmacology

M1 - 108375

ER -