Dual role of 5-HT3 receptors in a rat model of delayed stress-induced visceral hyperalgesia

Despite its beneficial effect in IBS patients, the mechanism of action of the 5-HT3 receptor (5-HT3R) antagonist alosetron is still incompletely understood. We aimed to characterize the effect and site(s) of action in a model of stress-induced sensitization of visceral nociception in rats. Adult male Wistar rats were equipped for recording of visceromotor response (VMR) to phasic colorectal distension (CRD; 10-60 mm Hg). VMR to CRD was recorded 24 h after an acute session of water avoidance (WA) stress (post-WA). Baseline and post-WA responses were measured in rats exposed to WA or sham-WA, treated with alosetron at 0.3 mg/kg subcutaneously (s.c.) 25 nmol intrathecally (i.t.) or vehicle before post-WA CRD. Some rats were treated with capsaicin/vehicle on the cervical vagus nerve and received alosetron (0.3 mg/kg, s.c.) 15 min before post-WA CRD. WA stress led to visceral hyperalgesia 24 h later. Alosetron (0.3 mg/kg, s.c.) failed to inhibit WA-induced exacerbation of VMR to CRD. Stress-induced visceral hyperalgesia was abolished when alosetron was injected intrathecally (P < 0.05) in intact rats or subcutaneously (0.3 mg/kg) in capsaicin-pretreated animals (P < 0.05). Capsaicin-pretreatment did not affect the exacerbating effect of stress on visceral sensitivity. Alosetron had no inhibitory effect on normal visceral pain responses when administered subcutaneously or intrathecally. We demonstrated that 5-HT(3)Rs on central terminals of spinal afferents are engaged in the facilitatory effect of stress on visceral sensory information processing. In addition, we showed that stress-induced sensitization of visceral nociception is independent of 5-HT3R activation on vagal afferents. (C) 2006 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.