Differential effects of alpha 2-adrenoceptors in the modulation of the thermoregulatory response in mice induced by meperidine.

Background: Meperidine proved to be more effective in treatment of shivering than equianalgesic doses of other opioids, especially pure mu-agonists. Further, meperidine has well known nonopioid actions including agonistic effects at alpha2-adrenoceptors in vitro. Accordingly, the authors investigated nonopioid receptor-mediated effects of meperidine on thermoregulation using a mice model of nonshivering thermogenesis. To differentiate conceivable alpha2-adrenoceptor subtype specific interactions the authors analyzed wild-type mice and knock-out mice with deletion of the alpha2A-, alpha2B-, or alpha2C-adrenoceptor.

Methods: Ten mice per group (n = 60) were injected with saline, meperidine (20 mg/kg), saline plus naloxone (125 microg/kg), meperidine plus naloxone, fentanyl (50 microg/kg) plus naloxone, or meperidine plus atipamezole (2 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Each mouse was subjected to the six different treatments. Then they were positioned into a plexiglas chamber where rectal temperature and mixed expired carbon dioxide were measured while whole body cooling was performed. Maximum response intensity and thermoregulatory threshold temperature of nonshivering thermogenesis were analyzed.

Results: Meperidine decreased the thermoregulatory threshold temperature in wild-type mice and alpha2B- and alpha2C-adrenoceptor knock-out mice. This effect ended after injection of the alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist atipamezole. In wild-type and alpha2B-adrenoceptor knock-out mice, the decrease of thermoregulatory threshold was not reversible by administration of the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone. In contrast, in alpha2A-adrenoceptor knock-out mice, no decline of thermoregulatory threshold following meperidine injection was detectable. Maximum response intensity of nonshivering thermogenesis was comparable in all groups.

Conclusions: The authors' results suggest a major role of alpha2-adrenoceptors, especially the alpha2A subtype, in the mediation of thermoregulatory effects caused by meperidine in mice.