The role of peripheral transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channels in stress-induced hyperthermia in rats subjected to an anxiogenic environment.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Anxiety resulting from psychogenic stimuli elicit stress-induced hyperthermia in rats, often called “psychogenic
fever”, which is part of a coordinated response to situations seen as novel or distressing. Brain transient receptor
potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channels modulate both thermoregulation and animal behavior; however, the role
of peripheral TRPV1 channels in regulating these responses during exposure to an anxiogenic environment has
not been determined. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the involvement of abdominal TRPV1
channels in stress-induced hyperthermia and behavior in rats subjected to an unconditioned anxiety test.
Desensitized rats (peripheral desensitization of TRPV1 channels with resiniferatoxin; RTX) and their respective
controls were subjected to a 15-min open field (OF) test. The core body temperature (Tcore), tail skin temperature
(Tskin), and rats’ movements inside the arena were recorded. The OF test induced a similar increase in Tcore in
both groups throughout the exposure time; however, at the recovery period, the RTX-treated rats had a slower
reduction in Tcore due to lower tail skin heat loss. Tskin decreased significantly in both groups during exposure to
OF but, during recovery, the RTX-treated rats showed impaired skin vasodilation. Also, RTX-treated rats entered
fewer times and spent less time in the OF center square, suggesting an anxiety-related behavior. Our findings
indicate that, under stressful conditions, peripheral TRPV1 channels modulate thermoregulatory and behavioral
responses. The TRPV1 desensitization induces a more prolonged hyperthermic response due to lower cutaneous
heat dissipation, alongside a more evident anxiety-like behavior in rats subjected to the OF apparatus.
Description
Keywords
Thermoregulation, Anxiety, Open field test, Psychogenic fever
Citation
LIMA, P. M. de A. et al. The role of peripheral transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channels in stress-induced hyperthermia in rats subjected to an anxiogenic environment. Journal of Thermal Biology, v. 106, artigo103191, maio 2022. Disponível em: <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306456522000055>. Acesso em: 11 out. 2022.