Journal article
GTPγS Incorporation in the Rat Brain: A Study on μ-Opioid Receptors and CXCR4
Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology, v 3(1), pp 26-34
Mar 2008
PMID: 18247130
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Chemokine and opioid receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors that play important roles in both the central nervous system and the immune system. The long-term goal of our research is to establish whether opioids regulate the activity of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 (one of the major HIV co-receptors) in the brain. In this research, we studied the anatomical distribution of functional receptors in young and adult animals by using the [35S]GTPγS “binding” assay as an indication of G-protein activation by CXCL12 (the natural CXCR4 ligand) or by μ-opioid agonists. Brain slices or homogenates from Holtzmann rats of different ages (from 2 to 21 days old and adult animals) were treated with CXCL12 (0.001–100 nM), d-ala2,MePhe4,gly-ol5]enkephalin (DAMGO; 0.0003–10 μM) or morphine (0.0003–10 μM) and then processed for the assay. Our results show stimulation of both μ-OR and CXCR4 in several brain areas, including cortex and hippocampus (p < 0.001); this effect is dose and age dependent, and the magnitude of response varies among different brain regions. Furthermore, AMD3100 (100 ng/ml), a specific CXCR4 antagonist, abolished CXCL12 stimulation in all the brain regions analyzed (p < 0.001). Our findings suggest a similar pattern of expression for μ-OR and CXCR4 in the brain, supporting the possibility of an interaction between the two G-protein-coupled receptors in vivo. This might be relevant to the role of opiates in HIV neuropathogenesis.
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Details
- Title
- GTPγS Incorporation in the Rat Brain: A Study on μ-Opioid Receptors and CXCR4
- Creators
- Silvia Burbassi - Department of Pharmacology and Physiology Drexel University College of Medicine 245 North 15th Street (NCB 8804) Philadelphia PA 19102 USAVincent Aloyo - Department of Pharmacology and Physiology Drexel University College of Medicine 245 North 15th Street (NCB 8804) Philadelphia PA 19102 USAKenny Simansky - Department of Pharmacology and Physiology Drexel University College of Medicine 245 North 15th Street (NCB 8804) Philadelphia PA 19102 USAOlimpia Meucci - Department of Pharmacology and Physiology Drexel University College of Medicine 245 North 15th Street (NCB 8804) Philadelphia PA 19102 USA
- Publication Details
- Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology, v 3(1), pp 26-34
- Publisher
- Springer US; Boston
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Pharmacology and Physiology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000252994300004
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-38949105498
- Other Identifier
- 991014878427904721
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Neurosciences
- Pharmacology & Pharmacy