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The stereoisomer (+)-naloxone potentiates G-protein coupling and feeding associated with stimulation of mu opioid receptors in the parabrachial nucleus
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The stereoisomer (+)-naloxone potentiates G-protein coupling and feeding associated with stimulation of mu opioid receptors in the parabrachial nucleus

Nayla N. Chaijale, Vincent J. Aloyo and Kenny J. Simansky
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford), v 27(3)
01 Mar 2013
PMID: 23348755

Abstract

Clinical Neurology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Neurosciences Neurosciences & Neurology Pharmacology & Pharmacy Psychiatry Science & Technology
Classically, opioids produce their effects by activating Gi-proteins that inhibit adenylate cyclase activity. Previous studies proposed that mu-opioid receptors can also stimulate adenylate cyclase due to an initial transient coupling to Gs-proteins. Treatment with ultra-low doses of the nonselective opioid antagonist (-)-naloxone or its inactive enantiomer (+)-naloxone blocks this excitatory effect and enhances Gi-coupling. Previously we reported that infusion of the mu-opioid receptor agonist [D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Glycinol5]-Enkephalin (DAMGO) into the mu-opioid receptor expressing lateral parabrachial nucleus increases feeding. Pretreatment with (-)-naloxone blocks this effect. We used this parabrachial circuit as a model to assess cellular actions of ultra-low doses of (-)-naloxone and (+)-naloxone in modifying the effects of DAMGO. Our results showed that an ultra-low concentration of (-)-naloxone (0.001 nM) and several concentrations of (+)-naloxone (0.01-10 nM) enhanced DAMGO-stimulated guanosine-5'-0-(gamma-thio)-triphosphate incorporation in parabrachial sections in vitro. Further, we analyzed the relevance of these effects in vivo. In the present study, we show that (+)-naloxone can potentiate DAMGO-induced feeding at doses at which (-)-naloxone was an antagonist. These results implicated (+)-naloxone as a novel tool for studying mu-opioid receptor functions and suggest that (+)-naloxone may have therapeutic value to enhance clinical actions of opiate drugs.

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Web of Science research areas
Clinical Neurology
Neurosciences
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Psychiatry
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