title: Regulation of ventilation and oxygen consumption by delta- and mu-opioid receptor agonists.
abstract: To study the effect of endorphins on metabolic rate and on the relationship between O2 consumption (VO2) and ventilation, we administered enkephalin analogues (relatively selective delta-receptor agonists) and a morphiceptin analogue (a highly selective mu-receptor agonist) intracisternally in nine unanesthetized chronically instrumented adult dogs. Both delta- and mu-agonists decreased VO2 by 40-60%. delta-Agonists induced a dose-dependent decrease in mean instantaneous minute ventilation (VT/TT) associated with periodic breathing. The decrease in VT/TT started and resolved prior to the decrease and returned to baseline of VO2, respectively. In contrast, the mu-agonists induced an increase in VT/TT associated with rapid shallow breathing. Arterial PCO2 increased and arterial PO2 decreased after both delta- and mu-agonists. Low doses of intracisternal naloxone (0.002-2.0 micrograms/kg) reversed the opioid effect on VT/TT but not on VO2; higher doses of naloxone (5-25 micrograms/kg) reversed both. Naloxone administered alone had no effect on VT/TT or VO2. These data suggest that 1) both delta- and mu-agonists induce alveolar hypoventilation despite a decrease in VO2, 2) this hypoventilation results from a decrease in VT/TT after delta-agonists but an increase in dead space ventilation after mu-agonists, and 3) endorphins do not modulate ventilation and metabolic rate tonically, but we speculate that they may do so in response to stressful stimulation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D004285:Dogs; D004723:Endorphins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D016308:Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000502:physiology*; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D009270:Naloxone; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine; C022118:enkephalinamide-Met, Ala(2)-; D016308:Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine; C044708:morphiceptin, N-Me-Phe(3)-; C028889:morphiceptin; D010100:Oxygen