title: Biochemical and pharmacological evidence for opioid receptor multiplicity in the central nervous system.
abstract: Evidence from a variety of experimental models has suggested the existence of mu 1, mu 2 and delta binding sites for morphine and the enkephalins in the central nervous system. Additional biochemical experiments now support this concept of a common high affinity site for opiates and opioid peptides. Mu sites have now been implicated in a number of pharmacological actions, including supraspinal analgesia, prolactin release, and catalepsy, but not in others (spinal analgesia, respiratory depression, and the guinea pig ileum). The hypothesis of mu 1 sites was supported by the unique opioid meptazinol, which selectively bound to mu 1 sites. As expected from its mu 1 binding selectivity, its analgesic actions in the mouse, localized supraspinally, were antagonized by the selective mu 1 antagonist naloxonazine and it had no respiratory depressant actions. Other binding studies suggested the presence of discrete SKF10,047-selective (KD approximately 5 nM) binding sites in rat brain which differed from both kappa sites and the previously reported PCP-binding sigma sites. Additional binding and autoradiographical studies have also implied the presence of beta-endorphin, or epsilon, sites in the CNS.
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004723:Endorphins / Q000378:metabolism; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000378:metabolism; D008621:Meptazinol / Q000494:pharmacology; D009020:Morphine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D012119:Respiration; D001615:beta-Endorphin
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D004745:Enkephalins; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D008621:Meptazinol; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D009020:Morphine