title: BOC-CCK-4, CCK(B)receptor agonist, antagonizes anxiolytic-like action of morphine in elevated plus-maze.
abstract: This study investigated a role of cholecystokinin (CCK) in the anxiolytic-like action of morphine, an agonist of mu-opioid receptors, in the rat plus-maze model of anxiety. The acute administration of morphine (1 mg/kg) induced a significant increase of exploratory activity in the plus-maze, but did not affect the locomotor activity in the motility test. The higher dose of morphine (2.5 mg/kg) tended to decrease the locomotor activity and, therefore, did not cause the anxiolytic-like action in the plus-maze. The other drugs (naloxone, BOC-CCK-4, L-365,260) and their combinations with morphine (0.5-1 mg/kg) did not affect the locomotor activity of rats. The opioid antagonist naloxone itself (0.5 mg/kg) did not change the exploratory activity in the plus-maze, but potently antagonized the anxiolytic-like action of morphine (1 mg/kg). An agonist of CCK(B)receptors BOC-CCK-4 (1-50 microgram/kg) induced a dose-dependent anxiogenic-like action in the plus-maze. Nevertheless, only one dose of BOC-CCK-4 (10 microgram/kg) completely reversed the action of morphine. Also, one dose of CCK(B)receptor antagonist L-365,260 (10 microgram/kg) was effective to modify the behaviour of rats in the elevated plus-maze. Namely, this dose of L-365,260 increased the ratio between open and total arm entries, a behavioural measure believed to reflect the anxiolytic-like action in the elevated plus-maze. The combination of L-365,260 (100 microgram/kg) with the sub-effective dose of morphine (0.5 mg/kg) caused the anxiolytic-like action in the plus-maze not seen if the drugs were given alone. In conclusion, morphine induces a potent anxiolytic-like action in the elevated plus-maze and CCK is acting as an endogenous antagonist of this effect of morphine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia. sulev.koks.ut.ee
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kõks
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soosaar
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Võikar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bourin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vasar
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D001570:Benzodiazepinones / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D009020:Morphine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D043887:Receptor, Cholecystokinin B; D011949:Receptors, Cholecystokinin / Q000819:agonists*; D013758:Tetragastrin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001570:Benzodiazepinones; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D043887:Receptor, Cholecystokinin B; D011949:Receptors, Cholecystokinin; D013758:Tetragastrin; D009270:Naloxone; C058121:L 365260; C063051:butyloxycarbonyl-tryptophyl-methionyl-aspartyl-phenylalaninamide; D009020:Morphine