Evidence of the synthesis of opioid receptor like 1 receptor in nociceptinergic neurons in rat brain suggests the existence of autoreceptor: a confocal double staining study.
Opioid receptor like 1 (ORL1) receptor is a novel member of the opioid receptor family, which was not bound by any of the typical opioid receptor ligands but bound by the recently discovered nociceptin (also termed orphanin FQ) with high affinity. By using double staining of fluorescent in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we observed the expression of ORL1 receptor mRNA in nociceptin-like immunoreactive neurons in multiple areas in rat brain including the hippocampus, arcuate nucleus in the hypothalamus, ventralateral periaquiductal gray (PAG) and raphe nuclei in brain stem. The expression of ORL1 mRNA in nociceptinergic neurons suggests that these receptors mediate, at least in part, the presynaptic autoreceptor functions. Further anatomical and functional significance of the autoreceptor of nociceptinergic neurons remain to be elucidated.
Wang
Y
Y
State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Department of Neurobiology, Shanghai Medical University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, 200032 People's Republic of, Shanghai, China.
Wang
J
J
Zhu
C
C
Cao
X
X
Wu
G
G
D000818:Animals; D017660:Autoreceptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000166:cytology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000166:cytology*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor
D017660:Autoreceptors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; C000722285:Oprl1 protein, rat