title: Receptor-selective antagonism of opioid antinociception in female versus male rats.
abstract: This study was conducted to determine whether sex differences in opioid antinociception may be explained by sex differences in opioid receptor activation. The time course, dose-effect and selectivity of antagonists that have been previously shown to be relatively mu (beta-funaltrexamine, beta-FNA), kappa (norbinaltorphimine, norBNI), or delta (naltrindole, NTI) receptor selective in male animals were compared in female and male Sprague-Dawley rats using a 52 degrees C hotplate test. In both sexes, beta-FNA (10 or 20 microg intracerebroventricularly [i.c.v.]) dose-dependently blocked the antinociceptive effects of fentanyl (0.056 mg/kg subcutaneously); antagonism was observed 24 h after beta-FNA, and diminished within 7-14 days. In both sexes, norBNI (1 or 10 microg i.c.v.) dose-dependently blocked the antinociceptive effects of U69,593 (1.0 mg/kg subcutaneously); antagonism was maximal by 1-3 days post-norBNI and lasted longer than 56 days. NTI (1 or 10 microg i.c.v.) dose-dependently blocked the antinociceptive effects of [D-Pen2, D-Pen5]enkephalin (DPDPE, 100 nmol i.c.v.) in both sexes; however, the duration of action of NTI was shorter in females than in males. The antinociceptive effects of the mu receptor-preferring agonists fentanyl, morphine and buprenorphine were significantly and dose-dependently antagonized by beta-FNA, but not by norBNI or NTI, in both sexes. Beta-FNA antagonism was significantly greater in females compared with males given morphine, but not fentanyl or buprenorphine. The antinociceptive effects of the kappa receptor-preferring agonists U69,593 and U50,488 were significantly and dose-dependently antagonized by norBNI; U50,488 but not U69,593 was also antagonized to a lesser extent by NTI and beta-FNA, in both sexes. The antinociceptive effect of the delta receptor-preferring agonist SNC 80 was significantly antagonized by NTI, but not by norBNI or beta-FNA, in both sexes. The sex difference in beta-FNA antagonism of morphine suggests that there may be sex differences in functional mu opioid receptor reserve or signal transduction; however, the lack of consistency across all mu agonists weakens this hypothesis. Overall, the opioids tested had very similar receptor selectivity in male and female subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-4820, USA. craft@wsu.edu
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Craft
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: McNiel
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Furness
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Rice
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects*; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu