Opioid tolerance-in search of the holy grail.
Tolerance, one of several behavioral adaptations to prolonged opioid treatment, has long been explained by desensitization of opioid receptor signaling and loss of surface receptors. However, recent evidence presents an alternative hypothesis, suggesting that receptor internalization could in fact reduce tolerance in vivo.
Kieffer
Brigitte L
BL
Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, 67400 Illkirch, France. briki@igbmc.u-strasbg.fr
Evans
Christopher J
CJ
D000818:Animals; D004361:Drug Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D020875:Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)- / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
D009294:Narcotics; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D020875:Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-