title: New vistas in opioid control of pain.
abstract: The μ-opioid receptors mainly contribute to the control of pain transmission, while a number of splice variants may have different physiological roles. In fact, some μ-opioid receptor agonists show distinct antinociceptive properties probably mediated via splice variants insensitive to traditional μ-opioid receptor agonists. These atypical μ-opioid receptor agonists are extremely effective against morphine-resistant interactive pain and lack the psychological dependence liability. μ-Opioid receptor splice variants specific for these atypical agonists may be the target for better analgesics effective against morphine-resistant interactive pain and lacking psychological dependence liability.
authors: Department of Physiology and Anatomy, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, 4-4-1 Komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai 981-8558, Japan.
authors: Hirokazu
authors: H
authors: Mizoguchi
authors: Chizuko
authors: C
authors: Watanabe
authors: Tsukasa
authors: T
authors: Sakurada
authors: Shinobu
authors: S
authors: Sakurada
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D011957:Receptors, Opioid