Morphine stimulates nitric oxide release in human mitochondria.
The expression of morphine by plants, invertebrate, and vertebrate cells and organ systems, strongly indicates a high level of evolutionary conservation of morphine and related morphinan alkaloids as required for life. The prototype catecholamine, dopamine, serves as an essential chemical intermediate in morphine biosynthesis, both in plants and animals. We surmise that, before the emergence of specialized plant and animal cells/organ systems, primordial multi-potential cell types required selective mechanisms to limit their responsiveness to environmental cues. Accordingly, cellular systems that emerged with the potential for recruitment of the free radical gas nitric oxide (NO) as a multi-faceted autocrine/paracrine signaling molecule, were provided with extremely positive evolutionary advantages. Endogenous morphinergic signaling, in concert with NO-coupled signaling systems, has evolved as an autocrine/paracrine regulator of metabolic homeostasis, energy metabolism, mitochondrial respiration and energy production. Basic physiological processes involving morphinergic/NO-coupled regulation of mitochondrial function, with special emphasis on the cardiovascular system, are critical to all organismic survival. Key to this concept may be the phenomenon of mitochondrial enslavement in eukaryotic evolution via endogenous morphine.
MitoGenetics Research Institute, MitoGenetics LLC, 3 Bioscience Park Drive, Suite 307, Farmingdale, NY, 11735, USA. george.stefano@mitogenetics.com.
George B
GB
Stefano
MitoGenetics Research Institute, MitoGenetics LLC, 3 Bioscience Park Drive, Suite 307, Farmingdale, NY, 11735, USA.
Kirk J
KJ
Mantione
MitoGenetics Research Institute, MitoGenetics LLC, 3 Bioscience Park Drive, Suite 307, Farmingdale, NY, 11735, USA.
Lismary
L
Capellan
MitoGenetics Research Institute, MitoGenetics LLC, 3 Bioscience Park Drive, Suite 307, Farmingdale, NY, 11735, USA.
Federico M
FM
Casares
MitoGenetics Research Institute, MitoGenetics LLC, 3 Bioscience Park Drive, Suite 307, Farmingdale, NY, 11735, USA.
Sean
S
Challenger
MitoGenetics Research Institute, MitoGenetics LLC, 3 Bioscience Park Drive, Suite 307, Farmingdale, NY, 11735, USA.
Rohina
R
Ramin
MitoGenetics Research Institute, MitoGenetics LLC, 3 Bioscience Park Drive, Suite 307, Farmingdale, NY, 11735, USA.
Joshua M
JM
Samuel
MitoGenetics Research Institute, MitoGenetics LLC, 3 Bioscience Park Drive, Suite 307, Farmingdale, NY, 11735, USA.
Christopher
C
Snyder
MitoGenetics Research Institute, MitoGenetics LLC, 3 Bioscience Park Drive, Suite 307, Farmingdale, NY, 11735, USA.
Richard M
RM
Kream
D019898:Autocrine Communication / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019899:Paracrine Communication / Q000187:drug effects*
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D009020:Morphine
Endogenous morphine; Mitochondria; Nitric oxide; Nitric oxide synthase; Opiate receptor sub-types