Basal opioid receptor activity, neutral antagonists, and therapeutic opportunities

The mu opioid receptor (MOR, OPRM)--the principal receptor involved in narcotic addiction--has been shown to display basal (spontaneous, constitutive) signaling activity. Interaction with other signaling proteins, such as calmodulin, regulates basal MOR activity. Providing a mechanism for long-lasting regulation, basal MOR activity potentially plays a key role in addiction, in combination with gene regulation and synaptic remodeling. Recent results support a link to physical dependence--one of the main manifestations of addiction to drugs of abuse. The prototypical opioid antagonists, naloxone and naltrexone, were shown to act as inverse agonists in the morphine-dependent state (i.e., they suppress basal MOR signaling) and thereby appear to elicit or contribute to precipitated withdrawal. This affords the opportunity to explore therapeutic applications for neutral antagonists (blocking agonists at MOR without affecting basal activity) with reduced adverse effects. Neutral antagonists are promising drug candidates in the treatment of addiction and overdose, and of peripheral adverse effects of narcotic analgesics.

Medienart:

Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2005

Erschienen:

2005

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:76

Enthalten in:

Life sciences - 76(2005), 13 vom: 11. Feb., Seite 1427-37

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Sadée, Wolfgang [VerfasserIn]
Wang, Danxin [VerfasserIn]
Bilsky, Edward J [VerfasserIn]

Themen:

36B82AMQ7N
5S6W795CQM
Calmodulin
Journal Article
Naloxone
Naltrexone
Narcotic Antagonists
Receptors, Opioid
Receptors, Opioid, mu
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
Review

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 01.03.2005

Date Revised 09.03.2022

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM153391561