Opioids activate brain analgesic circuits through cytochrome P450/epoxygenase signaling

Nat Neurosci. 2010 Mar;13(3):284-6. doi: 10.1038/nn.2497. Epub 2010 Feb 7.

Abstract

To assess the importance of brain cytochrome P450 (P450) activity in mu opioid analgesic action, we generated a mutant mouse with brain neuron-specific reductions in P450 activity; these mice showed highly attenuated morphine antinociception compared with controls. Pharmacological inhibition of brain P450 arachidonate epoxygenases also blocked morphine antinociception in mice and rats. Our findings indicate that a neuronal P450 epoxygenase mediates the pain-relieving properties of morphine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics, Opioid / administration & dosage
  • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Brain / enzymology
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2J2
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / drug effects*
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / genetics
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Morphine / administration & dosage
  • Morphine / pharmacology
  • Neural Pathways / drug effects
  • Neural Pathways / enzymology
  • Neural Pathways / metabolism
  • Neurons / drug effects*
  • Neurons / enzymology
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Pain / drug therapy*
  • Pain / enzymology
  • Pain / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu
  • Morphine
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2J2