Journal article

Agonist-dependent development of delta opioid receptor tolerance in the colon

JJ DiCello, A Saito, P Rajasekhar, BW Sebastian, RM McQuade, AB Gondin, NA Veldhuis, M Canals, SE Carbone, DP Poole

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences | SPRINGER BASEL AG | Published : 2019

Abstract

The use of opioid analgesics is severely limited due to the development of intractable constipation, mediated through activation of mu opioid receptors (MOR) expressed by enteric neurons. The related delta opioid receptor (DOR) is an emerging therapeutic target for chronic pain, depression and anxiety. Whether DOR agonists also promote sustained inhibition of colonic transit is unknown. This study examined acute and chronic tolerance to SNC80 and ARM390, which were full and partial DOR agonists in neural pathways controlling colonic motility, respectively. Excitatory pathways developed acute and chronic tolerance to SNC80, whereas only chronic tolerance developed in inhibitory pathways. Both..

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