Effect of chronic ethanol and withdrawal on the μ-opioid receptor- and 5-hydroxytryptamine(1A) receptor-stimulated binding of [35S]guanosine-5'-O- (3-thio)triphosphate in the Fawn-Hooded rat brain: A quantitative autoradiography study

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that chronic ethanol influences the density of central μ-opioid receptors and serotonin(1A) (5-hydroxytryptamine(1A)) receptors. To determine whether the functional coupling of these two receptors to G proteins in the rat brain, particularly in mesocorticolimbic regions, is affected by ethanol, receptor-mediated [35S]guanosine-5'-O(3- thio)-triphosphate ([35S]GTPγS) binding stimulated by [D-Ala2,N- MePhe4,Gly-ol5]-enkephalin (DAMGO) or L694,247 was used. By quantitative autoradiography, receptor-mediated [35S]GTPγS binding activated by the two agonists was mapped throughout brain sections at the level of the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus from groups of alcohol..