We investigated the role of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), and related intracellular second messengers, in the development of morphine tolerance and dependence. The mGluRs are divided into three groups: group I mGluRs are positively coupled to phosphatidylinositol (PI) hydrolysis, while group II and III mGluRs are negatively coupled to cyclic adensoine-3$ sp prime$,5$ sp prime$-monophosphate (cAMP) production. Opioid receptors are also coupled to these same systems, and have been shown to elicit changes in these messenger systems during chronic treatment. / We showed that chronic intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of selective group II and III mGluR antagonists concurrently with subcutaneous (s.c.) morphine significantly reduced the severity of precipitated withdrawal symptoms. Conversely, acute i.c.v. injection of a selective group II mGluR antagonist just prior to the precipitation of withdrawal significantly exacerbated the severity of abstinence symptoms. In addition, acute i.c.v. injection of a selective group II mGluR agonist just prior to the precipitation of withdrawal significantly reduced abstinence symptoms. From these results we hypothesized that chronic opioid treatment may induce a desensitization of group II mGluRs. / We also demonstrated that chronic i.c.v. infusion of a selective group I mGluR antagonist concurrently with s.c. morphine significantly attenuated the precipitated withdrawal syndrome. In addition, we showed that chronic i.c.v. antagonism of $ delta$-opioid receptors with a highly selective antagonist also decreased the development of morphine dependence, as well as tolerance. Since both group I mGluRs and $ delta$-opioid receptors are positively coupled to PI hydrolysis, further evidence for a role of products of PI hydrolysis in the development of morphine dependence was obtained when we showed that selective chronic inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) activation, as well as selective chronic inhibition of intracellular Ca$ sp{2+}$ release, concurrently with morphine treatment significantly reduced the severity of abstinence symptoms. Thus, compensatory changes usually elicited by chronic opioid treatment may be counteracted by antagonizing receptors positively coupled to PI hydrolysis, as well as by inhibiting products of PI hydrolysis. / In the General Discussion, we propose a model based on the possible interaction of mGluRs and opioid receptors, via related intracellular second messengers, to explain the development of morphine dependence.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.42034 |
| Date | January 1996 |
| Creators | Fundytus, Marian Elaine. |
| Contributors | Coderre, Terence J. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Psychology.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001555321, proquestno: NQ29938, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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