Activation of supraspinal NMDA receptors by both D-serine alone or in combination with morphine leads to the potentiation of antinociception in tail-flick test of rats

Although there is a variety of information concerning the effects of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor on opioid-induced antinociception at the spinal level, little is known about the effects at the supraspinal level. To clarify the role of the NMDA receptor on the morphine-induced antinociception at the supraspinal level, we investigated the effects of the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of D-serine, a selective agonist for the glycine site of the NMDA receptors, alone or in combination with morphine using the tail-flick test. The i.c.v. administration of D-serine, but not L-serine, alone produced a dose-dependent antinociception in the tail-flick response. D-Serine also dose-dependently potentiated the antinociceptive effect induced by the i.c.v. administration of morphine and the simultaneous administration produced an additive effect. The potentiation of the antinociception produced by both D-serine alone or in combination with morphine was dose-dependently attenuated by the i.c.v. administration of L-701,324, a selective antagonist for the glycine site of the NMDA receptors. In addition, the potentiation of the D-serine-induced antinociception was antagonized by the i.c.v. administration of naloxone, a nonselective opioid receptor antagonist. These observations, together with the fact that D-serine is an endogenous and selective co-agonist for the glycine site of the NMDA receptors, strongly suggested that the activation of the supraspinal NMDA receptors by D-serine leads to the potentiation of the antinociception in the tail-flick test and that endogenous D-serine could modulate the μ-opioid receptor mediated antinociception via the glycine site of the NMDA receptors at the supraspinal level.