Reduced Number, G Protein Coupling, and Antinociceptive Efficacy of Spinal Mu-Opioid Receptors in Diabetic Rats Are Reversed by Nerve Growth Factor

In diabetic neuropathy a loss in sensory neuron mu-opioid receptor number and coupling contributes to impaired spinal opioid antinociception that can be reversed by NGF. These findings support growing evidence of a distinct regulation of opioid responsiveness during various painful diseases and may give novel therapeutic incentives.