Role of kappa and delta opioid receptors in mediating morphine-induced antinociception in morphine-tolerant infant rats

We have previously noted that the antinociceptive efficacy of morphine was significantly decreased in rat pups chronically infused with morphine from implanted osmotic minipumps. In this study, morphine was fully efficacious (i.e., 100% maximum possible effect, %MPE) in the 52 °C tail-immersion test after a 72-h infusion from implanted saline-filled osmotic minipumps. However, administration of up to 1000 mg/kg, s.c. morphine failed to elicit greater than a 27% MPE in rats infused with morphine at 2 mg/kg/h. Morphine was more efficacious when the water bath temperature was decreased to 49 °C. Experiments were conducted to determine the mechanisms whereby chronic morphine administration leads to a decrease in antinociceptive efficacy. The kappa-opioid antagonist nor-binalorphimine completely blocked the antinociceptive effects of morphine in morphine-infused rat pups. The kappa agonist U50,488 elicited antinociception; however, the requirement to use higher doses in morphine- than saline-infused rats indicates that kappa cross-tolerance was present. Thus, in tolerant rats the antinociceptive effects of high doses of morphine appear to be mediated through kappa-opioid receptors. The delta-opioid antagonist naltrindole was inactive in both treatment groups. DAMGO-stimulated [35S]GTPγS and [3H]naloxone binding reveals that the anatomical distribution of the mu-opioid receptor was consistent with that of the adult rat brain. In adult rats, the mu-opioid receptor is desensitized during morphine tolerance. However, desensitization was not evident in P17 rats based on the lack of significant decreases in [35S]GTPγS binding. Furthermore, [3H]naloxone binding indicated a lack of mu receptor downregulation in morphine-tolerant rat pups.