FUNCTIONAL REGULATION OF OPIOID SIGNALLING

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Sustained morphine treatment was shown to increase the concentration of excitatory Gs protein-coupled neuromodulators (such as PGE2 and dynorphin) and augment pain neurotransmitter release in the spinal cord. In Project C we will investigate the role of cAMP-regulated signaling pathways in the regulation of pain neurotransmitter (CGRP) release from cultured neonatal rat primary sensory (DRG) neurons by PGE2 and a non-opioid fragment of spinal dynorphin, dyn2-13. In addition, since earlier we have shown that sustained morphine treatment leads to a Raf-1 -mediated sensitization of adenylyl cyclase(s) (AC superactivation) towards excitatory agents in recombinant cells, in Project C we also will investigate the physiological role of Raf-1-mediated AC superactivation in the sensitization of basal and/or capsaicin-evoked CGRP release from sensory neurons after sustained morphine-treatment. We hypothesize that Raf-1-mediated AC superactivation sensitizes primary sensory neurons to Gs protein-coupled neuromodulators leading to augmented basal and/or evoked CGRP release upon sustained morphine treatment. To evaluate this hypothesis we shall I. investigate the role of Raf-1 in the sensitization of cAMP formation in cultured neonatal rat DRG neurons toward the Gs protein-coupled excitatory neuromodulators, PGE2 and dyn2-13; II. test the role of cAMP, cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and Raf-1 in the regulation of basal and/or capsaicinevoked CGRP release by PGE2 and dyn2-13 in cultured neonatal rat DRG neurons before and after sustained morphine treatment; and III. study the effect of selected novel compounds - prepared in the Synthetic Core and Project A - on cAMP concentration and basal and capsaicin-evoked CGRP release in cultured neonatal rat DRG neurons, before and after sustained opioid agonist treatment.