Regulation of Opioid Receptors by Their Endogenous Opioid Peptides.

Activation of µ, δ, and κ opioid receptors by endogenous opioid peptides leads to the regulation of many emotional and physiological responses. The three major endogenous opioid peptides, ß-endorphin, enkephalins, and dynorphins result from the processing of three main precursors: proopiomelanocortin, proenkephalin, and prodynorphin. Using a knockout approach, we sought to determine whether the absence of endogenous opioid peptides would affect the expression or activity of opioid receptors in mice lacking either proenkephalin, ß-endorphin, or both. Since gene knockout can lead to changes in the levels of peptides generated from related precursors by compensatory mechanisms, we directly measured the levels of Leu-enkephalin and dynorphin-derived peptides in the brain of animals lacking proenkephalin, ß-endorphin, or both. We find that whereas the levels of dynorphin-derived peptides were relatively unaltered, the levels of Leu-enkephalin were substantially decreased compared to wild-type mice suggesting that preproenkephalin is the major source of Leu-enkephalin. This data also suggests that the lack of ß-endorphin and/or proenkephalin does not lead to a compensatory change in prodynorphin processing. Next, we examined the effect of loss of the endogenous peptides on the regulation of opioid receptor levels and activity in specific regions of the brain. We also compared the receptor levels and activity in males and females and show that the lack of ß-endorphin and/or proenkephalin leads to differential modulation of the three opioid receptors in a region- and gender-specific manner. These results suggest that endogenous opioid peptides are important modulators of the expression and activity of opioid receptors in the brain.

Correction to: PAM haploinsufficiency does not accelerate the development of diet and human IAPP-induced diabetes in mice.

Unfortunately, the human islet checklist was omitted from the electronic supplementary material (ESM) linked to this paper.

PAM haploinsufficiency does not accelerate the development of diet- and human IAPP-induced diabetes in mice.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Peptide hormones are first synthesised as larger, inactive precursors that are converted to their active forms by endopeptidase cleavage and post-translational modifications, such as amidation. Recent, large-scale genome-wide studies have suggested that two coding variants of the amidating enzyme, peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase (PAM), are associated with impaired insulin secretion and increased type 2 diabetes risk. We aimed to elucidate the role of PAM in modulating beta cell peptide amidation, beta cell function and the development of diabetes. METHODS: PAM transcript and protein levels were analysed in mouse islets following induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or cytokine stress, and PAM expression patterns were examined in human islets. To study whether haploinsufficiency of PAM accelerates the development of diabetes, Pam+/- and Pam+/+ mice were fed a low-fat diet (LFD) or high-fat diet (HFD) and glucose homeostasis was assessed. Since aggregates of the PAM substrate human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) lead to islet inflammation and beta cell failure, we also investigated whether PAM haploinsufficiency accelerated hIAPP-induced diabetes and islet amyloid formation in Pam+/- and Pam+/+ mice with beta cell expression of hIAPP. RESULTS: Immunostaining revealed high expression of PAM in alpha, beta and delta cells in human pancreatic islets. Pam mRNA and PAM protein expression were reduced in mouse islets following administration of an HFD, and in isolated islets following induction of ER stress with thapsigargin, or cytokine stress with IL-1ß, IFN-γ and TFN-α. Despite Pam+/- only having 50% PAM expression and enzyme activity as compared with Pam+/+ mice, glucose tolerance and body mass composition were comparable in the two models. After 24 weeks of HFD, both Pam+/- and Pam+/+ mice had insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance, but no differences in glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity or plasma insulin levels were observed in PAM haploinsufficient mice. Islet amyloid formation and beta cell function were also similar in Pam+/- and Pam+/+ mice with beta cell expression of hIAPP. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Haploinsufficiency of PAM in mice does not accelerate the development of diet-induced obesity or hIAPP transgene-induced diabetes.

Contrasting effects of IGF binding protein-3 expression in mammary tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment.

IGFBP-3 has both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on cancer progression. The growth of EO771 mammary carcinoma cells as syngeneic tumors in C57BL/6 mice is reduced in Igfbp3-null (BP3KO) mice, suggesting that systemic IGFBP-3 enhances tumor progression. In this study we assessed the growth of EO771 cells expressing human IGFBP-3 in BP3KO mice. Cells expressing hIGFBP-3 showed decreased proliferation in vitro and increased levels of IGF-1 receptor (IGF1R) protein but not mRNA, consistent with sequestration of endogenous IGF by IGFBP-3. The growth rate of these cells was restored by exposure to IGF-1 or analogues with reduced affinity for IGFBP-3 (long Arg3-IGF-1) or IGF1R (Leu24-IGF-1). In EO771 cells implanted orthotopically into mice, hIGFBP-3 expression by the cells inhibited tumor establishment in BP3KO but not wild-type mice. For tumors that successfully established, final weight was not affected significantly by hIGFBP-3 expression. However, final tumor weight was inversely related to intratumoral T cell counts, and sera from BP3KO mice with tumors showed low-titer immunoreactivity against IGFBP-3. The contrasting effects on tumor establishment and progression of IGFBP-3 expressed by mammary carcinoma cells, compared to systemic stromal and circulating IGFBP-3, highlights the complexity of growth regulation by IGFBP-3 in mammary tumors.

NOP Receptor Antagonists Decrease Alcohol Drinking in the Dark in C57BL/6J Mice.

BACKGROUND: The nociceptin/orphanin FQ opioid peptide (NOP) receptor and its endogenous ligand N/OFQ have been implicated in the regulation of drug and alcohol use disorders (AUD). In particular, evidence demonstrated that NOP receptor activation blocks reinforcing and motivating effects of alcohol across a range of behavioral measures, including alcohol intake, conditioned place preference, and vulnerability to relapse. METHODS: Here, we show the effects of pharmacological activation and inhibition of NOP receptors on binge-like alcohol consumption, as measured by the "drinking in the dark" (DID) model in C57BL/6J mice. RESULTS: We found that 2 potent and selective NOP agonists AT-202 (0, 0.3, 1, 3 mg/kg) and AT-312 (0, 0.3, 1 mg/kg) did not affect binge alcohol drinking at doses that do not affect locomotor activity. AT-202 also failed to alter DID behavior when administered to mice previously exposed to chronic alcohol treatment with an alcohol-containing liquid diet. Conversely, treatment with either the high affinity NOP receptor antagonist SB-612111 (0, 3, 10, 30 mg/kg) or the selective antagonist LY2817412 (0, 3, 10, 30 mg/kg) decreased binge drinking. SB-612111 was effective at all doses examined, and LY2817412 was effective at 30 mg/kg. Consistently, NOP receptor knockout mice consumed less alcohol compared to wild type. SB-612111 reduced DID and increased sucrose consumption at doses that do not appear to affect locomotor activity. However, the high dose of SB-612111 (30 mg/kg) reduced alcohol intake but failed to inhibit preference in a 2-bottle choice DID model that can assess moderate alcohol intake. CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that NOP receptor inhibition rather than activation may represent a valuable approach for treatment of AUD characterized by excessive alcohol consumption such as binge drinking.

A Novel Nociceptin Receptor Antagonist LY2940094 Inhibits Excessive Feeding Behavior in Rodents: A Possible Mechanism for the Treatment of Binge Eating Disorder.

Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ), a 17 amino acid peptide, is the endogenous ligand of the ORL1/nociceptin-opioid-peptide (NOP) receptor. N/OFQ appears to regulate a variety of physiologic functions including stimulating feeding behavior. Recently, a new class of thienospiro-piperidine-based NOP antagonists was described. One of these molecules, LY2940094 has been identified as a potent and selective NOP antagonist that exhibited activity in the central nervous system. Herein, we examined the effects of LY2940094 on feeding in a variety of behavioral models. Fasting-induced feeding was inhibited by LY2940094 in mice, an effect that was absent in NOP receptor knockout mice. Moreover, NOP receptor knockout mice exhibited a baseline phenotype of reduced fasting-induced feeding, relative to wild-type littermate controls. In lean rats, LY2940094 inhibited the overconsumption of a palatable high-energy diet, reducing caloric intake to control chow levels. In dietary-induced obese rats, LY2940094 inhibited feeding and body weight regain induced by a 30% daily caloric restriction. Last, in dietary-induced obese mice, LY2940094 decreased 24-hour intake of a high-energy diet made freely available. These are the first data demonstrating that a systemically administered NOP receptor antagonist can reduce feeding behavior and body weight in rodents. Moreover, the hypophagic effect of LY2940094 is NOP receptor dependent and not due to off-target or aversive effects. Thus, LY2940094 may be useful in treating disorders of appetitive behavior such as binge eating disorder, food choice, and overeating, which lead to obesity and its associated medical complications and morbidity.

GPR171 is a hypothalamic G protein-coupled receptor for BigLEN, a neuropeptide involved in feeding.

Multiple peptide systems, including neuropeptide Y, leptin, ghrelin, and others, are involved with the control of food intake and body weight. The peptide LENSSPQAPARRLLPP (BigLEN) has been proposed to act through an unknown receptor to regulate body weight. In the present study, we used a combination of ligand-binding and receptor-activity assays to characterize a Gαi/o protein-coupled receptor activated by BigLEN in the mouse hypothalamus and Neuro2A cells. We then selected orphan G protein-coupled receptors expressed in the hypothalamus and Neuro2A cells and tested each for activation by BigLEN. G protein-coupled receptor 171 (GPR171) is activated by BigLEN, but not by the C terminally truncated peptide LittleLEN. The four C-terminal amino acids of BigLEN are sufficient to bind and activate GPR171. Overexpression of GPR171 leads to an increase, and knockdown leads to a decrease, in binding and signaling by BigLEN and the C-terminal peptide. In the hypothalamus GPR171 expression complements the expression of BigLEN, and its level and activity are elevated in mice lacking BigLEN. In mice, shRNA-mediated knockdown of hypothalamic GPR171 leads to a decrease in BigLEN signaling and results in changes in food intake and metabolism. The combination of GPR171 shRNA together with neutralization of BigLEN peptide by antibody absorption nearly eliminates acute feeding in food-deprived mice. Taken together, these results demonstrate that GPR171 is the BigLEN receptor and that the BigLEN-GPR171 system plays an important role in regulating responses associated with feeding and metabolism in mice.

Pharmacologic characterization in the rat of a potent analgesic lacking respiratory depression, IBNtxA.

IBNtxA (3'-iodobenzoyl-6ß-naltrexamide) is a potent analgesic in mice lacking many traditional opioid side effects. In mice, it displays no respiratory depression, does not produce physical dependence with chronic administration, and shows no cross-tolerance to morphine. It has limited effects on gastrointestinal transit and shows no reward behavior. Biochemical studies indicate its actions are mediated through a set of µ-opioid receptor clone MOR-1 splice variants associated with exon 11 that lack exon 1 and contain only six transmembrane domains. Like the mouse and human, rats express exon 11-associated splice variants that also contain only six transmembrane domains, raising the question of whether IBNtxA would have a similar pharmacologic profile in rats. When given systemically, IBNtxA is a potent analgesic in rats, with an ED50 value of 0.89 mg/kg s.c., approximately 4-fold more potent than morphine. It shows no analgesic cross-tolerance in morphine-pelleted rats. IBNtxA displays no respiratory depression as measured by blood oxygen saturation. In contrast, oximetry shows that an equianalgesic dose of morphine lowers blood oxygen saturation values by 30%. IBNtxA binding is present in a number of brain regions, with the thalamus standing out with very high levels and the cerebellum with low levels. As in mice, IBNtxA is a potent analgesic in rats with a favorable pharmacologic profile and reduced side effects.

Regulatory T cell-derived enkephalin imparts pregnancy-induced analgesia.

T cells have emerged as sex-dependent orchestrators of pain chronification but the sexually dimorphic mechanisms by which T cells control pain sensitivity is not resolved. Here, we demonstrate an influence of regulatory T cells (Tregs) on pain processing that is distinct from their canonical functions of immune regulation and tissue repair. Specifically, meningeal Tregs (mTregs) express the endogenous opioid, enkephalin, and mTreg-derived enkephalin exerts an antinociceptive action through a presynaptic opioid receptor signaling mechanism that is dispensable for immunosuppression. mTregs are both necessary and sufficient for suppressing mechanical pain sensitivity in female but not male mice. Notably, the mTreg modulation of pain thresholds depends on sex-hormones and expansion of enkephalinergic mTregs during gestation imparts a remarkable pregnancy-induced analgesia in a pre-existing, chronic, unremitting neuropathic pain model. These results uncover a fundamental sex-specific, pregnancy-pronounced, and immunologically-derived endogenous opioid circuit for nociceptive regulation with critical implications for pain biology and maternal health.

IGF-II promotes stemness of neural restricted precursors.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-II regulate brain development and growth through the IGF type 1 receptor (IGF-1R). Less appreciated is that IGF-II, but not IGF-I, activates a splice variant of the insulin receptor (IR) known as IR-A. We hypothesized that IGF-II exerts distinct effects from IGF-I on neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPs) via its interaction with IR-A. Immunofluorescence revealed high IGF-II in the medial region of the subventricular zone (SVZ) comprising the neural stem cell niche, with IGF-II mRNA predominant in the adjacent choroid plexus. The IGF-1R and the IR isoforms were differentially expressed with IR-A predominant in the medial SVZ, whereas the IGF-1R was more abundant laterally. Similarly, IR-A was more highly expressed by NSPs, whereas the IGF-1R was more highly expressed by lineage restricted cells. In vitro, IGF-II was more potent in promoting NSP expansion than either IGF-I or standard growth medium. Limiting dilution and differentiation assays revealed that IGF-II was superior to IGF-I in promoting stemness. In vivo, NSPs propagated in IGF-II migrated to and took up residence in periventricular niches while IGF-I-treated NSPs predominantly colonized white matter. Knockdown of IR or IGF-1R using shRNAs supported the conclusion that the IGF-1R promotes progenitor proliferation, whereas the IR is important for self-renewal. Q-PCR revealed that IGF-II increased Oct4, Sox1, and FABP7 mRNA levels in NSPs. Our data support the conclusion that IGF-II promotes the self-renewal of neural stem/progenitors via the IR. By contrast, IGF-1R functions as a mitogenic receptor to increase precursor abundance.

Kappa opioid receptor contributes to EGF-stimulated neurite extension in development.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), a mitogen, also stimulates neurite extension during development, but the underlying mechanism is elusive. This study reveals a functional role for kappa opioid receptor (KOR) in EGF-stimulated neurite extension, and the underlying mechanism. EGF and activated EGF receptor (EGFR) levels are elevated in embryonic spinal cords during late gestation stages, with concurrent rise in protein levels of KOR and axon extension markers, growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43), and transient axonal glycoprotein-1 (TAG-1). Both GAP43 and TAG-1 levels are significantly lower in KOR-null (KOR(-/-)) spinal cords, and EGFR inhibitors effectively reduce the levels of KOR, GAP43, and TAG-1 in wild-type embryonic spinal cords. For KOR(-/-) or KOR-knockdown dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, EGF can no longer effectively stimulate axon extension, which can be rescued by introducing a constitutive KOR expressing vector but not by a regulated KOR vector carrying its 5' untranslated region, which can be bound and repressed by growth factor receptor-bound protein 7 (Grb7). Furthermore, blocking KOR activation by application of anti-dynorphin, KOR antagonist, or EGFR inhibitor effectively reduces axon extension of DRG neurons. Thus, EGF-stimulated axon extension during development is mediated, at least partially, by specific elevation of KOR protein production at posttranscriptional level, as well as activation of KOR signaling. The result also reveals an action of EGF to augment posttranscriptional regulation of certain mRNAs during developmental stages.

Exogenous GLP-2 and IGF-I induce a differential intestinal response in IGF binding protein-3 and -5 double knockout mice.

Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) action is dependent on intestinal expression of IGF-I, and IGF-I action is modulated by IGF binding proteins (IGFBP). Our objective was to evaluate whether the intestinal response to GLP-2 or IGF-I is dependent on expression of IGFBP-3 and -5. Male, adult mice in six treatment groups, three wild-type (WT) and three double IGFBP-3/-5 knockout (KO), received twice daily intraperitoneal injections of GLP-2 (0.5 µg/g body wt), IGF-I (4 µg/g body wt), or PBS (vehicle) for 7 days. IGFBP-3/-5 KO mice showed a phenotype of lower plasma IGF-I concentration, but greater body weight and relative mass of visceral organs, compared with WT mice (P < 0.001). WT mice showed jejunal growth with either IGF-I or GLP-2 treatment. In KO mice, IGF-I did not stimulate jejunal growth, crypt mitosis, sucrase activity, and IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) expression, suggesting that the intestinotrophic actions of IGF-I are dependent on expression of IGFBP-3 and -5. In KO mice, GLP-2 induced significant increases in jejunal mucosal cellularity, crypt mitosis, villus height, and crypt depth that was associated with increased expression of the ErbB ligand epiregulin and decreased expression of IGF-I and IGF-IR. This suggests that in KO mice, GLP-2 action in jejunal mucosa is independent of the IGF-I system and linked with ErbB ligands. In summary, the intestinotrophic actions of IGF-I, but not GLP-2, in mucosa are dependent on IGFBP-3 and -5. These findings support the role of multiple downstream mediators for the mucosal growth induced by GLP-2.

Contribution of the Opioid System to the Antidepressant Effects of Fluoxetine.

BACKGROUND: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as fluoxetine have a limited treatment efficacy. The mechanism by which some patients respond to fluoxetine while others do not remains poorly understood, limiting treatment effectiveness. We have found the opioid system to be involved in the responsiveness to fluoxetine treatment in a mouse model for anxiety- and depressive-like behavior. METHODS: We analyzed gene expression changes in the dentate gyrus of mice chronically treated with corticosterone and fluoxetine. After identifying a subset of genes of interest, we studied their expression patterns in relation to treatment responsiveness. We further characterized their expression through in situ hybridization and the analysis of a single-cell RNA sequencing dataset. Finally, we behaviorally tested mu and delta opioid receptor knockout mice in the novelty suppressed feeding test and the forced swim test after chronic corticosterone and fluoxetine treatment. RESULTS: Chronic fluoxetine treatment upregulates proenkephalin expression in the dentate gyrus, and this upregulation is associated with treatment responsiveness. The expression of several of the most significantly upregulated genes, including proenkephalin, is localized to an anatomically and transcriptionally specialized subgroup of mature granule cells in the dentate gyrus. We have also found that the delta opioid receptor contributes to some, but not all, of the behavioral effects of fluoxetine. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that the opioid system is involved in the antidepressant effects of fluoxetine, and this effect may be mediated through the upregulation of proenkephalin in a subpopulation of mature granule cells.

kappa-Opioid receptors control the metabolic response to a high-energy diet in mice.

General opioid receptor antagonists reduce food intake and body weight in rodents, but the contributions of specific receptor subtypes are unknown. We examined whether genetic deletion of the kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) in mice alters metabolic physiology. KOR-knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice were fed a high-energy diet (HED) for 16 wk. KO mice had 28% lower body weight and 45% lower fat mass when compared to WT mice fed an HED. No differences in caloric intake were found. An HED reduced energy expenditure in WT mice, but not in KO mice. KOR deficiency led to an attenuation of triglyceride synthesis in the liver. Malonyl CoA levels were also reduced in response to an HED, thereby promoting hepatic beta-oxidation. Glycemic control was also found to be improved in KO mice. These data suggest a key role for KORs in the central nervous system regulation of the metabolic adaptation to an HED, as we were unable to detect expression of KOR in liver, white adipose tissue, or skeletal muscle in WT mice. This study provides the first evidence that KORs play an essential physiological role in the control of hepatic lipid metabolism, and KOR activation is a permissive signal toward fat storage.-Czyzyk, T. A., Nogueiras, R., Lockwood, J. F., McKinzie, J. H., Coskun, T., Pintar, J. E., Hammond, C., Tschöp, M. H., Statnick, M. A. kappa-Opioid receptors control the metabolic response to a high-energy diet in mice.

Site selective C-H functionalization of Mitragyna alkaloids reveals a molecular switch for tuning opioid receptor signaling efficacy.

Mitragynine (MG) is the most abundant alkaloid component of the psychoactive plant material "kratom", which according to numerous anecdotal reports shows efficacy in self-medication for pain syndromes, depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. We have developed a synthetic method for selective functionalization of the unexplored C11 position of the MG scaffold (C6 position in indole numbering) via the use of an indole-ethylene glycol adduct and subsequent iridium-catalyzed borylation. Through this work we discover that C11 represents a key locant for fine-tuning opioid receptor signaling efficacy. 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7OH), the parent compound with low efficacy on par with buprenorphine, is transformed to an even lower efficacy agonist by introducing a fluorine substituent in this position (11-F-7OH), as demonstrated in vitro at both mouse and human mu opioid receptors (mMOR/hMOR) and in vivo in mouse analgesia tests. Low efficacy opioid agonists are of high interest as candidates for generating safer opioid medications with mitigated adverse effects.

Neuropeptidomic analysis establishes a major role for prohormone convertase-2 in neuropeptide biosynthesis.

Prohormone convertase 2 (PC2) functions in the generation of neuropeptides from their precursors. A quantitative peptidomics approach was used to evaluate the role of PC2 in the processing of peptides in a variety of brain regions. Altogether, 115 neuropeptides or other peptides derived from secretory pathway proteins were identified. These peptides arise from 28 distinct secretory pathway proteins, including proenkephalin, proopiomelanocortin, prodynorphin, protachykinin A and B, procholecystokinin, and many others. Forty one of the peptides found in wild-type (WT) mice were not detectable in any of the brain regions of PC2 knockout mice, and another 24 peptides were present at levels ranging from 20% to 79% of WT levels. Most of the other peptides were not substantially affected by the mutation, with levels ranging from 80% to 120% of WT levels, and only three peptides were found to increase in one or more brain regions of PC2 knockout mice. Taken together, these results are consistent with a broad role for PC2 in neuropeptide processing, but with functional redundancy for many of the cleavages. Comparison of the cleavage sites affected by the absence of PC2 confirms previous suggestions that sequences with a Trp, Tyr, and/or Pro in the P1' or P2' position are preferentially cleaved by PC2 and not by other enzymes present in the secretory pathway.

The propeptide precursor proSAAS is involved in fetal neuropeptide processing and body weight regulation.

Mice with a targeted mutation in proSAAS have been generated to investigate whether peptides derived from this precursor could function as an inhibitor of prohormone convertase 1/3 (PC1/3) in vivo as well as to determine any alternate roles for proSAAS in nervous and endocrine tissues. Fetal mice lacking proSAAS exhibit complete, adult-like processing of prodynorphin in the prenatal brain instead of the incomplete processing seen in the brains of wild-type fetal mice where inhibitory proSAAS intermediates are transiently accumulated. This study provides evidence that proSAAS is directly involved in the prenatal regulation of neuropeptide processing in vivo. However, adult mice lacking proSAAS have normal levels of all peptides detected using a peptidomics approach, suggesting that PC1/3 activity is not affected by the absence of proSAAS in adult mice. ProSAAS knockout mice exhibit decreased locomotion and a male-specific 10-15% decrease in body weight, but maintain normal fasting blood glucose levels and are able to efficiently clear glucose from the blood in response to a glucose challenge. This work suggests that proSAAS-derived peptides can inhibit PC1/3 in embryonic brain, but in the adult brain proSAAS peptides may function as neuropeptides that regulate body weight and potentially other behaviors.

Potentiating effect of morphine on oral Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection is µ-opioid receptor-dependent.

Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated that mice treated with morphine pellets are sensitized to Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhimurium infection. However, the opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone, only partially blocked the effect of morphine, raising the possibility that the opioid might have some of its effects through a nonopioid receptor. To further clarify whether sensitization to infection is an opioid receptor-dependent phenomenon, µ-opioid receptor knockout (MORKO) mice were used in the present study. Wild-type (WT) and MORKO mice were treated with morphine and their sensitivity to oral Salmonella infection was assessed by mortality, bacterial burdens in gut associated lymphoid tissue and in blood and peritoneal fluid, and by levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in plasma. MORKO animals treated with morphine were refractory to a sublethal dose of Salmonella, while similar treatment of WT animals resulted in 100% mortality. WT animals treated with morphine had high bacterial loads in all organs tested, while morphine-treated MORKO animals had no culturable Salmonella in any organs. Pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were elevated in morphine-treated WT but not MORKO mice infected with Salmonella. These results provide definitive evidence that the morphine-mediated enhancement of oral Salmonella infection is dependent on the µ-opioid receptor.

Lack of genotype effect on D1, D2 receptors and dopamine transporter binding in triple MOP-, DOP-, and KOP-opioid receptor knockout mice of three different genetic backgrounds.

We investigated D1, D2 receptors and dopamine transporter (DAT) binding levels in mice lacking all three opioid receptors and wild-type (WT) mice on three different genetic backgrounds. Quantitative autoradiography was used to determine the level of radioligand binding to the D1 and D2 receptors and DAT labeled with [(3)H]SCH23390, [(3)H]raclopride, and [(3)H]mazindol, respectively in triple-opioid receptor knockout (KO) and WT maintained on C57BL/6 (B6) and 129/SvEvTac (129) as well as C57BL/6 x 129/SvPas (B6 x 129) strains. No significant genotype effect was observed in D1, D2 receptors and DAT binding in any regions analyzed in any of the strains studied, suggesting that a lack of all three opioid receptors does not influence D1, D2 receptors and DAT expression, irrespective of their genetic strain background. However, strain differences were observed in D1 binding between the three strains of mice studied. Lower levels of D1 binding were observed in the substantia nigra of B6 x 129 WT mice compared with the 129 WT mice and in the olfactory tubercle of B6 x 129 WT compared with B6 WT and 129 WT mice. Lower levels of D1 binding were observed in the caudate putamen of B6 x 129 KO mice compared with 129 KO mice. In contrast, no significant strain differences were observed in D2 and DAT binding between the three strains of mice in any regions analyzed. Overall, these results indicate a lack of modulation of the dopaminergic system by the deletion of all three opioid receptors regardless of different background strains.

PAPA-1 Is a nuclear binding partner of IGFBP-2 and modulates its growth-promoting actions.

IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) have multiple cellular effects, which occur by both IGF-dependent and -independent mechanisms. IGFBP-2 is involved in the regulation of both normal and carcinogenic cell growth. To further understand the actions of IGFBP-2, we carried out a yeast two-hybrid screen to search for intracellular partner proteins using a human prostate cDNA library. We isolated Pim-1-associated protein-1 (PAP-1)-associated protein-1 (PAPA-1) as an IGFBP-2-binding protein, whose expression and subcellular localization is regulated by both IGFBP-2 and androgens. Coimmunoprecipitation and glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay confirmed the interaction in vitro, and confocal microscopy showed the colocalization of IGFBP-2 and PAPA-1 in the nucleus. Suppression of PAPA-1 by small interfering RNA treatment enhanced the growth-promoting effect of IGFBP-2. Conversely, IGFBP-2-promoted bromodeoxyuridine incorporation into LNCaP cells was abrogated by the simultaneous overexpression of myc-hPAPA-1. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts from IGFBP-2 knockout mouse showed diminished growth activity compared with wild type, and expression of FLAG-mPAPA-1 decreased cell proliferation in IGFBP-2 knockout, but not control mouse embryonic fibroblasts. These studies suggest that the growth-promoting role of IGFBP-2 in prostate cancer is inhibited by its intracellular interaction with PAPA-1.