Effects of coadministration of low dose cannabinoid type 2 receptor agonist and morphine on vanilloid receptor 1 expression in a rat model of cancer pain

  • Authors:
    • Mingyue Zhang
    • Meng Chi
    • Huichao Zou
    • Songyu Tian
    • Zhaodi Zhang
    • Guonian Wang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: September 13, 2017     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.7479
  • Pages: 7025-7031
Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

Morphine is widely used as an analgesic to treat moderate to severe pain, but chronic morphine use is associated with development of tolerance and dependence, which limits its analgesic efficacy. Our previous research has showed that nonanalgetic dose of a cannabinoid type 2 (CB2) receptor agonist reduced morphine tolerance in cancer pain. A previous study showed the colocalization of CB2 and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in human and rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) sensory neurons. Whether coadministration of a CB2 receptor agonist and morphine could reduce TRPV1 expression in morphine‑induced antinociception and tolerance in cancer pain is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of coadministration of a CB2 receptor agonist AM1241 and morphine on TRPV1 expression and tolerance in cancer pain. Coadministration of AM1241 and morphine for 8 days significantly reduced morphine tolerance, as assessed by measuring paw withdrawal latency to a radiant heat stimulation, in Walker 256 tumor‑bearing rats. Repeated morphine treatment for a period of 8 days induced upregulation of the TRPV1 protein expression levels in the DRG in the tumor‑bearing rats, although no change in mRNA expression. Pretreatment with AM1241 reduced this morphine‑induced upregulation of TRPV1 and the effect was reversed by the CB2 receptor antagonist AM630. Our findings suggest that coadministration of a CB2 receptor agonist AM1241 and morphine reduced morphine tolerance possibly through regulation of TRPV1 protein expression in the DRG in cancer pain.
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

November-2017
Volume 16 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
Online ISSN:1791-3004

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Zhang M, Chi M, Zou H, Tian S, Zhang Z and Wang G: Effects of coadministration of low dose cannabinoid type 2 receptor agonist and morphine on vanilloid receptor 1 expression in a rat model of cancer pain. Mol Med Rep 16: 7025-7031, 2017
APA
Zhang, M., Chi, M., Zou, H., Tian, S., Zhang, Z., & Wang, G. (2017). Effects of coadministration of low dose cannabinoid type 2 receptor agonist and morphine on vanilloid receptor 1 expression in a rat model of cancer pain. Molecular Medicine Reports, 16, 7025-7031. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.7479
MLA
Zhang, M., Chi, M., Zou, H., Tian, S., Zhang, Z., Wang, G."Effects of coadministration of low dose cannabinoid type 2 receptor agonist and morphine on vanilloid receptor 1 expression in a rat model of cancer pain". Molecular Medicine Reports 16.5 (2017): 7025-7031.
Chicago
Zhang, M., Chi, M., Zou, H., Tian, S., Zhang, Z., Wang, G."Effects of coadministration of low dose cannabinoid type 2 receptor agonist and morphine on vanilloid receptor 1 expression in a rat model of cancer pain". Molecular Medicine Reports 16, no. 5 (2017): 7025-7031. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.7479