Abstract
1 Patch clamp recordings were made from periaqueductal grey (PAG) neurons in vitro to investigate the cellular actions of opioids in wild-type C57B16/J mice and mutant mice lacking the first exon of the micro -opioid (MOP) receptor. 2 In wild-type mice, the kappa-(KOP) agonist U-69593 (300 nM) and the mixed micro /delta-opioid agonist met-enkephalin (10 micro M), but not the delta-(DOP) agonist deltorphin (300 nM), reduced the amplitude of evoked GABA(A)-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs). Met-enkephalin and U-69593 also reduced the rate of spontaneous miniature IPSCs, but had no effect on their amplitude and kinetics. In micro -receptor-deleted mice, only U-69593 (300 nM) reduced the amplitude of evoked IPSCs. 3 In wild-type mice, the MOP agonist DAMGO (3 micro M) produced an outward current in 76% of the neurons. Deltorphin and U-69593 produced outward currents in 24 and 32% of the neurons, respectively. In micro -receptor-deleted mice, deltorphin and U-69593 produced similar outward currents in 32 and 27% of the neurons, respectively, while DAMGO was without effect. All neurons in both the wild-type and micro -receptor-deleted mice responded with similar outward currents to either the GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen (10 micro M), or the opioid-like receptor ORL1 (NOP) agonist nociceptin (300 nM). 4 The DAMGO-, deltorphin-, U-69593-, baclofen- and nociceptin-induced currents displayed inward rectification and reversed polarity at -109 to -116 mV. 5 These findings indicate that micro -, delta- and kappa-opioid receptor activation has complex pre- and postsynaptic actions within the mouse PAG. This differs to the rat PAG where only micro -opioid receptor actions have been observed.