Activity of mu- and delta-opioid agonists in vas deferens from mice deficient in MOR gene

1. Mice lacking the mu-opioid receptor have been recently generated. Centrally mediated responses of mu-opioid agonists are suppressed whereas some of the delta-opioid responses are preserved in these mutant mice. 2. The vas deferens bioassay has been used in this study to investigate the functional activity at a peripheral level of mu- and delta-opioid agonists in mice lacking mu-opioid receptors. 3. The different mu-opioid agonists evaluated, morphine, DAMGO, dermorphin and [Lys(7)]-dermorphin produced an inhibitory response in vas deferens from wild-type mice but had no relevant activity on vas deferens from mutant mice. 4. The selective delta-opioid agonists DPDPE, BUBU, deltorphin I, deltorphin II and [D-Met(2)]-deltorphin induced inhibitory effects in vas deferens from both wild-type and mutant mice. However, the biological activities of these ligands were slightly reduced in preparations from mutant mice. The inhibitory responses of all these delta-opioid agonists were prevented by the administration of the selective delta-opioid antagonist naltrindole. 5. These data indicate that delta-opioid agonists, but not mu-opioid agonists, are biologically active in vas deferens from mice lacking mu-opioid receptors. The decreased response of delta-agonists in mutant mice suggests that some cooperativity may exist between mu- and delta-opioid receptors in these vas deferens preparations.