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Neuropeptide FF-sensitive confinement of mu opioid receptor does not involve lipid rafts in SH-SY5Y cells

Lionel Moulédous1, Soren Merker, Jérémie Neasta

  • 1Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, CNRS/Université de Toulouse, UMR 5089, 205 route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse Cedex, France. lionel.mouledous@ipbs.fr

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|June 12, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Directly observing mu opioid (MOP) receptor compartmentation in living cells does not correlate with indirect lipid raft partitioning measurements. This challenges previous interpretations of MOP receptor distribution in neuroblastoma cells.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Mu opioid (MOP) receptors are modulated by Neuropeptide FF 2 (NPFF(2)) receptors.
  • NPFF(2) receptor activation reduces MOP receptor confinement in plasma membrane microdomains.
  • Previous studies suggested MOP receptor compartmentation in lipid rafts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess if direct observation of receptor compartmentation correlates with indirect lipid raft partitioning.
  • To investigate MOP receptor distribution in lipid rafts using biochemical fractionation.
  • To validate fluorescence techniques for studying receptor dynamics in living cells.

Main Methods:

  • Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.
  • Biochemical cell fractionation to isolate lipid rafts.
  • Analysis of MOP receptor distribution in purified lipid rafts.
  • Treatment with NPFF analogue 1DMe.

Main Results:

  • MOP receptor distribution in lipid rafts is highly dependent on purification methods.
  • Biochemical fractionation data did not correlate with direct measurements of receptor compartmentation in living cells.
  • The NPFF analogue 1DMe did not alter MOP receptor distribution profiles.

Conclusions:

  • Indirect methods of assessing MOP receptor partitioning in lipid rafts are unreliable.
  • Direct observation of receptor compartmentation in living cells is a more accurate method.
  • Previous interpretations of MOP receptor compartmentation based on lipid raft data require re-evaluation.

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