Acute and chronic opiate-regulation of adenylate cyclase in brain: specific effects in locus coeruleus

Acutely, morphine and D-ala2-D-leu-enkephalin (DADLE) inhibited adenylate cyclase in vitro in locus coeruleus (LC), dorsal raphe, frontal cortex and neostriatum and the inhibition by each agonist was blocked by the opiate-receptor antagonist naloxone. Although morphine was equally efficacious in the four brain regions examined (10-15% inhibition), DADLE inhibited cyclic AMP (cAMP) production to a greater extent in cortex and striatum (20-25% inhibition). Pertussis toxin treatment in vitro significantly reduced DADLE-inhibition of adenylate cyclase in all brain areas, indicating that this opiate response is mediated by a pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein (i.e., Gi and/or Go). Chronic (in vivo) administration of morphine pellets for 5 days, treatment known to induce opiate tolerance and dependence, increased basal, GTP- and forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase in the LC, but not in the other three brain regions studied. DADLE was found to inhibit cAMP production in LC in vitro to the same extent in control and morphine-treated rats, suggesting a lack of opiate receptor tolerance. The morphine-induced increase in adenylate cyclase required chronic exposure to the opiate, as shorter treatment times, namely 2 hr and 1 day, failed to produce this effect. In fact, at 2 hr a small decrease in adenylate cyclase in the LC was observed that did not appear to be due to morphine being retained in the membrane fraction. Taken together, the findings of this study provide support for the view that changes in the cAMP system in the LC play a role in mediating acute opiate action as well as in underlying the development of opiate tolerance, dependence and/or withdrawal.