Pregnancy alters the density of opioid binding sites in the supraoptic nucleus and posterior pituitary gland of rats.

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Sumner BE, Douglas AJ, Russell JA

Pregnancy alters the density of opioid binding sites in the supraoptic nucleus and posterior pituitary gland of rats.

Neurosci Lett. 1992 Mar 30;137(2):216-20.

PubMed ID

1316589 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

Opioid receptor binding was measured in cryostat sections of supraoptic nucleus (SON) and posterior pituitary of virgin and pregnant rats by quantitative receptor autoradiography after in vitro incubation with [3H]etorphine or [3H](-)-bremazocine in the presence of unlabelled sub-type-selective agonists. Mu-selective [3H]etorphine-binding in the SON was reduced on the last day (21) of pregnancy vs. virgin controls (9.9 +/- 2.2 vs. 31.7 +/- 6.5 fmol/mg). Kappa-selective [3H](-)-bremazocine binding to the SON was not altered by pregnancy. Kappa-selective [3H](-)-bremazocine-binding to the posterior pituitary was less on day 16 of pregnancy vs. virgin females (19.1 +2- 5.2 vs. 74.4 +/- 16.2 fmol/mg). The results suggest mechanisms for the changes in actions of opioids on oxytocin neurones in pregnancy.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets

Drug	Target	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Etorphine	Delta-type opioid receptor	Protein	Humans	Yes	Agonist	Details