The effect of nociceptin (NC) on 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) release was studied in rat cerebral cortex slices preincubated with [3H]-5-HT and electrically stimulated (3 Hz, for 2 min) at the 45th (St1) and the 75th (St2) min of superfusion.
NC (0.1–3 μM), present in the medium from the 70th min onward, concentration-dependently reduced electrically evoked [3H]-5-HT efflux (pEC50=6.54, Emax −54%).
... [Show full abstract] The inhibition was not antagonized by naloxone (1 μM) ruling out the involvement of opioid receptors.
Phe1ψ(CH2-NH2)Gly2]NC(1-13)NH2, which acts as an opioid-like receptor (ORL1) antagonist at the peripheral level, behaved as a partial agonist in cerebral cortex slices i.e. it inhibited [3H]-5-HT efflux when added before St2, however, when present in the medium throughout the whole experiment, [Phe1ψ(CH2-NH2)Gly2]NC(1-13)NH2 prevented the action of NC added at the 70th min.
The non-selective ORL1 receptor antagonist, naloxone benzoylhydrazone (3 μM), in the presence of 10 μM naloxone, did not modify the St2/St1 ratio but completely abolished the NC effect.
These findings demonstrate that NC inhibits 5-HT release from rat cerebral cortex slices via ORL1 receptors, suggesting its involvement in central processes mediated by 5-HT.
British Journal of Pharmacology (1999) 128, 119–123; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0702793