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. 1995 Feb 1;482(Pt 3):575–581. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1995.sp020541

The opioid peptide dynorphin directly blocks NMDA receptor channels in the rat.

L Chen 1, Y Gu 1, L Y Huang 1
PMCID: PMC1157783  PMID: 7537820

Abstract

1. The actions of dynorphin on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) responses were examined in acutely dissociated trigeminal neurons in rat. Whole-cell and single-channel currents were recorded using the patch clamp technique. 2. Dynorphins reduced NMDA-activated currents (INMDA). The IC50 was 0.25 microM for dynorphin (1-32), 1.65 microM for dynorphin (1-17) and 1.8 microM for dynorphin (1-13). 3. The blocking action of dynorphin is voltage independent. 4. The inhibitory action of dynorphin cannot be blocked by high concentration of the non-selective opioid receptor antagonist naloxone, nor by the specific kappa-opioid receptor antagonist nor-Binaltorphimine (nor-BNI). 5. Single-channel analyses indicate that dynorphin reduces the fraction of time the channel is open without altering the channel conductance. 6. We propose that dynorphin acts directly on NMDA receptors.

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Selected References

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