TY - JOUR
T1 - The delta opioid receptor tool box
AU - Vicente-Sanchez, Ana
AU - Segura, Laura
AU - Pradhan, Amynah A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 IBRO
PY - 2016/12/3
Y1 - 2016/12/3
N2 - In recent years, the delta opioid receptor has attracted increasing interest as a target for the treatment of chronic pain and emotional disorders. Due to their therapeutic potential, numerous tools have been developed to study the delta opioid receptor from both a molecular and a functional perspective. This review summarizes the most commonly available tools, with an emphasis on their use and limitations. Here, we describe (1) the cell-based assays used to study the delta opioid receptor. (2) The features of several delta opioid receptor ligands, including peptide and non-peptide drugs. (3) The existing approaches to detect delta opioid receptors in fixed tissue, and debates that surround these techniques. (4) Behavioral assays used to study the in vivo effects of delta opioid receptor agonists; including locomotor stimulation and convulsions that are induced by some ligands, but not others. (5) The characterization of genetically modified mice used specifically to study the delta opioid receptor. Overall, this review aims to provide a guideline for the use of these tools with the final goal of increasing our understanding of delta opioid receptor physiology.
AB - In recent years, the delta opioid receptor has attracted increasing interest as a target for the treatment of chronic pain and emotional disorders. Due to their therapeutic potential, numerous tools have been developed to study the delta opioid receptor from both a molecular and a functional perspective. This review summarizes the most commonly available tools, with an emphasis on their use and limitations. Here, we describe (1) the cell-based assays used to study the delta opioid receptor. (2) The features of several delta opioid receptor ligands, including peptide and non-peptide drugs. (3) The existing approaches to detect delta opioid receptors in fixed tissue, and debates that surround these techniques. (4) Behavioral assays used to study the in vivo effects of delta opioid receptor agonists; including locomotor stimulation and convulsions that are induced by some ligands, but not others. (5) The characterization of genetically modified mice used specifically to study the delta opioid receptor. Overall, this review aims to provide a guideline for the use of these tools with the final goal of increasing our understanding of delta opioid receptor physiology.
KW - G protein-coupled receptor
KW - cell lines
KW - mutant mice
KW - pain
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84994031527&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.06.028
DO - 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.06.028
M3 - Review article
C2 - 27349452
AN - SCOPUS:84994031527
SN - 0306-4522
VL - 338
SP - 145
EP - 159
JO - Neuroscience
JF - Neuroscience
ER -