Pharmacogenomic study of the role of the nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor and opioid receptors in diabetic hyperalgesia

Targeting functionally independent receptors may provide synergistic analgesic effects in neuropathic pain. To examine the interdependency between different opioid receptors (µ-opioid peptide [MOP], δ-opioid peptide [DOP] and κ-opioid peptide [KOP]) and the nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) receptor in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic polyneuropathy, nocifensive activity was measured using a hot plate test in wild-type and NOP, MOP, DOP and KOP receptor knockout mice in response to the selective receptor agonists Ro65-6570, morphine, SNC-80 and U50488H, or vehicle. Nocifensive activity was similar in non-diabetic wild-type and knockout mice at baseline, before agonist or vehicle administration. STZ-induced diabetes significantly increased heat sensitivity in all mouse strains, but MOP, DOP and KOP receptor knockouts showed a smaller degree of hyperalgesia than wild-type mice and NOP receptor knockouts. For each agonist, a significant antihyperalgesic effect was observed in wild-type diabetic mice (all P