Supraspinal antinociceptive effects of mu and delta agonists involve modulation of adenosine uptake.

Background: The modulation of extracellular adenosine concentration by opioids provides evidence that the antinociceptive effects of these compounds involve endogenous adenosine. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a relation between the inhibition of brain synaptosome adenosine uptake by opioid agonists and the analgesic effects of these compounds.

Methods: The authors used the hot plate and tail-pinch tests to evaluate in mice (C57BL/6 females; weight, 25-30 g) the effects of caffeine, a nonspecific adenosine receptor antagonist, on the antinociceptive effect induced by the intracerebroventricular administration of oxymorphone as a mu agonist, SNC80 as a delta agonist, or U69593 as a kappa agonist.

The interaction between the I-II loop and the III-IV loop of Cav2.1 contributes to voltage-dependent inactivation in a beta -dependent manner.

We have investigated the molecular mechanisms whereby the I-II loop controls voltage-dependent inactivation in P/Q calcium channels. We demonstrate that the I-II loop is localized in a central position to control calcium channel activity through the interaction with several cytoplasmic sequences; including the III-IV loop. Several experiments reveal the crucial role of the interaction between the I-II loop and the III-IV loop in channel inactivation.