Cited by 359Pain Mechanisms and TreatmentsNeuropeptides and Animal PhysiologyNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms

Opioid-induced glial activation: mechanisms of activation and implications for opioid analgesia, dependence, and reward

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Hutchinson, Mark R., Bland, Sondra T., Johnson, Kirk W., Rice, Kenner C., Maier, Steven F., Watkins, Linda R.·2007·The Scientific World JOURNAL

Abstract

This review will introduce the concept of toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated glial activation as central to all of the following: neuropathic pain, compromised acute opioid analgesia, and unwanted opioid side effects (tolerance, dependence, and reward). Attenuation of glial activation has previously been demonstrated both to alleviate exaggerated pain states induced by experimental pain models and to reduce the development of opioid tolerance. Here we demonstrate that selective acute antagonism of TLR4 results in reversal of neuropathic pain as well as potentiation of opioid analgesia. Attenuating central nervous system glial activation was also found to reduce the development of opioid dependence, and opioid reward at a behavioral (conditioned place preference) and neurochemical (nucleus accumbens microdialysis of morphine-induced elevations in dopamine) level of analysis. Moreover, a novel antagonism of TLR4 by (+)- and (-)-isomer opioid antagonists has now been characterized, and both antiallodynic and morphine analgesia potentiating activity shown. Opioid agonists were found to also possess TLR4 agonistic activity, predictive of glial activation. Targeting glial activation is a novel and as yet clinically unexploited method for treatment of neuropathic pain. Moreover, these data indicate that attenuation of glial activation, by general or selective TLR antagonistic mechanisms, may also be a clinical method for separating the beneficial (analgesia) and unwanted (tolerance, dependence, and reward) actions of opioids, thereby improving the safety and efficacy of their use.

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Tanga, F.Y., Nutile-McMenemy, N., and Deleo, J.A. (2005) The CNS role of Toll-like receptor 4 in innate neuroimmunity and painful neuropathy. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 102(16), 5856-5861.
  2. Watkins, L.R., Hutchinson, M.R., Zhang, Y., Coats, B.D., Sprunger, D.B., Hughes, T.S., Maier, S.F., Johnson, K.W., and Rice, K.C. (2007) Identification and characterization of a novel opioid site of action: implications for opioid- induced glial activation. In Press: Society for Neuroscience San Diego, CA.

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Authors
Hutchinson, M. R., Bland, S. T., Johnson, K. W., Rice, K. C., Maier, S. F., & Watkins, L. R.
Affiliations
  • University of Colorado Boulder (US)
  • Avigen Inc., Alameda, CA, USA
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (US)
Corresponding author
Hutchinson, Mark R.
Venue
The Scientific World JOURNAL
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2007
Volume
7
Pages
98-111
ISSN
1537-744X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2103801183
Cited by
359
References
61
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 24
FWCI
2.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Scientific World JOURNAL (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (DA015642, DA017670, DE017782)
  • National Health and Medical Research Council (DA015642, DA017670, DE017782)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Keywords
glial activation, TLR4, neuropathic pain, opioid analgesia, opioid tolerance, opioid use disorder, opioid reward, conditioned place preference, dopamine, nucleus accumbens, morphine
MeSH terms
Analgesics, Opioid, Animals, Humans, Neuroglia, Pain, Toll-Like Receptors

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