Mu opioid receptor modulation of somatodendritic dopamine overflow: GABA and glutamatergic mechanisms

摘要

Mu opioid receptor (MOR) regulation of somatodendritic dopamine neurotransmission in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) was investigated using conventional microdialysis in freely moving rats and mice. Reverse dialysis of the MOR agonist, DAMGO (50, 100 μM), into the VTA of rats produced a concentration-dependent increase in dialysate DA concentrations. Basal dopamine overflow in the VTA was unaltered in mice lacking the MOR gene. However, basal GABA overflow in these animals was significantly increased, while glutamate overflow was decreased. Intra-VTA perfusion of DAMGO to wildtype (WT) mice increased dopamine overflow. GABA concentrations were decreased whereas glutamate concentrations in the VTA were unaltered. Consistent with the loss of MOR, no effect of DAMGO was observed in MOR knockout (KO) mice.These data provide the first direct demonstration of tonically active MOR systems in the VTA that regulate basal glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission in this region. We hypothesize that increased GABAergic neurotransmission following constitutive deletion of MOR is due to the elimination of a tonic inhibitory influence of MOR on GABA neurons in the VTA, whereas decreased glutamatergic neurotransmission in MOR KO mice is a consequence of intensified GABA tone on glutamatergic neurons and/or terminals. As a consequence, somatodendritic dopamine release is unaltered. Furthermore, MOR KO exhibit no positive correlation between basal dopamine levels and the glutamate/GABA ratio observed in WT animals.Together our findings indicate a critical role of VTA MOR in maintaining an intricate balance between excitatory and inhibitory inputs to dopaminergic neurons.