Hypothalamic peptide hormone, prolyl-leucyl-glycinamide and analog, inhibit tolerance to the analgesic and locomotor depressant but not to the locomotor stimulant effects of morphine in the mouse

Abstract

The effects of prolyl-leucyl-glycinamide (melanotropin release inhibiting factor, MIF) and cyclo(Leu-Gly) on development of tolerance to the analgesic, locomotor stimulant and depressant effects of morphine were investigated in the mouse. Mice were made tolerant to morphine by subcutaneous implantation of a pellet (each pellet contained 75 mg of morphine free base) for three days. Both MIF and cyclo(Leu-Gly) inhibited the development of tolerance to the analgesic response to a challenge dose of morphine in peptide-treated as compared to vehicle-treated morphine-tolerant mice. Morphine in a small dose (10 mg/kg) depressed spontaneous motor activity, while, in a larger dose (80 mg/kg), increased the motor activity. Implantation of a morphine pellet resulted in the development of tolerance to both the locomotor depressant and stimulant effects of morphine. Administration of MIF or cyclo(Leu-Gly) during induction of tolerance in doses (2 mg/kg/day for 3 days) that inhibited the development of tolerance to morphine-induced analgesia and locomotor depressant activity, did not alter the development of tolerance to the locomotor stimulant effect. These studies indicate that the development of tolerance to the analgesic and locomotor depreressant effect of morphine may involve similar mechanisms, whereas, tolerance to the locomotor stimulant effect of morphine may be mediated via a different mechanism.