Opioidergic contribution to conditioned place preference induced by corn oil in mice

Abstract

We previously reported that voluntary intake of corn oil in the light box showed place preference in the conditioned place preference (CPP) test in mice. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of opioidergic systems to the corn oil-induced CPP in mice. Acquisition of the place preference by corn oil intake was blocked by i.p. injections of an opioid μ antagonist, naloxone (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg), and δ antagonists, 7-benzylidenenaltrexone (0.5 mg/kg) and naltriben (0.5 mg/kg) 15 min before conditioning. The opioid κ agonist U-50488H (1 and 3 mg/kg i.p.) also blocked corn oil-induced CPP. Naloxone (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and naltriben (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) did not affect corn oil intake in the home cage. However, 7-benzylidenenaltrexone (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) and U-50488H (1 mg/kg i.p.) decreased and increased the corn oil intake, respectively. These results suggested that the rewarding effects of corn oil in the CPP test are at least partially mediated via opioidergic systems through μ and δ receptors. Further, we showed that an opioid κ agonist reduced the rewarding effects of corn oil in the CPP test in mice, although it increased corn oil intake.