In vivo photopharmacology with a caged mu opioid receptor agonist drives rapid changes in behavior.

ABSTRACT: Photoactivatable drugs and peptides can drive quantitative studies into receptor signaling with high spatiotemporal precision, yet few are compatible with behavioral studies in mammals. We developed CNV-Y-DAMGO-a caged derivative of the mu opioid receptor-selective peptide agonist DAMGO. Photoactivation in the mouse ventral tegmental area produced an opioid-dependent increase in locomotion within seconds of illumination. These results demonstrate the power of in vivo photopharmacology for dynamic studies into animal behavior.

SUBMITTER: Ma X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10569260 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature