Cannabinoid CB1 receptor and mu-opioid receptor interaction: new insights from conditional knockout mice.

ABSTRACT: Co-administration of cannabinoids and opioids has been shown to enhance analgesic effects. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. One hypothesis suggests that cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1R) and mu-opioid receptors (MOR) interact at the cell membrane or intracellular signaling level. This study aimed to test this hypothesis by examining CB1R-MOR colocalization and assessing whether the deletion of one receptor affects the other's response to its ligand. Results from RNAscope in situ hybridization revealed that CB1R and MOR mRNAs exhibit distinct regional distributions in the mouse brain. Colocalization of CB1R and MOR was primarily observed in the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), where ~50% of vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (Vglut2)-positive glutamatergic neur

SUBMITTER: Alton H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12708859 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature