Vol. 290, Issue 2, 678-686, August 1999

Effects of Systemically Administered Dynorphin A(1-17) in Rhesus Monkeys¹

Eduardo R. Butelman, Todd J. Harris, Amarilis Perez and Mary-Jeanne Kreek

Laboratory on the Biology of Addictive Diseases, Rockefeller University, New York, New York

The effects of i.v. dynorphin A(1-17) and its main nonopioid biotransformation fragment, dynorphin A(2-17), were compared in rhesus monkeys with those of the selective -opioid agonist, U69,593, in assays of operant behavior, thermal antinociception, and neuroendocrine function (prolactin release). Dynorphin A(1-17) (0.1-3.2 mg/kg i.v.) and U69,593 (0.001-0.032 mg/kg s.c.) decreased rates of schedule-controlled (fixed ratio 20) food-reinforced responding, whereas dynorphin A(2-17) (1-3.2 mg/kg i.v.) was ineffective. Pretreatment studies with the opioid antagonist quadazocine (0.32 mg/kg s.c.) revealed that the operant effects of dynorphin A(1-17) were not mediated by - or µ-opioid receptors. A different profile was observed in the warm water tail withdrawal assay of thermal antinociception, where both dynorphin A(1-17) and A(2-17) (0.032-3.2 mg/kg i.v., n = 4) were modestly effective in 50°C water, and both were ineffective in 55°C water. By comparison, U69,593 (0.032-0.18 mg/kg s.c.) was maximally effective in 50°C water and partially effective in 55°C. -opioid agonists increase serum levels of prolactin in animals and humans. Dynorphin A(1-17) (ED₅₀ = 0.0011 mg/kg i.v.), similar to U69,593 (ED₅₀ = 0.0030 mg/kg i.v.), was very potent in increasing serum prolactin levels in follicular phase female rhesus monkeys, whereas dynorphin A(2-17) (0.32 mg/kg i.v.) was ineffective. The effects of dynorphin A(1-17) and U69,593 on serum prolactin were both antagonized by quadazocine (0.32 mg/kg s.c.) in a surmountable manner, consistent with opioid receptor mediation. The present studies show that serum prolactin levels are a sensitive quantitative endpoint to study the systemic effects of the endogenous opioid peptide, dynorphin A(1-17), in primates.