TY - JOUR T1 - Glycyl-Glutamine, an Endogenous β-Endorphin-Derived Peptide, Inhibits Morphine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference, Tolerance, Dependence, and Withdrawal JF - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther SP - 949 LP - 958 DO - 10.1124/jpet.105.091553 VL - 315 IS - 2 AU - Sinan Cavun AU - Gökhan Göktalay AU - William R. Millington Y1 - 2005/11/01 UR - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/315/2/949.abstract N2 - Glycyl-glutamine (Gly-Gln; β-endorphin30-31) is an endogenous dipeptide synthesized from β-endorphin1-31. Previous investigations have shown that Gly-Gln inhibits the cardiovascular and respiratory depression caused by morphine and β-endorphin1-31, but it does not interfere with opioid analgesia. In this study, we tested whether Gly-Gln administration would influence morphine-induced conditioned place preference, tolerance, dependence, or withdrawal. For place preference experiments, rats were conditioned with morphine sulfate (2.5 mg/kg i.p.) or saline on alternate days for 6 days and tested on day 7. Glycyl-glutamine (1-100 nmol i.c.v.) pretreatment inhibited acquisition of a conditioned place preference to morphine significantly. Glycyl-glutamine (100 nmol i.c.v.) also blocked expression of a pre-established morphine place preference, but it did not interfere with acquisition of a conditioned place preference to palatable food, and it did not produce place preference or aversion when given alone to morphine-naive animals. To induce antinociceptive tolerance, rats were treated with morphine (10 mg/kg i.p.) twice daily for 7 days, and morphine antinociception was evaluated with the tail-flick test. Glycyl-glutamine (100 nmol i.c.v.) pretreatment delayed the onset of morphine tolerance significantly and partially reversed pre-established tolerance. Morphine dependence and withdrawal were assessed by measuring naloxone-precipitated withdrawal symptoms. Glycyl-glutamine inhibited the development of morphine dependence when given to rats twice daily immediately before they received morphine (10 mg/kg i.p.) and suppressed withdrawal symptoms of rats with subcutaneously implanted morphine pellets when administered 5 min before withdrawal was induced with naloxone. Glycyl-glutamine thus attenuates morphine-induced conditioned place preference, tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal without compromising morphine analgesia. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics ER -