August 2022
"Background and purpose: Misuse of opioids has greatly affected our society. One potential solution is to develop analgesics that act at targets other than opioid receptors. These can be used either as stand-alone therapeutics or to improve the safety profile of opioid drugs. Previous research showed that activation of Gq/11 proteins by G-protein coupled receptors has pro-nociceptive properties, suggesting that blockade of Gq/11 signalling could be beneficial for pain control. The aim of this study was to test this hypothesis pharmacologically by using potent and selective Gq/11 inhibitor YM-254890.
Experimental approach: We used a series of behavioural assays to evaluate the acute responses of mice to painful thermal stimulation while administering YM-254890 alone and in combination with morphine. We then used electrophysiological recordings to evaluate the effects of YM-254890 on the excitability of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) nociceptor neurons."