Some perspectives on monoamine-opioid peptide interaction in rat central nervous system.

Light microscopic immunocytochemistry was employed to investigate possible sites of interaction between the endogenous opioid peptides and monoamines in the rat central nervous system. The opioid and related peptides examined included beta-endorphin (beta-END), alpha-MSH (alpha-MSH) and leucine-enkephalin (Leu-ENK). The monoamines were examined using antisera generated against tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine-beta-hydroxylase as well as serotonin. Due to the long-tract nature of the central monoamine projections as well as beta-END/alpha-MSH fiber systems, serial section analyses were performed utilizing parasagittal brain sections. Many areas rich in both the monoamines as well as opioid peptides were investigated. These included several thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei, several limbic structures, mesencephalic periaqueductal gray, brain stem noradrenergic cell groups and their rostral projections, the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system, and the serotonergic raphe nuclei and their projections. The results suggest a more intimate linkage between the monoamines and the opioid peptides than previously realized. Some of the intricacies of monoamine-opioid peptide interaction, in particular those pertaining to their possible role in pain and analgesia, catalepsy, and neuroendocrine effects are also discussed.