Presynaptic actions of morphine: blockade of cholecystokinin-induced noradrenaline release in the rat supraoptic nucleus.

1. This study aimed to establish the site at which morphine acts to inhibit oxytocin release in response to peripheral administration of cholecystokinin (CCK). 2. Conscious rats were given morphine or vehicle followed by CCK or vehicle (I.V.). Fos immunoreactivity was apparent 90 min after CCK injection in the supraoptic nucleus of vehicle- but not morphine-pretreated animals. 3. In the dorsomedial (C2/A2) and the ventrolateral (C1/A1) regions of the brainstem, about half of the cells immunoreactive for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expressed Fos-like protein after CCK injection. In the C2/A2 region, 20% of the Fos-positive cells also showed TH immunoreactivity, whereas in the C1/A1 region 68% did so. Morphine treatment did not significantly change the number of cells expressing Fos immunoreactivity, or the percentage of TH-positive cells expressing Fos-like protein. 4. Amine release was measured in the supraoptic nucleus of urethane-anaesthetized rats using a microdialysis probe. An I.V. injection of CCK increased the concentrations in the dialysate of noradrenaline and serotonin, but not of either adrenaline or dopamine. Pretreatment with morphine (I.V.) blocked the effects of CCK in a naloxone-reversible manner. 5. Inclusion of morphine in the dialysate also blocked the increase in noradrenaline and serotonin in response to CCK in a naloxone-reversible manner. 6. These observations indicate that morphine acts near or within the supraoptic nucleus to block CCK-evoked noradrenaline release presynaptically. This presynaptic action of morphine may be a cause of the blockade of oxytocin release after CCK.