Endomorphins inhibit high-threshold Ca2+ channel currents in rodent NG108-15 cells overexpressing mu-opioid receptors.

1. Extracellular application of the novel brain peptides endomorphin 1 (EM1) and endomorphin 2 (EM2) inhibited high-threshold Ca2+ channel currents in NGMO-251 cells, a daughter clone of NG108-15 mouse neuroblastoma x rat glioma hybrid cells, in which mu-opioid receptors are overexpressed. 2. In contrast, EM1 and EM2 did not induce this inhibition in the parental NG108-15 cells that predominantly express endogenous delta-receptors. 3. The IC50 for EM1 and EM2 was 7.7 and 23.1 nM, respectively. 4. EM-induced Ca2+ channel current inhibition was blocked by treatment or pretreatment of the cells with 100 microM N-methylmaleimide or 100 ng ml-1 pertussis toxin. 5. These results show that a decrease in conductance of Ca2+ channels results following interaction of EMs with cloned mu-receptors, which couple via Gi/Go-type G proteins, and that EMs fulfill one of the necessary synaptic conditions for them to be identified as neurotransmitters.