Coexpressed -, -, and -Opioid Receptors Modulate Voltage-Gated Ca Channels in Gastric-Projecting Vagal Afferent Neurons

Opioid analgesics are frequently associated with gastrointestinal side effects, including constipation, nausea, dysphagia, and reduced gastric motility. Though it has been shown that stimulation of opioid receptors expressed in enteric motor neurons contributes to opioid-induced constipation, it remains unclear whether activation of opioid receptors in gastric-projecting nodose ganglia neurons contributes to the reduction in gastric motility and emptying associated with opioid use. In the present study, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed to determine the mechanism underlying opioid receptor-mediated modulation of Ca currents in acutely isolated gastric vagal afferent neurons. Our results demonstrate that Ca2.2 channels provide the majority (71% ± 16%) of Ca currents in gastric vagal afferent neurons. Furthermore, we found that application of oxycodone, U-50488, or deltorphin II on gastric nodose ganglia neurons inhibited Ca currents through a voltage-dependent mechanism by coupling to the G family of heterotrimeric G-proteins. Because previous studies have demonstrated that the nodose ganglia expresses low levels of -opioid receptors, we also determined the deltorphin II concentration-response relationship and assessed deltorphin-mediated Ca current inhibition following exposure to the -opioid receptor antagonist ICI 174,864 (0.3 µM). The peak mean Ca current inhibition following deltorphin II application was 47% ± 24% (EC = 302.6 nM), and exposure to ICI 174,864 blocked deltorphin II-mediated Ca current inhibition (4% ± 4% versus 37% ± 20%). Together, our results suggest that analgesics targeting any opioid receptor subtype can modulate gastric vagal circuits. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This study demonstrated that in gastric nodose ganglia neurons, agonists targeting all three classical opioid receptor subtypes (, , and ) inhibit voltage-gated Ca channels in a voltage-dependent mechanism by coupling to Gα. These findings suggest that analgesics targeting any opioid receptor subtype would modulate gastric vagal circuits responsible for regulating gastric reflexes.