The inhibition of N-type calcium channels by opioid receptor like receptor 1 (ORL1) is a key mechanism for controlling the transmission of nociceptive signals. We recently reported that signaling complexes consisting of ORL1 receptors and N-type channels mediate a tonic inhibition of calcium entry. Here we show that prolonged ( approximately 30 min) exposure of ORL1 receptors to their agonist nociceptin triggers an internalization of these signaling complexes into vesicular compartments. This effect is dependent on protein kinase C activation, occurs selectively for N-type channels and cannot be observed with mu-opioid or angiotensin receptors. In expression systems and in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons, the nociceptin-mediated internalization of the channels is accompanied by a significant downregulation of calcium entry, which parallels the selective removal of N-type calcium channels from the plasma membrane. This may provide a new means for long-term regulation of calcium entry in the pain pathway.

N-type calcium channels are essential mediators of spinal nociceptive transmission. The core subunit of the N-type channel is encoded by a single gene, and multiple N-type channel isoforms can be generated by alternate splicing. In particular, cell-specific inclusion of an alternatively spliced exon 37a generates a novel form of the N-type channel that is highly enriched in nociceptive neurons and, as we show here, downregulated in a neuropathic pain model. Splice isoform-specific small interfering RNA silencing in vivo reveals that channels containing exon 37a are specifically required for mediating basal thermal nociception and for developing thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia during inflammatory and neuropathic pain. In contrast, both N-type channel isoforms (e37a-and e37b-containing) contribute to tactile neuropathic allodynia. Hence, exon 37a acts as a molecular switch that tailors the channels toward specific roles in pain.

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We have investigated the heterodimerization of ORL1 receptors and classical members of the opioid receptor family. All three classes of opioid receptors could be co-immunoprecipitated with ORL1 receptors from both transfected tsA-201 cell lysate and rat dorsal root ganglia lysate, suggesting that these receptors can form heterodimers. Consistent with this hypothesis, in cells expressing either one of the opioid receptors together with ORL1, prolonged ORL1 receptor activation via nociceptin application resulted in internalization of the opioid receptors. Conversely, -, ␦-, and -opioid receptor activation with the appropriate ligands triggered the internalization of ORL1. The -opioid receptor/ORL1 receptor heterodimers were shown to associate with N-type calcium channels, with activation of -opioid receptors triggering N-type channel internalization, but only in the presence of ORL1. Furthermore, the formation of opioid receptor/ORL1 receptor heterodimers attenuated the ORL1 receptor-mediated inhibition of N-type channels, in part because of constitutive opioid receptor activity. Collectively, our data support the existence of heterodimers between ORL1 and classical opioid receptors, with profound implications for effectors such as N-type calcium channels.ORL1 (opioid receptor-like 1) receptors (also known as NOP or nociceptin receptors) belong to the class of G␣ i/o -linked seven-helix transmembrane receptors (1, 2). They are structurally related to members of the classical opioid receptor family (i.e. -, ␦-, and -opioid receptors) but do not interact with known opioid receptor agonists or antagonists. Instead, they are activated by the endogenous ligand orphanin FQ (also known as nociceptin), a 17-amino acid polypeptide (3). ORL1 receptors are expressed in both the central and peripheral nervous systems; the physiological effects of receptor activation include stimulation of food intake, reduced anxiety, reduced withdrawal symptoms, and when activated peripherally, analgesia (4 -6). There is a functional cross-talk between ORL1 receptors and -opioid receptors such that chronic administration of the -receptor agonist morphine results in increased ORL1 receptor expression levels (7), whereas knock-out of the ORL1 receptor gene results in decreased morphine tolerance (8) without compensatory changes in opioid receptor expression (9). This may hint at the possibility of overlapping mechanisms controlling cellular expression levels of these two receptor subtypes.We have recently shown that ORL1 receptors physically interact with N-type calcium channels and that this interaction results in two distinct consequences: first, an agonist-independent inhibition of N-type channels due to constitutive receptor activity (10), and second, receptor-mediated trafficking of N-type channels to and from the plasma membrane (11). Neither of these phenomena appeared to occur with -opioid receptors (11). ORL1 receptors have also been shown to heterodimerize with -opioid receptors (12), with dimerized receptors showing altered sensitiv...

1 We have investigated the effects of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) on neuronal excitability and vanilloid TRPV1 receptors in neonatal rat cultured dorsal root ganglion neurones. 2 Using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology, we found that AEA inhibits high-voltageactivated Ca 2 þ currents by 3379% (five out of eight neurones) in the absence of the CB 1 receptor antagonist SR141716A (100 nM) and by 3276% (seven out of 10 neurones) in the presence of SR141716A. 3 Fura-2 fluorescence Ca 2 þ imaging revealed that AEA produced distinct effects on Ca 2 þ transients produced by depolarisation evoked by 30 mM KCl. In a population of neurones of larger somal area (372720 mm 2 ), it significantly enhanced Ca 2 þ transients (80.26713.12% at 1 mM), an effect that persists after pertussis toxin pretreatment. In a population of neurones of smaller somal area (279718 mm 2 ), AEA significantly inhibits Ca 2 þ transients (30.7573.54% at 1 mM), an effect that is abolished by PTX pretreatment. 4 Extracellular application of 100 nM AEA failed to evoke TRPV1 receptor inward currents in seven out of eight neurones that responded to capsaicin (1 mM), with a mean inward current of À0.9470.21 nA. In contrast, intracellular application of 100 nM AEA elicited robust inward currents in B62% of neurones, the mean population response was À0.8570.21 nA. When AEA was applied to the intracellular environment with capsazepine (1 mM), the mean population inward current was À0.0170.01 nA. Under control conditions, mean population current fluctuations of À0.0970.05 nA were observed.