Molecular mechanisms of opioid tolerance: From opioid receptors to inflammatory mediators (Review)

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Molecular mechanisms of opioid tolerance: From opioid receptors to inflammatory mediators (Review) Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Sep;22(3):1004. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10437. Epub 2021 Jul 15. ABSTRACT Opioids are considered the most effective analgesics for the treatment of both acute and chronic pain. However, prolonged opioid use can induce a certain level of tolerance to its analgesic effects, leading to a reduction in its effectiveness, addiction and abuse. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying opioid tolerance may provide insights into this phenomenon and aid in the development of novel methods to combat the side effects of opioid tolerance. The present review focused on two major contributors to tolerance, opioid receptors and inflammatory mediators. The molecular mechanisms involved in the desensitization of the opioid receptors were briefly described, including their phosphorylation, internalisation and recycling. Subsequently, the effects of Toll like receptor 4/NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3-mediated proinflammatory responses in opioid tolerance were discussed, aiming in supporting the identification of novel therapeutic targets. PMID:34345286 | PMC:PMC8311239 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10437 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.