Receptome: Interactions between three pain-related receptors or the "Triumvirate" of cannabinoid, opioid and TRPV1 receptors

Pharmacol Res. 2015 Dec:102:254-63. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2015.10.015. Epub 2015 Oct 28.

Abstract

A growing amount of data demonstrates the interactions between cannabinoid, opioid and the transient receptor potential (TRP) vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) receptors. These interactions can be bidirectional, inhibitory or excitatory, acute or chronic in their nature, and arise both at the molecular level (structurally and functionally) and in physiological processes, such as pain modulation or perception. The interactions of these three pain-related receptors may also reserve important and new therapeutic applications for the treatment of chronic pain or inflammation. In this review, we summarize the main findings on the interactions between the cannabinoid, opioid and the TRPV1 receptor regarding to pain modulation.

Keywords: Cannabinoid receptor; Opioid receptor; Pain; Receptor interaction; TRPV1 receptor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology*
  • Analgesics, Opioid / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Cannabinoids / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Pain / drug therapy*
  • Pain / metabolism*
  • TRPV Cation Channels / metabolism*

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Cannabinoids
  • TRPV Cation Channels
  • TRPV1 receptor