Involvement of PKCα and G‐protein‐coupled receptor kinase 2 in agonist‐selective desensitization of µ‐opioid receptors in mature brain neurons

Abstract

In mature mammalian neurons, different MOR agonists can induce MOR desensitization by different mechanisms, morphine by a PKCalpha-mediated, heterologous mechanism and DAMGO by a GRK-mediated, homologous mechanism. These data represent functional selectivity at the level of receptor desensitization.