Loading Pathway...
Error: Pathway image not found.
Hide
Pathway Description
Morphine Opioid Agonist Action Pathway
Homo sapiens
Drug Action Pathway
Created: 2022-01-10
Last Updated: 2023-10-25
Morphine is an opioid agonist used for the relief of moderate to severe acute and chronic pain. Morphine can be administered orally as a capsule or tablet, intravenously, intrathecally, or as an epidural.
Morphine-6-glucuronide, a metabolite of morphine, is responsible for approximately 85% of the response observed by morphine administration, however morphine may have greater analgesic efficacy.
Morphine binds to mu opioid receptors, stimulating the exchange of GTP for GDP on the G-protein complex. As the effector system is adenylate cyclase and cAMP located at the inner surface of the plasma membrane, opioids decrease intracellular cAMP by inhibiting adenylate cyclase. Subsequently, the release of nociceptive neurotransmitters such as GABA is inhibited. Opioids close N-type voltage-operated calcium channels and open calcium-dependent inwardly rectifying potassium channels. This results in hyperpolarization and reduced neuronal excitability. Morphine acts at A delta and C pain fibres in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. By decreasing neurotransmitter action there is less pain transmittance into the spinal cord. This leads to less pain perception.
Morphine also binds to delta and kappa opioid receptors in the nucleus accumbens where the reward pathway is activated.
References
Morphine Opioid Agonist Pathway References
Smith, H. S. (2009). Opioid metabolism. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 84(7), 613–624. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0025-6196(11)60750-7
Wishart DS, Feunang YD, Guo AC, Lo EJ, Marcu A, Grant JR, Sajed T, Johnson D, Li C, Sayeeda Z, Assempour N, Iynkkaran I, Liu Y, Maciejewski A, Gale N, Wilson A, Chin L, Cummings R, Le D, Pon A, Knox C, Wilson M: DrugBank 5.0: a major update to the DrugBank database for 2018. Nucleic Acids Res. 2018 Jan 4;46(D1):D1074-D1082. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkx1037.
Nassirpour R, Bahima L, Lalive AL, Luscher C, Lujan R, Slesinger PA: Morphine- and CaMKII-dependent enhancement of GIRK channel signaling in hippocampal neurons. J Neurosci. 2010 Oct 6;30(40):13419-30. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2966-10.2010.
Chan P, Lufty K. Molecular Changes in Opioid Addiction: The Role of Adenylyl Cyclase and cAMP/PKA System. Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science, Volume 137: 203-219, 2016.
Yamada H, Shimoyama N, Sora I, Uhl GR, Fukuda Y, Moriya H, Shimoyama M: Morphine can produce analgesia via spinal kappa opioid receptors in the absence of mu opioid receptors. Brain Res. 2006 Apr 14;1083(1):61-9. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.01.095. Epub 2006 Mar 10.
Pubmed: 16530171
Choi HS, Kim CS, Hwang CK, Song KY, Wang W, Qiu Y, Law PY, Wei LN, Loh HH: The opioid ligand binding of human mu-opioid receptor is modulated by novel splice variants of the receptor. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2006 May 19;343(4):1132-40. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.03.084. Epub 2006 Mar 23.
Pubmed: 16580639
Castro RR, Cunha FQ, Silva FS Jr, Rocha FA: A quantitative approach to measure joint pain in experimental osteoarthritis--evidence of a role for nitric oxide. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2006 Aug;14(8):769-76. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2006.01.013. Epub 2006 Mar 31.
Pubmed: 16580848
Johnson EA, Oldfield S, Braksator E, Gonzalez-Cuello A, Couch D, Hall KJ, Mundell SJ, Bailey CP, Kelly E, Henderson G: Agonist-selective mechanisms of mu-opioid receptor desensitization in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Mol Pharmacol. 2006 Aug;70(2):676-85. doi: 10.1124/mol.106.022376. Epub 2006 May 8.
Pubmed: 16682505
Ota T, Suzuki Y, Nishikawa T, Otsuki T, Sugiyama T, Irie R, Wakamatsu A, Hayashi K, Sato H, Nagai K, Kimura K, Makita H, Sekine M, Obayashi M, Nishi T, Shibahara T, Tanaka T, Ishii S, Yamamoto J, Saito K, Kawai Y, Isono Y, Nakamura Y, Nagahari K, Murakami K, Yasuda T, Iwayanagi T, Wagatsuma M, Shiratori A, Sudo H, Hosoiri T, Kaku Y, Kodaira H, Kondo H, Sugawara M, Takahashi M, Kanda K, Yokoi T, Furuya T, Kikkawa E, Omura Y, Abe K, Kamihara K, Katsuta N, Sato K, Tanikawa M, Yamazaki M, Ninomiya K, Ishibashi T, Yamashita H, Murakawa K, Fujimori K, Tanai H, Kimata M, Watanabe M, Hiraoka S, Chiba Y, Ishida S, Ono Y, Takiguchi S, Watanabe S, Yosida M, Hotuta T, Kusano J, Kanehori K, Takahashi-Fujii A, Hara H, Tanase TO, Nomura Y, Togiya S, Komai F, Hara R, Takeuchi K, Arita M, Imose N, Musashino K, Yuuki H, Oshima A, Sasaki N, Aotsuka S, Yoshikawa Y, Matsunawa H, Ichihara T, Shiohata N, Sano S, Moriya S, Momiyama H, Satoh N, Takami S, Terashima Y, Suzuki O, Nakagawa S, Senoh A, Mizoguchi H, Goto Y, Shimizu F, Wakebe H, Hishigaki H, Watanabe T, Sugiyama A, Takemoto M, Kawakami B, Yamazaki M, Watanabe K, Kumagai A, Itakura S, Fukuzumi Y, Fujimori Y, Komiyama M, Tashiro H, Tanigami A, Fujiwara T, Ono T, Yamada K, Fujii Y, Ozaki K, Hirao M, Ohmori Y, Kawabata A, Hikiji T, Kobatake N, Inagaki H, Ikema Y, Okamoto S, Okitani R, Kawakami T, Noguchi S, Itoh T, Shigeta K, Senba T, Matsumura K, Nakajima Y, Mizuno T, Morinaga M, Sasaki M, Togashi T, Oyama M, Hata H, Watanabe M, Komatsu T, Mizushima-Sugano J, Satoh T, Shirai Y, Takahashi Y, Nakagawa K, Okumura K, Nagase T, Nomura N, Kikuchi H, Masuho Y, Yamashita R, Nakai K, Yada T, Nakamura Y, Ohara O, Isogai T, Sugano S: Complete sequencing and characterization of 21,243 full-length human cDNAs. Nat Genet. 2004 Jan;36(1):40-5. doi: 10.1038/ng1285. Epub 2003 Dec 21.
Pubmed: 14702039
Schmutz J, Martin J, Terry A, Couronne O, Grimwood J, Lowry S, Gordon LA, Scott D, Xie G, Huang W, Hellsten U, Tran-Gyamfi M, She X, Prabhakar S, Aerts A, Altherr M, Bajorek E, Black S, Branscomb E, Caoile C, Challacombe JF, Chan YM, Denys M, Detter JC, Escobar J, Flowers D, Fotopulos D, Glavina T, Gomez M, Gonzales E, Goodstein D, Grigoriev I, Groza M, Hammon N, Hawkins T, Haydu L, Israni S, Jett J, Kadner K, Kimball H, Kobayashi A, Lopez F, Lou Y, Martinez D, Medina C, Morgan J, Nandkeshwar R, Noonan JP, Pitluck S, Pollard M, Predki P, Priest J, Ramirez L, Retterer J, Rodriguez A, Rogers S, Salamov A, Salazar A, Thayer N, Tice H, Tsai M, Ustaszewska A, Vo N, Wheeler J, Wu K, Yang J, Dickson M, Cheng JF, Eichler EE, Olsen A, Pennacchio LA, Rokhsar DS, Richardson P, Lucas SM, Myers RM, Rubin EM: The DNA sequence and comparative analysis of human chromosome 5. Nature. 2004 Sep 16;431(7006):268-74. doi: 10.1038/nature02919.
Pubmed: 15372022
Gerhard DS, Wagner L, Feingold EA, Shenmen CM, Grouse LH, Schuler G, Klein SL, Old S, Rasooly R, Good P, Guyer M, Peck AM, Derge JG, Lipman D, Collins FS, Jang W, Sherry S, Feolo M, Misquitta L, Lee E, Rotmistrovsky K, Greenhut SF, Schaefer CF, Buetow K, Bonner TI, Haussler D, Kent J, Kiekhaus M, Furey T, Brent M, Prange C, Schreiber K, Shapiro N, Bhat NK, Hopkins RF, Hsie F, Driscoll T, Soares MB, Casavant TL, Scheetz TE, Brown-stein MJ, Usdin TB, Toshiyuki S, Carninci P, Piao Y, Dudekula DB, Ko MS, Kawakami K, Suzuki Y, Sugano S, Gruber CE, Smith MR, Simmons B, Moore T, Waterman R, Johnson SL, Ruan Y, Wei CL, Mathavan S, Gunaratne PH, Wu J, Garcia AM, Hulyk SW, Fuh E, Yuan Y, Sneed A, Kowis C, Hodgson A, Muzny DM, McPherson J, Gibbs RA, Fahey J, Helton E, Ketteman M, Madan A, Rodrigues S, Sanchez A, Whiting M, Madari A, Young AC, Wetherby KD, Granite SJ, Kwong PN, Brinkley CP, Pearson RL, Bouffard GG, Blakesly RW, Green ED, Dickson MC, Rodriguez AC, Grimwood J, Schmutz J, Myers RM, Butterfield YS, Griffith M, Griffith OL, Krzywinski MI, Liao N, Morin R, Palmquist D, Petrescu AS, Skalska U, Smailus DE, Stott JM, Schnerch A, Schein JE, Jones SJ, Holt RA, Baross A, Marra MA, Clifton S, Makowski KA, Bosak S, Malek J: The status, quality, and expansion of the NIH full-length cDNA project: the Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC). Genome Res. 2004 Oct;14(10B):2121-7. doi: 10.1101/gr.2596504.
Pubmed: 15489334
Williams ME, Brust PF, Feldman DH, Patthi S, Simerson S, Maroufi A, McCue AF, Velicelebi G, Ellis SB, Harpold MM: Structure and functional expression of an omega-conotoxin-sensitive human N-type calcium channel. Science. 1992 Jul 17;257(5068):389-95. doi: 10.1126/science.1321501.
Pubmed: 1321501
Humphray SJ, Oliver K, Hunt AR, Plumb RW, Loveland JE, Howe KL, Andrews TD, Searle S, Hunt SE, Scott CE, Jones MC, Ainscough R, Almeida JP, Ambrose KD, Ashwell RI, Babbage AK, Babbage S, Bagguley CL, Bailey J, Banerjee R, Barker DJ, Barlow KF, Bates K, Beasley H, Beasley O, Bird CP, Bray-Allen S, Brown AJ, Brown JY, Burford D, Burrill W, Burton J, Carder C, Carter NP, Chapman JC, Chen Y, Clarke G, Clark SY, Clee CM, Clegg S, Collier RE, Corby N, Crosier M, Cummings AT, Davies J, Dhami P, Dunn M, Dutta I, Dyer LW, Earthrowl ME, Faulkner L, Fleming CJ, Frankish A, Frankland JA, French L, Fricker DG, Garner P, Garnett J, Ghori J, Gilbert JG, Glison C, Grafham DV, Gribble S, Griffiths C, Griffiths-Jones S, Grocock R, Guy J, Hall RE, Hammond S, Harley JL, Harrison ES, Hart EA, Heath PD, Henderson CD, Hopkins BL, Howard PJ, Howden PJ, Huckle E, Johnson C, Johnson D, Joy AA, Kay M, Keenan S, Kershaw JK, Kimberley AM, King A, Knights A, Laird GK, Langford C, Lawlor S, Leongamornlert DA, Leversha M, Lloyd C, Lloyd DM, Lovell J, Martin S, Mashreghi-Mohammadi M, Matthews L, McLaren S, McLay KE, McMurray A, Milne S, Nickerson T, Nisbett J, Nordsiek G, Pearce AV, Peck AI, Porter KM, Pandian R, Pelan S, Phillimore B, Povey S, Ramsey Y, Rand V, Scharfe M, Sehra HK, Shownkeen R, Sims SK, Skuce CD, Smith M, Steward CA, Swarbreck D, Sycamore N, Tester J, Thorpe A, Tracey A, Tromans A, Thomas DW, Wall M, Wallis JM, West AP, Whitehead SL, Willey DL, Williams SA, Wilming L, Wray PW, Young L, Ashurst JL, Coulson A, Blocker H, Durbin R, Sulston JE, Hubbard T, Jackson MJ, Bentley DR, Beck S, Rogers J, Dunham I: DNA sequence and analysis of human chromosome 9. Nature. 2004 May 27;429(6990):369-74. doi: 10.1038/nature02465.
Pubmed: 15164053
Kim DS, Jung HH, Park SH, Chin H: Isolation and characterization of the 5'-upstream region of the human N-type calcium channel alpha1B subunit gene. Chromosomal localization and promoter analysis. J Biol Chem. 1997 Feb 21;272(8):5098-104. doi: 10.1074/jbc.272.8.5098.
Pubmed: 9030575
Klugbauer N, Lacinova L, Marais E, Hobom M, Hofmann F: Molecular diversity of the calcium channel alpha2delta subunit. J Neurosci. 1999 Jan 15;19(2):684-91.
Pubmed: 9880589
Gao B, Sekido Y, Maximov A, Saad M, Forgacs E, Latif F, Wei MH, Lerman M, Lee JH, Perez-Reyes E, Bezprozvanny I, Minna JD: Functional properties of a new voltage-dependent calcium channel alpha(2)delta auxiliary subunit gene (CACNA2D2). J Biol Chem. 2000 Apr 21;275(16):12237-42. doi: 10.1074/jbc.275.16.12237.
Pubmed: 10766861
Hobom M, Dai S, Marais E, Lacinova L, Hofmann F, Klugbauer N: Neuronal distribution and functional characterization of the calcium channel alpha2delta-2 subunit. Eur J Neurosci. 2000 Apr;12(4):1217-26. doi: 10.1046/j.1460-9568.2000.01009.x.
Pubmed: 10762351
Escayg A, Jones JM, Kearney JA, Hitchcock PF, Meisler MH: Calcium channel beta 4 (CACNB4): human ortholog of the mouse epilepsy gene lethargic. Genomics. 1998 May 15;50(1):14-22. doi: 10.1006/geno.1998.5311.
Pubmed: 9628818
Escayg A, De Waard M, Lee DD, Bichet D, Wolf P, Mayer T, Johnston J, Baloh R, Sander T, Meisler MH: Coding and noncoding variation of the human calcium-channel beta4-subunit gene CACNB4 in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy and episodic ataxia. Am J Hum Genet. 2000 May;66(5):1531-9. doi: 10.1086/302909. Epub 2000 Apr 4.
Pubmed: 10762541
Taviaux S, Williams ME, Harpold MM, Nargeot J, Lory P: Assignment of human genes for beta 2 and beta 4 subunits of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels to chromosomes 10p12 and 2q22-q23. Hum Genet. 1997 Aug;100(2):151-4. doi: 10.1007/pl00008704.
Pubmed: 9254841
Powers PA, Liu S, Hogan K, Gregg RG: Skeletal muscle and brain isoforms of a beta-subunit of human voltage-dependent calcium channels are encoded by a single gene. J Biol Chem. 1992 Nov 15;267(32):22967-72.
Pubmed: 1385409
Williams ME, Feldman DH, McCue AF, Brenner R, Velicelebi G, Ellis SB, Harpold MM: Structure and functional expression of alpha 1, alpha 2, and beta subunits of a novel human neuronal calcium channel subtype. Neuron. 1992 Jan;8(1):71-84. doi: 10.1016/0896-6273(92)90109-q.
Pubmed: 1309651
Collin T, Wang JJ, Nargeot J, Schwartz A: Molecular cloning of three isoforms of the L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel beta subunit from normal human heart. Circ Res. 1993 Jun;72(6):1337-44. doi: 10.1161/01.res.72.6.1337.
Pubmed: 7916667
Chan KW, Langan MN, Sui JL, Kozak JA, Pabon A, Ladias JA, Logothetis DE: A recombinant inwardly rectifying potassium channel coupled to GTP-binding proteins. J Gen Physiol. 1996 Mar;107(3):381-97. doi: 10.1085/jgp.107.3.381.
Pubmed: 8868049
Schoots O, Yue KT, MacDonald JF, Hampson DR, Nobrega JN, Dixon LM, Van Tol HH: Cloning of a G protein-activated inwardly rectifying potassium channel from human cerebellum. Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 1996 Jul;39(1-2):23-30. doi: 10.1016/0169-328x(95)00349-w.
Pubmed: 8804710
Oki K, Plonczynski MW, Luis Lam M, Gomez-Sanchez EP, Gomez-Sanchez CE: Potassium channel mutant KCNJ5 T158A expression in HAC-15 cells increases aldosterone synthesis. Endocrinology. 2012 Apr;153(4):1774-82. doi: 10.1210/en.2011-1733. Epub 2012 Feb 7.
Pubmed: 22315453
Mulatero P, Tauber P, Zennaro MC, Monticone S, Lang K, Beuschlein F, Fischer E, Tizzani D, Pallauf A, Viola A, Amar L, Williams TA, Strom TM, Graf E, Bandulik S, Penton D, Plouin PF, Warth R, Allolio B, Jeunemaitre X, Veglio F, Reincke M: KCNJ5 mutations in European families with nonglucocorticoid remediable familial hyperaldosteronism. Hypertension. 2012 Feb;59(2):235-40. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.111.183996. Epub 2011 Dec 27.
Pubmed: 22203740
Boulkroun S, Beuschlein F, Rossi GP, Golib-Dzib JF, Fischer E, Amar L, Mulatero P, Samson-Couterie B, Hahner S, Quinkler M, Fallo F, Letizia C, Allolio B, Ceolotto G, Cicala MV, Lang K, Lefebvre H, Lenzini L, Maniero C, Monticone S, Perrocheau M, Pilon C, Plouin PF, Rayes N, Seccia TM, Veglio F, Williams TA, Zinnamosca L, Mantero F, Benecke A, Jeunemaitre X, Reincke M, Zennaro MC: Prevalence, clinical, and molecular correlates of KCNJ5 mutations in primary aldosteronism. Hypertension. 2012 Mar;59(3):592-8. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.111.186478. Epub 2012 Jan 23.
Pubmed: 22275527
Masotti A, Uva P, Davis-Keppen L, Basel-Vanagaite L, Cohen L, Pisaneschi E, Celluzzi A, Bencivenga P, Fang M, Tian M, Xu X, Cappa M, Dallapiccola B: Keppen-Lubinsky syndrome is caused by mutations in the inwardly rectifying K+ channel encoded by KCNJ6. Am J Hum Genet. 2015 Feb 5;96(2):295-300. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.12.011. Epub 2015 Jan 22.
Pubmed: 25620207
Ferrer J, Nichols CG, Makhina EN, Salkoff L, Bernstein J, Gerhard D, Wasson J, Ramanadham S, Permutt A: Pancreatic islet cells express a family of inwardly rectifying K+ channel subunits which interact to form G-protein-activated channels. J Biol Chem. 1995 Nov 3;270(44):26086-91. doi: 10.1074/jbc.270.44.26086.
Pubmed: 7592809
Schoots O, Wilson JM, Ethier N, Bigras E, Hebert TE, Van Tol HH: Co-expression of human Kir3 subunits can yield channels with different functional properties. Cell Signal. 1999 Dec;11(12):871-83.
Pubmed: 10659995
Vaughn J, Wolford JK, Prochazka M, Permana PA: Genomic structure and expression of human KCNJ9 (Kir3.3/GIRK3). Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2000 Aug 2;274(2):302-9. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.2000.3136.
Pubmed: 10913335
Gregory SG, Barlow KF, McLay KE, Kaul R, Swarbreck D, Dunham A, Scott CE, Howe KL, Woodfine K, Spencer CC, Jones MC, Gillson C, Searle S, Zhou Y, Kokocinski F, McDonald L, Evans R, Phillips K, Atkinson A, Cooper R, Jones C, Hall RE, Andrews TD, Lloyd C, Ainscough R, Almeida JP, Ambrose KD, Anderson F, Andrew RW, Ashwell RI, Aubin K, Babbage AK, Bagguley CL, Bailey J, Beasley H, Bethel G, Bird CP, Bray-Allen S, Brown JY, Brown AJ, Buckley D, Burton J, Bye J, Carder C, Chapman JC, Clark SY, Clarke G, Clee C, Cobley V, Collier RE, Corby N, Coville GJ, Davies J, Deadman R, Dunn M, Earthrowl M, Ellington AG, Errington H, Frankish A, Frankland J, French L, Garner P, Garnett J, Gay L, Ghori MR, Gibson R, Gilby LM, Gillett W, Glithero RJ, Grafham DV, Griffiths C, Griffiths-Jones S, Grocock R, Hammond S, Harrison ES, Hart E, Haugen E, Heath PD, Holmes S, Holt K, Howden PJ, Hunt AR, Hunt SE, Hunter G, Isherwood J, James R, Johnson C, Johnson D, Joy A, Kay M, Kershaw JK, Kibukawa M, Kimberley AM, King A, Knights AJ, Lad H, Laird G, Lawlor S, Leongamornlert DA, Lloyd DM, Loveland J, Lovell J, Lush MJ, Lyne R, Martin S, Mashreghi-Mohammadi M, Matthews L, Matthews NS, McLaren S, Milne S, Mistry S, Moore MJ, Nickerson T, O'Dell CN, Oliver K, Palmeiri A, Palmer SA, Parker A, Patel D, Pearce AV, Peck AI, Pelan S, Phelps K, Phillimore BJ, Plumb R, Rajan J, Raymond C, Rouse G, Saenphimmachak C, Sehra HK, Sheridan E, Shownkeen R, Sims S, Skuce CD, Smith M, Steward C, Subramanian S, Sycamore N, Tracey A, Tromans A, Van Helmond Z, Wall M, Wallis JM, White S, Whitehead SL, Wilkinson JE, Willey DL, Williams H, Wilming L, Wray PW, Wu Z, Coulson A, Vaudin M, Sulston JE, Durbin R, Hubbard T, Wooster R, Dunham I, Carter NP, McVean G, Ross MT, Harrow J, Olson MV, Beck S, Rogers J, Bentley DR, Banerjee R, Bryant SP, Burford DC, Burrill WD, Clegg SM, Dhami P, Dovey O, Faulkner LM, Gribble SM, Langford CF, Pandian RD, Porter KM, Prigmore E: The DNA sequence and biological annotation of human chromosome 1. Nature. 2006 May 18;441(7091):315-21. doi: 10.1038/nature04727.
Pubmed: 16710414
Highlighted elements will appear in red.
Highlight Compounds
Highlight Proteins
Enter relative concentration values (without units). Elements will be highlighted in a color gradient where red = lowest concentration and green = highest concentration. For the best results, view the pathway in Black and White.
Visualize Compound Data
Visualize Protein Data
Downloads
Settings