Abstract
SEVERAL reports suggest that RNA and protein synthesis are important for the development of morphine-induced analgesic tolerance and dependency1–4. Following up these reports, we have examined the effect of chronic morphine drugging on the intracellular site of RNA synthesis-nuclear chromatin. We found that brain chromatin from rats tolerant to morphine, synthesised RNA more slowly than that from non-tolerant rats5. This effect was not caused by the direct action of morphine and was found to be associated in the chromatin complex with a protein which is believed to regulate RNA synthesis. Since we may have identified, in part, a mechanism by which morphine-induced analgesic tolerance develops, we looked for a chronological relationship between the development of morphine-induced analgesic tolerance and the effect on brain chromatin RNA synthesis.
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HODGSON, J., BRISTOW, R. & CASTLES, T. Repression of RNA transcription during the development of analgesic tolerance to morphine. Nature 248, 671–673 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/248671a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/248671a0
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