Impaired Pro-opiomelanocortin (Pomc) – Mu Opioid Receptor (MOR) axis contributes to painful diabetic neuropathy in Streptozotocin induced mice

Background: One-third of diabetic patients experience hyperalgesia and/or allodynia, however, current treatments are inefficient in reversing these symptoms and can have adverse side effects. It is known that the endogenous opioid system can modulate pain sensitivity. Pomc is cleaved to produce the opioid peptide β-endorphin, which binds to MOR resulting in alleviation of pain. This study examines the significance of Pomc-MOR axis in context of painful diabetic neuropathy. Methods: Streptozotocin (STZ) induced C57Bl/6 mice were used to study changes in Pomc-MOR. Pain sensitivity was measured using hotplate, harg…