Sphingosine-1-phosphate Receptor Subtype 1 Antagonists may be the Unmet Medical Need for Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Antinociceptive Tolerance

Abstract

Opioids such as morphine are frequently used for chronic pain management despite their many adverse effects. Ongoing research aims at either finding new treatments to replace opioids or reducing its heavy adverse effects due to long-term use: opioid-induced hyperalgesia and antinociceptive tolerance. In a recent study, Doyle et al. (2020) demonstrate that the activation of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor subtype 1 (S1PR1) in the central nervous system contributes to morphine-induced hyperalgesia and antinociceptive tolerance in a rodent model of chronic pain. By targeting S1PR1 with molecules with functional antagonistic properties (some of which are FDA-approved for multiple sclerosis treatment), hyperalgesia and tolerance were significantly reduced without modifying morphine pharmacokinetics or efficacy.