Photouncaging of an Opioid Peptide in Vivo Using Blue Light
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Here we report blue light-driven in vivo photoactivation of TCA-DCCM-DAMGO, a caged derivative of the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) agonist DAMGO. TCA-DCCM-DAMGO is chemically stable in the dark, is inactive prior to illumination, and cleanly liberates DAMGO upon irradiation with blue light. Brain slice electrophysiology demonstrates rapid, light-triggered MOR activation. Following intracerebroventricular infusion of TCA-DCCM-DAMGO in the mouse brain, photoactivation in the ventral tegmental area with blue light elicited a rapid, opioid-dependent increase in locomotion. These results demonstrate the feasibility of in vivo photouncaging using blue light deep in the mouse brain and establish TCA-DCCM-DAMGO as a probe for manipulating endogenous opioid receptors in behaving animals.
DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6c15989
Institution: University of California San Diego
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
OpenAlex ID: W7203828392