Teneurin C-terminal associated peptide (TCAP)-1 attenuates the development and expression of naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal in male Swiss Webster mice

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), the apical stress-inducing hormone, exacerbates stress and addictive behaviors. TCAP-1 is a peptide that directly inhibits both CRF-mediated stress and addiction-related behaviors; however, the direct action of TCAP-1 on morphine withdrawal-associated behaviors has not previously been examined.

To determine whether TCAP-1 administration attenuates behavioral and physiological consequences of morphine withdrawal in mice.

Mice were administered via subcutaneous route TCAP-1 either before or after initial morphine exposure, after which jumping behavior was quantified to assess the effects of TCAP-1 on naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal. As a comparison, mice were treated with nonpeptide CRF₁ receptor antagonist CP-154,526. In one experiment, plasma corticosterone (CORT) was also measured as a physiological stress indicator.

Pretreatment with TCAP-1 (10–250 nmol/kg) before morphine treatment significantly inhibited the development of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal. TCAP-1 (250–500 nmol/kg) treatment administered after morphine treatment attenuated the behavioral expression of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal. TCAP-1 (250 nmol/kg) treatment during morphine treatment was more effective than the optimal dosing of CP-154,526 (20 mg/kg) at suppressing the behavioral expression of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal, despite similar reduction of withdrawal-induced plasma CORT level increases.

These findings establish TCAP-1 as a potential therapeutic candidate for the prevention and treatment of morphine withdrawal.