Endomorphins exit the brain by a saturable efflux system at the basolateral surface of cerebral endothelial cells.

Endomorphin-1 (EM-1) and endomorphin-2 (EM-2) are two highly selective mu-opiate receptor agonists. We recently demonstrated that EM-1 and EM-2 have a saturable transport system from brain-to-blood in vivo. Since the endothelial cells are the main component of the non-fenestrated microvessels of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), we examined whether these endogenous tetrapeptides have a saturable transport system in cultured cerebral endothelial cells. EM-1 and EM-2 binding and transport were studied in a transwell system in which primary mouse endothelial cells were co-cultured with rat glioma cells. We found that binding of both endomorphins was greater on the basolateral than the apical cell surface. Flux of EM-1 and EM-2 occurred predominantly in the basolateral to apical direction, each showing self-inhibition with an excess of the respective endomorphin. Transport was not influenced by the addition of the P-glycoprotein inhibitor, cyclosporin A. Neither the mu-opiate receptor agonist DAMGO nor the delta-opiate receptor agonist DPDPE had any effect on the transport. Thus, the results show that a saturable transport system for EM-1 and EM-2 occurs at the level of endothelial cells of the BBB, and unlike beta-endorphin and morphine, P-glycoprotein is not needed for the brain-to-blood transport. Cross-inhibition of the transport of each endomorphin by the other suggests a shared transport system that is different from mu- or delta-opiate receptors. As endormorphins are mainly produced in the CNS, the presence of the efflux system at the BBB could play an important role in pain modulation and neuroendocrine control.