Adrenal medullary opioid receptors are linked to GTP-binding proteins, pertussis toxin substrates.

Effects of Gpp(NH)p and pretreatment of membranes with pertussis toxin (PT) were studied on opioid binding to bovine adrenal medullary opioid receptors. Gpp(NH)p inhibited [3H]DADLE binding by increasing the dissociation constant. PT treatment reduced [3H]DADLE binding and almost abolished the Gpp(NH)p inhibition of [3H]DADLE binding. Levorphanol did not show any significant effect on bovine adrenal medullary adenylate cyclase activity. These results suggest that bovine adrenal medullary opioid receptors are linked to PT-sensitive GTP-binding proteins which are not directly coupled to adenylate cyclase.