Opiate binding to cerebroside sulfate: a model system for opiate receptor interaction

Cerebroside sulfate was shown to bind etorphine and levorphanol with high affinity. The relative potency of narcotic analgesics in preventing the binding of levorphanol to cerebroside sulfate correlated well with their reported analgetic activity. The data indicate similarities between cerebroside sulfate and a purified opiate receptor from mouse brain which has been reported to be a proteolipid. Some preliminary animal data also imply the involvement of CS in opiate action. The authors, therefore, propose that CS may serve as a useful 'receptor' model for the study of opiate receptor interaction in vitro.