Targeting a specific part of ACE to help opioid addiction
Domain-specific inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme as a therapeutic strategy for opioid use disorders
Seeing if blocking one part of the ACE enzyme can boost the brain’s natural opioids and make fentanyl less rewarding for people with opioid addiction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11370498 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers found that ACE in a brain region called the nucleus accumbens breaks down a natural opioid peptide (MERF) and may change how rewarding fentanyl feels. The team will determine which ACE catalytic domain is responsible for MERF breakdown using biochemical tests on brain tissue and recombinant enzymes. Medicinal chemistry efforts will create domain-specific ACE inhibitors, and preclinical experiments will test whether these inhibitors change neural signaling and reduce fentanyl reward. This combined lab and preclinical approach aims to pinpoint a targeted way to enhance the brain’s own opioid signals without affecting blood-pressure functions of ACE.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with opioid use disorder, especially those exposed to fentanyl, are the type of patients who could ultimately benefit from this line of research.
Not a fit: Patients without opioid addiction or those seeking an immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical research at this time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new drugs that reduce opioid reward and help people recover from opioid addiction while avoiding blood-pressure side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab and animal work shows conventional ACE inhibitors can boost endogenous opioid signaling and reduce opioid reward, but targeting a single ACE domain in the brain is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rothwell, Patrick — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Rothwell, Patrick
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.