# Component for Institution # 264313

> **NIH NIH P30** · TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH · 2024 · $211,935

## Abstract

Research on drug abuse and addiction requires multi-disciplinary approaches. The Biochemical
Pharmacology Core provides services for researchers who do not perform biochemical pharmacology
assays. The techniques provided in this Core allow interrogation of receptors associated with drugs of
abuse and their signaling. Most researchers who used the Core are either behavioral scientists or
chemists. The services provided by the Core are valuable to these investigators, expanded their
research and have resulted in many publications. The Core also has provided preliminary data for grant
applications and several NIH grants were awarded. The receptors of drugs of abuse that the Core has
investigated to date include opioid receptors (MOPR, DOPR, KOPR, NOPR), cannabinoid (CB1 and
CB2) receptors, nicotinic cholinergic receptors (nAChRs) and dopamine and sigma receptors. In the
requested funding period, the Core will perform the following services: (1) Radioligand binding to the
aforementioned receptors related to drug abuse and others when necessary; (2) Assessment of G
protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) activation, including cAMP level, [35S]GTPγS binding, p44/42 MAP
kinases phosphorylation, β-arrestin recruitment; (3) Determination of agonist bias for GPCRs using
[35S]GTPγS binding or cAMP and β-arrestin recruitment and CRISPR cell lines; (4) Autoradiography of
radioligand binding to opioid and dopamine receptors and (5) Autoradiography of opioid agonist-
promoted [35S]GTPγS binding in brain sections; (6) Immunoblotting of MOPR, KOPR and
phosphorylated KOPR in cultured cells and in rodent brains; (7) Internalization of MOPR, DOPR and
KOPR and CB1 in cultured cells and KOPR in mouse brains; (8) Providing purified antibodies against
MOPR, KOPR and phospho-KOPR to researchers; (9) Training of personnel of other laboratories. For
the requested grant period, the Core will perform at least 15 collaborative projects with NIH-funded
investigators across the country. The innovation lies in the proposed studies, which will address a wide
variety of questions related to drug abuse, including elucidation of impact of adolescent and adult
chronic exposure to morphine, cocaine or nicotine on MOPR, dopamine and/or nAChR expression
and/or signaling in adults and offspring, respectively; search for KOPR agonists that do not cause
KOPR phosphorylation (likely G protein-biased); effects of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)
deletion on expression of MOPR and nAChR; screening for allosteric modulators of CB1 receptors and
determination of how they alter ligand binding; and investigation of agonist biases for CB1 and CB2
receptors by using CRISPR cell lines with either individual G proteins or arrestins deleted. The studies
are novel and the Core will augment these research projects beyond the original scope. Thus, the Core
will make significant contribution to the area of substance abuse research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10839854
- **Project number:** 5P30DA013429-25
- **Recipient organization:** TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** LEE-YUAN LIU-CHEN
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $211,935
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2000-09-30 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10839854

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10839854, Component for Institution # 264313 (5P30DA013429-25). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10839854. Licensed CC0.

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