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Santos-Toscano R, Arevalo MA, Garcia-Segura LM, Grassi D, Lagunas N. Interaction of gonadal hormones, dopaminergic system, and epigenetic regulation in the generation of sex differences in substance use disorders: A systematic review. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101085. [PMID: 37543184 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic condition characterized by pathological drug-taking and seeking behaviors. Remarkably different between males and females, suggesting that drug addiction is a sexually differentiated disorder. The neurobiological bases of sex differences in SUD include sex-specific reward system activation, influenced by interactions between gonadal hormone level changes, dopaminergic reward circuits, and epigenetic modifications of key reward system genes. This systematic review, adhering to PICOS and PRISMA-P 2015 guidelines, highlights the sex-dependent roles of estrogens, progesterone, and testosterone in SUD. In particular, estradiol elevates and progesterone reduces dopaminergic activity in SUD females, whilst testosterone and progesterone augment SUD behavior in males. Finally, SUD is associated with a sex-specific increase in the rate of opioid and monoaminergic gene methylation. The study reveals the need for detailed research on gonadal hormone levels, dopaminergic or reward system activity, and epigenetic landscapes in both sexes for efficient SUD therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Santos-Toscano
- School of Medicine, University of Central Lancashire, 135A Adelphi St, Preston PR1 7BH, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Angeles Arevalo
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel Garcia-Segura
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniela Grassi
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Autonoma University of Madrid, Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Natalia Lagunas
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain; Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Fattore L, Amchova P, Fadda P, Ruda-Kucerova J. Olfactory Bulbectomy Model of Depression Lowers Responding for Food in Male and Female Rats: The Modulating Role of Caloric Restriction and Response Requirement. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2481. [PMID: 37760922 PMCID: PMC10525806 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression is a psychiatric disorder characterized by a marked decrease in reward sensitivity. By using the olfactory bulbectomy (OBX) model of depression, it was shown that OBX rats display enhanced drug-taking and seeking behaviors in a self-administration paradigm than sham-operated (SHAM) controls, and sex is an important regulating factor. To reveal potential strain effects, we compared the operant behavior of male and female Sprague-Dawley and Wistar OBX and SHAM rats trained to self-administer palatable food pellets. Results showed that Sprague-Dawley OBX rats of both sexes exhibited lower operant responding rates and food intake than SHAM controls. Food restriction increased responding in both OBX and SHAM groups. Female rats responded more than males, but the OBX lesion abolished this effect. In Wistar rats, bulbectomy lowered food self-administration only during the last training days. Food self-administration was not significantly affected in Wistar rats by sex. In summary, this study showed that bulbectomy significantly reduces operant responding and food intake in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats while inducing a mild reducing effect only in the Wistar strain. Strain-dependent effects were also observed in the modulating role of sex and food restriction on operant responding and palatable food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liana Fattore
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience-Cagliari, National Research Council, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy; (L.F.); (P.F.)
| | - Petra Amchova
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic;
| | - Paola Fadda
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience-Cagliari, National Research Council, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy; (L.F.); (P.F.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Jana Ruda-Kucerova
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic;
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Leconte C, Mongeau R, Noble F. Traumatic Stress-Induced Vulnerability to Addiction: Critical Role of the Dynorphin/Kappa Opioid Receptor System. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:856672. [PMID: 35571111 PMCID: PMC9091501 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.856672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorders (SUD) may emerge from an individual’s attempt to limit negative affective states and symptoms linked to stress. Indeed, SUD is highly comorbid with chronic stress, traumatic stress, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and treatments approved for each pathology individually often failed to have a therapeutic efficiency in such comorbid patients. The kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) and its endogenous ligand dynorphin (DYN), seem to play a key role in the occurrence of this comorbidity. The DYN/KOR function is increased either in traumatic stress or during drug use, dependence acquisition and DYN is released during stress. The behavioural effects of stress related to the DYN/KOR system include anxiety, dissociative and depressive symptoms, as well as increased conditioned fear response. Furthermore, the DYN/KOR system is implicated in negative reinforcement after the euphoric effects of a drug of abuse ends. During chronic drug consumption DYN/KOR functions increase and facilitate tolerance and dependence. The drug-seeking behaviour induced by KOR activation can be retrieved either during the development of an addictive behaviour, or during relapse after withdrawal. DYN is known to be one of the most powerful negative modulators of dopamine signalling, notably in brain structures implicated in both reward and fear circuitries. KOR are also acting as inhibitory heteroreceptors on serotonin neurons. Moreover, the DYN/KOR system cross-regulate with corticotropin-releasing factor in the brain. The sexual dimorphism of the DYN/KOR system could be the cause of the gender differences observed in patients with SUD or/and traumatic stress-related pathologies. This review underlies experimental and clinical results emphasizing the DYN/KOR system as common mechanisms shared by SUD or/and traumatic stress-related pathologies, and suggests KOR antagonist as a new pharmacological strategy to treat this comorbidity.
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Sex- and Genotype-Dependent Nicotine-Induced Behaviors in Adolescent Rats with a Human Polymorphism (rs2304297) in the 3'-UTR of the CHRNA6 Gene. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063145. [PMID: 35328565 PMCID: PMC8948824 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In human adolescents, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs2304297, in the 3′-UTR of the nicotinic receptor subunit gene, CHRNA6, has been associated with increased smoking. To study the effects of the human CHRNA6 3′-UTR SNP, our lab generated knock-in rodent lines with either C or G SNP alleles. The objective of this study was to determine if the CHRNA6 3′-UTR SNP is functional in the knock-in rat lines. We hypothesized that the human CHRNA6 3′-UTR SNP knock-in does not impact baseline but enhances nicotine-induced behaviors. For baseline behaviors, rats underwent food self-administration at escalating schedules of reinforcement followed by a locomotor assay and a series of anxiety tests (postnatal day (PN) 25-39). In separate cohorts, adolescent rats underwent 1- or 4-day nicotine pretreatment (2×, 30 μg/kg/0.1 mL, i.v.). After the last nicotine injection (PN 31), animals were assessed behaviorally in an open-field chamber, and brain tissue was collected. We show the human CHRNA6 3′-UTR SNP knock-in does not affect food reinforcement, locomotor activity, or anxiety. Further, 4-day, but not 1-day, nicotine exposure enhances locomotion and anxiolytic behavior in a genotype- and sex-specific manner. These findings demonstrate that the human CHRNA6 3′-UTR SNP is functional in our in vivo model.
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Prepubertal exposure to high dose of cadmium induces hypothalamic injury through transcriptome profiling alteration and neuronal degeneration in female rats. Chem Biol Interact 2021; 337:109379. [PMID: 33453195 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2021.109379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal, which seems to be crucial during the prepubertal period. Cd can destroy the structural integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and enters into the brain. Although the brain is susceptible to neurotoxicity induced by Cd, the effects of Cd on the brain, particularly hypothalamic transcriptome, are still relatively poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the molecular effects of Cd exposure on the hypothalamus by profiling the transcriptomic response of the hypothalamus to high dose of Cd (25 mg/kg bw/day cadmium chloride (CdCl2)) during the prepubertal period in Sprague-Dawley female rats. After sequencing and annotation, differential expression analysis revealed 1656 genes that were differentially expressed that 108 of them were classified into 37 transcription factor (TF) families. According to gene ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were involved in different biological processes and neurological disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), and Parkinson's disease (PD), prolactin signaling pathway, PI3K/Akt signaling, and dopaminergic synapse. Five transcripts were selected for further analyses with Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The RT-qPCR results were mostly consistent with those from the high throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Cresyl violet staining clearly showed an increased neuronal degeneration in the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) and arcuate (Arc) nuclei of the CdCl2 group. Overall, this study demonstrates that prepubertal exposure to high doses of Cd induces hypothalamic injury through transcriptome profiling alteration in female rats, which reveals the new mechanisms of pathogenesis of Cd in the hypothalamus.
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Neuropathic Pain Dysregulates Gene Expression of the Forebrain Opioid and Dopamine Systems. Neurotox Res 2020; 37:800-814. [PMID: 32026358 PMCID: PMC7085470 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-020-00166-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Disturbances in the function of the mesostriatal dopamine system may contribute to the development and maintenance of chronic pain, including its sensory and emotional/cognitive aspects. In the present study, we assessed the influence of chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve on the expression of genes coding for dopamine and opioid receptors as well as opioid propeptides in the mouse mesostriatal system, particularly in the nucleus accumbens. We demonstrated bilateral increases in mRNA levels of the dopamine D1 and D2 receptors (the latter accompanied by elevated protein level), opioid propeptides proenkephalin and prodynorphin, as well as delta and kappa (but not mu) opioid receptors in the nucleus accumbens at 7 to 14 days after CCI. These results show that CCI-induced neuropathic pain is accompanied by a major transcriptional dysregulation of molecules involved in dopaminergic and opioidergic signaling in the striatum/nucleus accumbens. Possible functional consequences of these changes include opposite effects of upregulated enkephalin/delta opioid receptor signaling vs. dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor signaling, with the former most likely having an analgesic effect and the latter exacerbating pain and contributing to pain-related negative emotional states.
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Shahkarami K, Vousooghi N, Golab F, Mohsenzadeh A, Baharvand P, Sadat-Shirazi MS, Babhadi-Ashar N, Shakeri A, Zarrindast MR. Evaluation of dynorphin and kappa-opioid receptor level in the human blood lymphocytes and plasma: Possible role as a biomarker in severe opioid use disorder. Drug Alcohol Depend 2019; 205:107638. [PMID: 31710992 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Revised: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The dynorphin (DYN)/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system plays an important role in the development of addiction, and dysregulation of this system could lead to abnormal activity in the reward pathway. It has been reported that the expression state of the neurotransmitters and their receptors in the brain is reflected in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). METHODS We have evaluated the PBLs and plasma samples of four groups: 1) subjects with severe opioid use disorder (SOD), 2) methadone-maintenance treated (MMT) individuals, 3) long-term abstinent subjects having former SOD, and 4) healthy control subjects (n = 20 in each group). The mRNA expression level of preprodynorphin (pPDYN) and KOR in PBLs has been evaluated by real-time PCR. Peptide expression of PDYN in PBLs has been studied by western blot, and DYN concentration in plasma has been measured by ELISA. RESULTS The relative expression level of the pPDYN mRNA and PDYN peptide in PBLs were significantly up-regulated in SOD, MMT, and abstinent groups compared to control subjects. No significant difference was found in the plasma DYN concentration between study groups. The expression level of the KOR mRNA in PBLs was significantly decreased in all three study groups compared to the control subjects. CONCLUSION the expression changes in the DYN/KOR system after chronic exposure to opioids, including methadone, seems to be stable and does not return to normal levels even after 12 months abstinence. These long-time and permanent changes in PBLs may serve as a biomarker and footprint of SOD development in the periphery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kourosh Shahkarami
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nasim Vousooghi
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Research Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Fereshteh Golab
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Azam Mohsenzadeh
- Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Parastoo Baharvand
- Department of Social Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Mitra-Sadat Sadat-Shirazi
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nima Babhadi-Ashar
- Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Atena Shakeri
- Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Zarrindast
- Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran.
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Antagonism of μ-opioid receptors reduces sensation seeking-like behavior in mice. Behav Brain Res 2019; 359:498-501. [PMID: 30500427 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.11.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Novelty- and sensation-seeking behaviors induce activity of the brain reward system and are associated with increased susceptibility to drug abuse. Endogenous opioids have been implicated in reward-related behavior; however, the involvement of specific opioid receptors in the mechanism of sensation seeking is unknown. Here, we show that selective inhibition of opioid receptors reduce operant sensation seeking in mice. Administration of naltrexone (a nonselective opioid antagonist) reduced instrumental responding for sensory stimuli at one of the tested doses (2 mg/kg). More robust effects were observed in the case of cyprodime, a selective μ opioid receptor antagonist, which reduced instrumental responses by ∼50% at doses of 0.5 mg/kg and larger. Conversely, selective δ and κ receptor antagonists (naltrindole and nor-binaltorphimine, respectively) had no effect on sensation-seeking behavior. Importantly, while naltrexone produces aversion in the conditioned place preference test, cyprodime had no such effect. Therefore, reduced instrumental responding was not correlated with aversive effects of the opioid antagonists. In conclusion, our results revealed a novel mechanism of action of selective opioid receptors antagonists, which may have relevance for their efficacy in the treatment of drug abuse.
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Endogenous opioids regulate glucocorticoid-dependent stress-coping strategies in mice. Neuroscience 2016; 330:121-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.05.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Valenza M, Picetti R, Yuferov V, Butelman ER, Kreek MJ. Strain and cocaine-induced differential opioid gene expression may predispose Lewis but not Fischer rats to escalate cocaine self-administration. Neuropharmacology 2016; 105:639-650. [PMID: 26777278 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Revised: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate alterations in gene expression of opioid system components induced by extended access (18 h) cocaine self-administration and to determine the impact of genetic background in the vulnerability to escalate cocaine intake. Comparing two inbred rat strains, we previously reported that Lewis rats progressively escalated cocaine consumption compared to Fischer rats, in a new translational model of intravenous cocaine self-administration, which included 14 sessions of 18-h operant sessions in which rats were allowed to select the cocaine unit dose to self-administer. We compare here Fischer and Lewis rats in the gene expression of endogenous opioid peptides (Pomc, Penk, Pdyn) and cognate receptors (Oprm, Oprk and Oprd) in reward-related brain regions, after exposure to either cocaine self-administration or yoked-saline, in the aforementioned translational paradigm. We performed a correlation analysis between the mRNA level, found in the Dorsal Striatum (DS), Nucleus accumbens (NAcc) shell and core respectively, and individual cocaine intake. Our findings show that the gene expression of all the aforementioned opioid genes exhibit strain-dependent differences in the DS, in absence of cocaine exposure. Also, different strain-specific cocaine-induced mRNA expression of Oprm and Oprk was found in DS. Only few differences were found in the ventral parts of the striatum. Moreover, gene expression level of Pdyn, Penk, Oprk, and Oprm in the DS was significantly correlated with cocaine intake only in Fischer rats. Overall, these data shed light on potential genetic differences which may predispose of subjects to initiate and escalate cocaine consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Valenza
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Roberto Picetti
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Vadim Yuferov
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eduardo R Butelman
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mary Jeanne Kreek
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
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Crowley NA, Kash TL. Kappa opioid receptor signaling in the brain: Circuitry and implications for treatment. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2015; 62:51-60. [PMID: 25592680 PMCID: PMC4465498 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Revised: 12/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptors (KORs) in the central nervous system have been known to be important regulators of a variety of psychiatry illnesses, including anxiety and addiction, but their precise involvement in these disorders is complex and has yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we briefly review the pharmacology of KORs in the brain, including KOR's involvement in anxiety, depression, and drug addiction. We also review the known neuronal circuitry impacted by KOR signaling, and interactions with corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF), another key peptide in anxiety-related illnesses, as well as the role of glucocorticoids. We suggest that KORs are a promising therapeutic target for a host of neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A. Crowley
- Neurobiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Thomas L. Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Kraft TT, Huang D, Natanova E, Lolier M, Yakubov Y, La Magna S, Warshaw D, Sclafani A, Bodnar RJ. Dopamine D1 and opioid receptor antagonist-induced reductions of fructose and saccharin intake in BALB/c and SWR inbred mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 131:13-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Revised: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Woller SA, Malik JS, Aceves M, Hook MA. Morphine self-administration following spinal cord injury. J Neurotrauma 2014; 31:1570-83. [PMID: 24827476 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2013.3293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain develops in up to two-thirds of people following spinal cord injury (SCI). Opioids are among the most effective treatments for this pain and are commonly prescribed. There is concern surrounding the use of these analgesics, however, because use is often associated with the development of addiction. Previous data suggests that this concern may not be relevant in the presence of neuropathic pain. Yet, despite the common prescription of opioids for the treatment of SCI-related pain, there has been only one previous study examining the addictive potential of morphine following spinal injury. To address this, the present study used a self-administration paradigm to examine the addictive potential of morphine in a rodent model of SCI. Animals were placed into self-administration chambers 24 h, 14 d, or 35 d following a moderate spinal contusion injury. They were placed into the chambers for seven 12-hour sessions with access to 1.5 mg morphine/lever depression (up to 30 mg/d). In the acute phase of SCI, contused animals self-administered significantly less morphine than their sham counterparts, as previously shown. However, contused animals showing signs of neuropathic pain did not self-administer less morphine than their sham counterparts when administration began 14 or 35 d after injury. Instead, these animals administered nearly the full amount of morphine available each session. This amount of morphine did not affect recovery of locomotor function but did cause significant weight loss. We suggest caution is warranted when prescribing opioids for the treatment of neuropathic pain resulting from SCI, as the addictive potential is not reduced in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Woller
- 1 Texas A&M University Institute for Neuroscience , Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
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Diane A, Vine DF, Russell JC, Heth CD, Pierce WD, Proctor SD. Interrelationship of CB1R and OBR pathways in regulation of metabolic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral responses to food restriction and voluntary wheel running. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2014; 117:97-104. [PMID: 24903921 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01303.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
We hypothesized the cannabinoid-1 receptor and leptin receptor (ObR) operate synergistically to modulate metabolic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral responses of animals exposed to a survival challenge (food restriction and wheel running). Obese-prone (OP) JCR:LA-cp rats, lacking functional ObR, and lean-prone (LP) JCR:LA-cp rats (intact ObR) were assigned to OP-C and LP-C (control) or CBR1-antagonized (SR141716, 10 mg/kg body wt in food) OP-A and LP-A groups. After 32 days, all rats were exposed to 1.5-h daily meals without the drug and 22.5-h voluntary wheel running, a survival challenge that normally culminates in activity-based anorexia (ABA). Rats were removed from the ABA protocol when body weight reached 75% of entry weight (starvation criterion) or after 14 days (survival criterion). LP-A rats starved faster (6.44 ± 0.24 days) than LP-C animals (8.00 ± 0.29 days); all OP rats survived the ABA challenge. LP-A rats lost weight faster than animals in all other groups (P < 0.001). Consistent with the starvation results, LP-A rats increased the rate of wheel running more rapidly than LP-C rats (P = 0.001), with no difference in hypothalamic and primary neural reward serotonin levels. In contrast, OP-A rats showed suppression of wheel running compared with the OP-C group (days 6-14 of ABA challenge, P < 0.001) and decreased hypothalamic and neural reward serotonin levels (P < 0.01). Thus there is an interrelationship between cannabinoid-1 receptor and ObR pathways in regulation of energy balance and physical activity. Effective clinical measures to prevent and treat a variety of disorders will require understanding of the mechanisms underlying these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdoulaye Diane
- Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Laboratory, Alberta Institute for Human Nutrition, Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Donna F Vine
- Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Laboratory, Alberta Institute for Human Nutrition, Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - James C Russell
- Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Laboratory, Alberta Institute for Human Nutrition, Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - C Donald Heth
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - W David Pierce
- Department of Sociology, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada; and
| | - Spencer D Proctor
- Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Laboratory, Alberta Institute for Human Nutrition, Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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15
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Kraft TT, Yakubov Y, Huang D, Fitzgerald G, Acosta V, Natanova E, Touzani K, Sclafani A, Bodnar RJ. Dopamine D1 and opioid receptor antagonism effects on the acquisition and expression of fat-conditioned flavor preferences in BALB/c and SWR mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2013; 110:127-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2013] [Revised: 06/19/2013] [Accepted: 06/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Houchi H, Persyn W, Legastelois R, Naassila M. The adenosine A2A receptor agonist CGS 21680 decreases ethanol self-administration in both non-dependent and dependent animals. Addict Biol 2013; 18:812-25. [PMID: 23301633 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
There is emerging evidence that the adenosinergic system might be involved in drug addiction and alcohol dependence. We have already demonstrated the involvement of A2A receptors (A2AR) in ethanol-related behaviours in mice. Here, we investigated whether the A2AR agonist CGS 21680 can reduce ethanol operant self-administration in both non-dependent and ethanol-dependent Wistar rats. To rule out a potential involvement of the A1R in the effects of CGS 21680, we also tested its effectiveness to reduce ethanol operant self-administration in both heterozygous and homozygous A1R knockout mice. Our results demonstrated that CGS 21680 (0.065, 0.095 and 0.125 mg/kg, i.p.) had a bimodal effect on 10% ethanol operant self-administration in non-dependent rats. The intermediate dose was also effective in reducing 2% sucrose self-administration. Interestingly, the intermediate dose reduced 10% ethanol self-administration in dependent animals more effectively (75% decrease) when compared with non-dependent animals (57% decrease). These results suggest that the A2AR are involved in CGS 21680 effects since the reduction of ethanol self-administration was not dependent upon the presence of A1R in mice. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated the effectiveness of the A2AR agonist CGS 21680 in a preclinical model of alcohol addiction and suggested that the adenosinergic pathway is a promising target to treat alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hakim Houchi
- Groupe de Recherche sur l'Alcool & les Pharmacodépendances (GRAP); INSERM ERi 24; UFR de Pharmacie; Université de Picardie Jules Verne; France
| | | | - Rémi Legastelois
- Groupe de Recherche sur l'Alcool & les Pharmacodépendances (GRAP); INSERM ERi 24; UFR de Pharmacie; Université de Picardie Jules Verne; France
| | - Mickaël Naassila
- Groupe de Recherche sur l'Alcool & les Pharmacodépendances (GRAP); INSERM ERi 24; UFR de Pharmacie; Université de Picardie Jules Verne; France
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17
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Han Z, Liu Q, Huang Z, Cui W, Tian Y, Yan W, Wu Q. Expression and imprinting analysis of AK044800, a transcript from the Dlk1-Dio3 imprinted gene cluster during mouse embryogenesis. Mol Cells 2013; 35:285-90. [PMID: 23515577 PMCID: PMC3887882 DOI: 10.1007/s10059-013-2275-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2012] [Revised: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has demonstrated that full development potential is closely related with the expression state of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) of the Dlk1-Dio3 imprinted gene cluster. However, few of them, especially the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), have been characterized in detail. AK044800 is a transcript from the Dlk1-Dio3 imprinted region with little known information. This study reports original data on the expression pattern of AK044800 during embryogenesis. Expression analysis showed that AK044800 was specifically expressed in the brain at mid-gestation, E9.5 and E11.5. And at E15.5, its expression was mainly concentrated in the forebrain. In the late-gestation stage (E18.5), AK044800 expression was weaker in the brain and began to emerge in some other tissues during this period. Notably, the expression of AK044800 was biallelic in the brain, unlike other noncoding transcripts from this imprinted region. In addition, its expression was dependent on inbred mouse strains. This may be the first lncRNA that has been identified with a different expression between inbred mouse strains. This study may provide useful clues for further investigations of expression regulation and functions of lncRNAs of the Dlk1-Dio3 imprinted region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengbin Han
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Science Park of Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin,
China
| | - Qi Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Science Park of Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin,
China
| | - Zhijun Huang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Science Park of Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin,
China
| | - Wei Cui
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Science Park of Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin,
China
| | - Yijun Tian
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Science Park of Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin,
China
| | - Weili Yan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Science Park of Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin,
China
| | - Qiong Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Science Park of Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin,
China
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18
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Gonzalez-Nunez V, Jimenez González A, Barreto-Valer K, Rodríguez RE. In vivo regulation of the μ opioid receptor: role of the endogenous opioid agents. Mol Med 2013; 19:7-17. [PMID: 23348513 DOI: 10.2119/molmed.2012.00318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2012] [Accepted: 01/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well known that genotypic differences can account for the subject-specific responses to opiate administration. In this regard, the basal activity of the endogenous system (either at the receptor or ligand level) can modulate the effects of exogenous agonists as morphine and vice versa. The μ opioid receptor from zebrafish, dre-oprm1, binds endogenous peptides and morphine with similar affinities. Morphine administration during development altered the expression of the endogenous opioid propeptides proenkephalins and proopiomelanocortin. Treatment with opioid peptides (Met-enkephalin [Met-ENK], Met-enkephalin-Gly-Tyr [MEGY] and β-endorphin [β-END]) modulated dre-oprm1 expression during development. Knocking down the dre-oprm1 gene significantly modified the mRNA expression of the penk and pomc genes, thus indicating that oprm1 is involved in shaping penk and pomc expression. In addition, the absence of a functional oprm1 clearly disrupted the embryonic development, since proliferation was disorganized in the central nervous system of oprm1-morphant embryos: mitotic cells were found widespread through the optic tectum and were not restricted to the proliferative areas of the mid- and hindbrain. Transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining revealed that the number of apoptotic cells in the central nervous system (CNS) of morphants was clearly increased at 24-h postfertilization. These findings clarify the role of the endogenous opioid system in CNS development. Our results will also help unravel the complex feedback loops that modulate opioid activity and that may be involved in establishing a coordinated expression of both receptors and endogenous ligands. Further knowledge of the complex interactions between the opioid system and analgesic drugs will provide insights that may be relevant for analgesic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Gonzalez-Nunez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
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19
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Rodríguez RE. Morphine and microRNA Activity: Is There a Relation with Addiction? Front Genet 2012; 3:223. [PMID: 23162566 PMCID: PMC3494017 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2012.00223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2012] [Accepted: 10/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
When we talk about drug addiction, we are really dealing with an extremely complex system in which there still remain many unknowns and where many empty spaces or missing links are still present. Recent studies have identified changes in the expression profiles of several specific miRNAs which affect the interactions between these molecules and their targets in various illnesses, including addiction, and which may serve as valuable targets for more efficient therapies. In this review, we summarize results which clearly demonstrate that several morphine-related miRNAs have roles in the mechanisms that define addiction. In this regard, morphine has been shown to have an important role in the regulation of different miRNAs, such as miR-let-7 [which works as a mediator of the movement of the mu opioid receptor (MOR) mRNA into P-bodies, leading to translational repression], miR-23b (involved in linking MOR expression and morphine treatment at the post-transcriptional level), and miR-190 (a key post-transcriptional repressor of neurogenic differentiation, NeuroD). Fentanyl increases NeuroD levels by reducing the amount of miR-190, but morphine does not affect the levels of NeuroD. We also discuss the relationship between morphine, miRNAs, and the immune system, based on the discovery that morphine treatment of monocytes led to a decrease in several anti-HIV miRNAs (mir-28, 125b, 150, and 382). This review is centered on miR-133b and its possible involvement in addiction through the effects of morphine. We establish the importance of miR-133b as a regulatory factor by summarizing its activity in different pathological processes, especially cancer. Using the zebrafish as a research model, we discuss the relationship between mir-133b, the dopaminergic system, and morphine, considering: (1) that morphine modulates the expression of miR-133b and of its target transcript Pitx3, (2) the role of the zebrafish mu opioid receptor (zfMOR) in morphine-induced regulation of miR-133b, which depends on ERK1/2, (3) that morphine regulates miR-133b in hippocampal neurons, and (4) the role of delta opioid receptors in morphine-induced regulation of miR-133b. We conclude that the control of miR-133b levels may be a mechanism for the development of addiction to morphine, or other drugs of abuse that increase dopaminergic levels in the extracellular space. These results show that miR-133b is a possible new target for the design of new treatments against addictive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel E Rodríguez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Salamanca Salamanca, Spain
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20
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Kreek MJ, Levran O, Reed B, Schlussman SD, Zhou Y, Butelman ER. Opiate addiction and cocaine addiction: underlying molecular neurobiology and genetics. J Clin Invest 2012; 122:3387-93. [PMID: 23023708 DOI: 10.1172/jci60390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Addictive diseases, including addiction to heroin, prescription opioids, or cocaine, pose massive personal and public health costs. Addictions are chronic relapsing diseases of the brain caused by drug-induced direct effects and persisting neuroadaptations at the epigenetic, mRNA, neuropeptide, neurotransmitter, or protein levels. These neuroadaptations, which can be specific to drug type, and their resultant behaviors are modified by various internal and external environmental factors, including stress responsivity, addict mindset, and social setting. Specific gene variants, including variants encoding pharmacological target proteins or genes mediating neuroadaptations, also modify vulnerability at particular stages of addiction. Greater understanding of these interacting factors through laboratory-based and translational studies have the potential to optimize early interventions for the therapy of chronic addictive diseases and to reduce the burden of relapse. Here, we review the molecular neurobiology and genetics of opiate addiction, including heroin and prescription opioids, and cocaine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Jeanne Kreek
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA.
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21
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Double-dissociation of D1 and opioid receptor antagonism effects on the acquisition of sucrose-conditioned flavor preferences in BALB/c and SWR mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2012; 103:26-32. [PMID: 22967990 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2012.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2012] [Revised: 07/03/2012] [Accepted: 07/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Sugar appetite is influenced by unlearned attractions to sweet taste and learned responses to sugars' taste and post-ingestive actions. In rats, sugar-conditioned flavor preferences (CFP) are attenuated by dopamine D1 (SCH23390: SCH), but not by opioid (naltrexone: NTX), receptor antagonism. Sucrose-CFP occurs in BALB/c and SWR inbred mice that differ in their suppressive effects of SCH and NTX on sucrose intake. The present study examined whether SCH and NTX altered expression of previously learned sucrose-CFP and acquisition (learning) of sucrose-CFP in these strains. In Experiment 1, food-restricted mice were trained (10 one-bottle sessions) to drink a more-preferred flavored (e.g., cherry) 16% sucrose solution (CS+/Sucrose) on odd-numbered days, and a less-preferred flavored (e.g., grape) 0.05% saccharin solution (CS-/Saccharin) on even-numbered days. Two-bottle tests with the flavors mixed in 0.2% saccharin occurred 30 min following vehicle (Veh), SCH (50-800 nmol/kg) or NTX (1-5mg/kg) assessing preference expression. CS+ preference expression in BALB/c and SWR mice following Veh were significantly reduced by SCH and NTX. In Experiment 2, separate groups of BALB/c and SWR mice received Veh, SCH (50 nmol/kg) or NTX (1mg/kg) injections 30 min prior to daily one-bottle training sessions with the CS+/Sucrose and CS-/Saccharin solutions assessing preference acquisition. Subsequent two-bottle tests with the CS+ vs. CS- solutions were conducted without injections. CS+/Sucrose training intakes were reduced by SCH in both strains and by NTX in BALB/c mice. In the initial two-bottle test, sucrose-CFP acquisition was significantly reduced in BALB NTX (54%), but not in BALB SCH (77%) groups relative to the BALB Veh group (85%). In contrast, sucrose-CFP acquisition was significantly reduced in SWR SCH (61%), but not in SWR NTX (83%) groups relative to the SWR Veh group (86%). DA D1 and opioid receptor signaling modulate acquisition and/or expression of sucrose-CFP in mice with significant strain differences observed.
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22
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Butelman ER, Yuferov V, Kreek MJ. κ-opioid receptor/dynorphin system: genetic and pharmacotherapeutic implications for addiction. Trends Neurosci 2012; 35:587-96. [PMID: 22709632 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2012.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2011] [Revised: 04/27/2012] [Accepted: 05/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Addictions to cocaine or heroin/prescription opioids [short-acting μ-opioid receptor (MOPr) agonists] involve relapsing cycles, with experimentation/escalating use, withdrawal/abstinence, and relapse/re-escalation. κ-Opioid receptors (KOPr; encoded by OPRK1), and their endogenous agonists, the dynorphins (encoded by PDYN), have counter-modulatory effects on reward caused by cocaine or MOPr agonist exposure, and exhibit plasticity in addictive-like states. KOPr/dynorphin activation is implicated in depression/anxiety, often comorbid with addictions. In this opinion article we propose that particular stages of the addiction cycle are differentially affected by KOPr/dynorphin systems. Vulnerability and resilience can be due to pre-existing (e.g., genetic) factors, or epigenetic modifications of the OPRK1 or PDYN genes during the addiction cycle. Pharmacotherapeutic approaches limiting changes in KOPr/dynorphin tone, especially with KOPr partial agonists, may hold potential for the treatment of specific drug addictions and psychiatric comorbidity.
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MESH Headings
- Adaptation, Biological/genetics
- Adaptation, Biological/physiology
- Animals
- Behavior, Addictive/drug therapy
- Behavior, Addictive/genetics
- Behavior, Addictive/physiopathology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Drug Discovery/methods
- Dynorphins/physiology
- Enkephalins/genetics
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics
- Humans
- Illicit Drugs/pharmacology
- Narcotic Antagonists/pharmacology
- Narcotic Antagonists/therapeutic use
- Polymorphism, Genetic
- Protein Precursors/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/agonists
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/physiology
- Recurrence
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo R Butelman
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
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23
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Hussain ZM, Fitting S, Watanabe H, Usynin I, Yakovleva T, Knapp PE, Scheff SW, Hauser KF, Bakalkin G. Lateralized response of dynorphin a peptide levels after traumatic brain injury. J Neurotrauma 2012; 29:1785-93. [PMID: 22468884 PMCID: PMC3360894 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2011.2286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces a cascade of primary and secondary events resulting in impairment of neuronal networks that eventually determines clinical outcome. The dynorphins, endogenous opioid peptides, have been implicated in secondary injury and neurodegeneration in rodent and human brain. To gain insight into the role of dynorphins in the brain's response to trauma, we analyzed short-term (1-day) and long-term (7-day) changes in dynorphin A (Dyn A) levels in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum, induced by unilateral left-side or right-side cortical TBI in mice. The effects of TBI were significantly different from those of sham surgery (Sham), while the sham surgery also produced noticeable effects. Both sham and TBI induced short-term changes and long-term changes in all three regions. Two types of responses were generally observed. In the hippocampus, Dyn A levels were predominantly altered ipsilateral to the injury. In the striatum and frontal cortex, injury to the right (R) hemisphere affected Dyn A levels to a greater extent than that seen in the left (L) hemisphere. The R-TBI but not L-TBI produced Dyn A changes in the striatum and frontal cortex at 7 days after injury. Effects of the R-side injury were similar in the two hemispheres. In naive animals, Dyn A was symmetrically distributed between the two hemispheres. Thus, trauma may reveal a lateralization in the mechanism mediating the response of Dyn A-expressing neuronal networks in the brain. These networks may differentially mediate effects of left and right brain injury on lateralized brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zubair Muhammad Hussain
- The Division of Biological Research on Drug Dependence, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sylvia Fitting
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Hiroyuki Watanabe
- The Division of Biological Research on Drug Dependence, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ivan Usynin
- Institute of Biochemistry, Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Tatjana Yakovleva
- The Division of Biological Research on Drug Dependence, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pamela E. Knapp
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
- Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Stephen W. Scheff
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Kurt F. Hauser
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
- Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Georgy Bakalkin
- The Division of Biological Research on Drug Dependence, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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24
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Walker BM, Valdez GR, McLaughlin JP, Bakalkin G. Targeting dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor systems to treat alcohol abuse and dependence. Alcohol 2012; 46:359-70. [PMID: 22459870 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2011.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2011] [Revised: 10/26/2011] [Accepted: 10/28/2011] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
This review represents the focus of a symposium that was presented at the "Alcoholism and Stress: A Framework for Future Treatment Strategies" conference in Volterra, Italy on May 3-6, 2011 and organized/chaired by Dr. Brendan M. Walker. The primary goal of the symposium was to evaluate and disseminate contemporary findings regarding the emerging role of kappa-opioid receptors (KORs) and their endogenous ligands dynorphins (DYNs) in the regulation of escalated alcohol consumption, negative affect and cognitive dysfunction associated with alcohol dependence, as well as DYN/KOR mediation of the effects of chronic stress on alcohol reward and seeking behaviors. Dr. Glenn Valdez described a role for KORs in the anxiogenic effects of alcohol withdrawal. Dr. Jay McLaughlin focused on the role of KORs in repeated stress-induced potentiation of alcohol reward and increased alcohol consumption. Dr. Brendan Walker presented data characterizing the effects of KOR antagonism within the extended amygdala on withdrawal-induced escalation of alcohol self-administration in dependent animals. Dr. Georgy Bakalkin concluded with data indicative of altered DYNs and KORs in the prefrontal cortex of alcohol dependent humans that could underlie diminished cognitive performance. Collectively, the data presented within this symposium identified the multifaceted contribution of KORs to the characteristics of acute and chronic alcohol-induced behavioral dysregulation and provided a foundation for the development of pharmacotherapeutic strategies to treat certain aspects of alcohol use disorders.
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25
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The genetics of the opioid system and specific drug addictions. Hum Genet 2012; 131:823-42. [PMID: 22547174 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-012-1172-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2011] [Accepted: 04/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Addiction to drugs is a chronic, relapsing brain disease that has major medical, social, and economic complications. It has been established that genetic factors contribute to the vulnerability to develop drug addiction and to the effectiveness of its treatment. Identification of these factors may increase our understanding of the disorders, help in the development of new treatments and advance personalized medicine. In this review, we will describe the genetics of the major genes of the opioid system (opioid receptors and their endogenous ligands) in connection to addiction to opioids, cocaine, alcohol and methamphetamines. Particular emphasis is given to association and functional studies of specific variants. We will provide information on the sample populations and the size of each study, as well as a list of the variants implicated in association with addiction-related phenotypes, and with the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy for addiction.
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26
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Tejeda HA, Shippenberg TS, Henriksson R. The dynorphin/κ-opioid receptor system and its role in psychiatric disorders. Cell Mol Life Sci 2012; 69:857-96. [PMID: 22002579 PMCID: PMC11114766 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-011-0844-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2011] [Revised: 09/16/2011] [Accepted: 09/19/2011] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
The dynorphin/κ-opioid receptor system has been implicated in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of several psychiatric disorders. In the present review, we present evidence indicating a key role for this system in modulating neurotransmission in brain circuits that subserve mood, motivation, and cognitive function. We overview the pharmacology, signaling, post-translational, post-transcriptional, transcriptional, epigenetic and cis regulation of the dynorphin/κ-opioid receptor system, and critically review functional neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and pharmacological evidence, suggesting that alterations in this system may contribute to affective disorders, drug addiction, and schizophrenia. We also overview the dynorphin/κ-opioid receptor system in the genetics of psychiatric disorders and discuss implications of the reviewed material for therapeutics development.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. A. Tejeda
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, NIDA-IRP, NIH, 333 Cassell Dr., Baltimore, MD 21224 USA
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, 20 Penn St., Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - T. S. Shippenberg
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, NIDA-IRP, NIH, 333 Cassell Dr., Baltimore, MD 21224 USA
| | - R. Henriksson
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, NIDA-IRP, NIH, 333 Cassell Dr., Baltimore, MD 21224 USA
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, CMM, L8:04, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
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27
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Measuring the incentive value of escalating doses of heroin in heroin-dependent Fischer rats during acute spontaneous withdrawal. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2012; 219:59-72. [PMID: 21748254 PMCID: PMC3249530 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2380-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2010] [Accepted: 06/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE/OBJECTIVES Although continued heroin use and relapse are thought to be motivated, in part, by the positive incentive-motivational value attributed to heroin, little is understood about heroin's incentive value during the relapse-prone state of withdrawal. This study uses place preference to measure the incentive value attributed to escalating-dose heroin in the context of heroin dependence. METHODS Male Fischer rats were exposed chronically to escalating doses of heroin in the homecage and during place preference conditioning sessions. Conditioned preference for the context paired with escalating-dose heroin was tested after homecage exposure was discontinued and rats entered acute spontaneous withdrawal. Individuals' behavioral and locomotor responses to heroin and somatic withdrawal signs were recorded. RESULTS Conditioned preference for the heroin-paired context was strong in rats that received chronic homecage exposure to escalating-dose heroin and were tested in acute withdrawal. Behavioral responses to heroin (e.g., stereotypy) varied widely across individuals, with rats that expressed stronger heroin preference also expressing stronger behavioral activation in response to heroin. Individual differences in preference were also related to locomotor responses to heroin but not to overt somatic withdrawal signs. CONCLUSIONS Escalating doses of heroin evoked place preference in rats, suggesting that positive incentive-motivational value is attributed to this clinically relevant pattern of drug exposure. This study offers an improved preclinical model for studying dependence and withdrawal and provides insight into individual vulnerabilities to addiction-like behavior.
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28
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Abstract
This paper is the thirty-third consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2010 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (Section 2), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (Section 3); stress and social status (Section 4); tolerance and dependence (Section 5); learning and memory (Section 6); eating and drinking (Section 7); alcohol and drugs of abuse (Section 8); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (Section 9); mental illness and mood (Section 10); seizures and neurologic disorders (Section 11); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (Section 12); general activity and locomotion (Section 13); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (Section 14); cardiovascular responses (Section 15); respiration (Section 16); and immunological responses (Section 17).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, USA.
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29
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Schlussman SD, Cassin J, Zhang Y, Levran O, Ho A, Kreek MJ. Regional mRNA expression of the endogenous opioid and dopaminergic systems in brains of C57BL/6J and 129P3/J mice: strain and heroin effects. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2011; 100:8-16. [PMID: 21807019 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2011.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2011] [Revised: 07/08/2011] [Accepted: 07/17/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We have previously shown strain and dose differences in heroin-induced behavior, reward and regional expression of somatostatin receptor mRNAs in C57BL/6J and 129P3/J mice. Using Real Time PCR we examined the effects of five doses of heroin on the levels of the transcripts of endogenous opioid peptides and their receptors and dopaminergic receptors in the mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways in these same mice. Compared to C57BL/6J animals, 129P3/J mice had higher mRNA levels of Oprk1 in the nucleus accumbens and of Oprd1 in the nucleus accumbens and a region containing both the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA). In the cortex of 129P3/J mice, lower levels of both Oprk1 and Oprd1 mRNAs were observed. Pdyn mRNA was also lower in the caudate putamen of 129P3/J mice. Strain differences were not found in the levels of Oprm1, Penk or Pomc mRNAs in any region examined. Within strains, complex patterns of heroin dose-dependent changes in the levels of Oprm1, Oprk1 and Oprd1 mRNAs were observed in the SN/VTA. Additionally, Oprd1 mRNA was dose-dependently elevated in the hypothalamus. Also in the hypothalamus, we found higher levels of Drd1a mRNA in C57BL/6J mice than in 129P3/J animals and higher levels of DAT (Slc6a3) mRNA in the caudate putamen of C57BL/6J animals than in 129P3/J counterparts. Heroin had dose-related effects on Drd1a mRNA in the hypothalamus and on Drd2 mRNA in the caudate putamen.
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Affiliation(s)
- S D Schlussman
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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Sanchez-Simon FM, Zhang XX, Loh HH, Law PY, Rodriguez RE. Morphine regulates dopaminergic neuron differentiation via miR-133b. Mol Pharmacol 2010; 78:935-42. [PMID: 20716624 DOI: 10.1124/mol.110.066837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphine is one of the analgesics used most to treat chronic pain, although its long-term administration produces tolerance and dependence through neuronal plasticity. The ability of morphine to regulate neuron differentiation in vivo has been reported. However, the detailed mechanisms have not yet been elucidated because of the inability to separate maternal influences from embryonic events. Using zebrafish embryos as the model, we demonstrate that morphine decreases miR-133b expression, hence increasing the expression of its target, Pitx3, a transcription factor that activates tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter. Using a specific morpholino to knock down the zebrafish μ-opioid receptor (zfMOR) in the embryos and selective mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors, we demonstrate that the morphine-induced miR-133b decrease in zebrafish embryos is mediated by zfMOR activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. A parallel morphine-induced down-regulation of miR-133b was observed in the immature but not in mature rat hippocampal neurons. Our results indicate for the first time that zebrafish embryos express a functional μ-opioid receptor and that zebrafish serves as an excellent model to investigate the roles of microRNA in neuronal development affected by long-term morphine exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Macho Sanchez-Simon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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