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Du K, Shi Q, Zhou X, Zhang L, Su H, Zhang C, Wei Z, Liu T, Wang L, Wang X, Cong B, Yun K. Melatonin attenuates fentanyl - induced behavioral sensitization and circadian rhythm disorders in mice. Physiol Behav 2024; 279:114523. [PMID: 38492912 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Melatonin is a neurohormone synthesized by the pineal gland to regulate the circadian rhythms and has proven to be effective in treating drug addiction and dependence. However, the effects of melatonin to modulate the drug-seeking behavior of fentanyl and its underlying molecular mechanism is elusive. This study was designed to investigate the effects of melatonin on fentanyl - induced behavioral sensitization and circadian rhythm disorders in mice. The accompanying changes in the expression of Brain and Muscle Arnt-Like (BMAL1), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) in relevant brain regions including the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), nucleus accumbens (NAc), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and hippocampus (Hip) were investigated by western blot assays to dissect the mechanism by which melatonin modulates fentanyl - induced behavioral sensitization and circadian rhythm disorders. The present study suggest that fentanyl (0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg) could induce behavioral sensitization and melatonin (30.0 mg/kg) could attenuate the behavioral sensitization and circadian rhythm disorders in mice. Fentanyl treatment reduced the expression of BMAL1 and MAO-A and increased that of TH in relevant brain regions. Furthermore, melatonin treatment could reverse the expression levels of BMAL1, MAO-A, and TH. In conclusion, our study demonstrate for the first time that melatonin has therapeutic potential for fentanyl addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaili Du
- Department of Pathology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; School of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Qianwen Shi
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi, 030600, China
| | - Xiuya Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; School of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Lifei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; School of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Hongliang Su
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi, 030600, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi, 030600, China
| | - Zhiwen Wei
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi, 030600, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Department of Pathology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; School of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Pathology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; School of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Department of Pathology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; School of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Bin Cong
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi, 030600, China; School of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China
| | - Keming Yun
- School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi, 030600, China.
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Aruldas R, Orenstein LB, Spencer S. Metformin Prevents Cocaine Sensitization: Involvement of Adenosine Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase Trafficking between Subcellular Compartments in the Corticostriatal Reward Circuit. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16859. [PMID: 38069180 PMCID: PMC10706784 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Repeated cocaine exposure produces an enhanced locomotor response (sensitization) paralleled by biological adaptations in the brain. Previous studies demonstrated region-specific responsivity of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) to repeated cocaine exposure. AMPK maintains cellular energy homeostasis at the organismal and cellular levels. Here, our objective was to quantify changes in phosphorylated (active) and total AMPK in the cytosol and synaptosome of the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and dorsal striatum following acute or sensitizing cocaine injections. Brain region and cellular compartment selective changes in AMPK and pAMPK were found with some differences associated with acute withdrawal versus ongoing cocaine treatment. Our additional goal was to determine the behavioral and molecular effects of pretreatment with the indirect AMPK activator metformin. Metformin potentiated the locomotor activating effects of acute cocaine but blocked the development of sensitization. Sex differences largely obscured any protein-level treatment group effects, although pAMPK in the NAc shell cytosol was surprisingly reduced by metformin in rats receiving repeated cocaine. The rationale for these studies was to inform our understanding of AMPK activation dynamics in subcellular compartments and provide additional support for repurposing metformin for treating cocaine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Aruldas
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
| | | | - Sade Spencer
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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