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Barbosa J, Faria J, Garcez F, Leal S, Afonso LP, Nascimento AV, Moreira R, Pereira FC, Queirós O, Carvalho F, Dinis-Oliveira RJ. Repeated Administration of Clinically Relevant Doses of the Prescription Opioids Tramadol and Tapentadol Causes Lung, Cardiac, and Brain Toxicity in Wistar Rats. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14020097. [PMID: 33513867 PMCID: PMC7912343 DOI: 10.3390/ph14020097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tramadol and tapentadol, two structurally related synthetic opioid analgesics, are widely prescribed due to the enhanced therapeutic profiles resulting from the synergistic combination between μ-opioid receptor (MOR) activation and monoamine reuptake inhibition. However, the number of adverse reactions has been growing along with their increasing use and misuse. The potential toxicological mechanisms for these drugs are not completely understood, especially for tapentadol, owing to its shorter market history. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to comparatively assess the putative lung, cardiac, and brain cortex toxicological damage elicited by the repeated exposure to therapeutic doses of both prescription opioids. To this purpose, male Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with single daily doses of 10, 25, and 50 mg/kg tramadol or tapentadol, corresponding to a standard analgesic dose, an intermediate dose, and the maximum recommended daily dose, respectively, for 14 consecutive days. Such treatment was found to lead mainly to lipid peroxidation and inflammation in lung and brain cortex tissues, as shown through augmented thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), as well as to increased serum inflammation biomarkers, such as C reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Cardiomyocyte integrity was also shown to be affected, since both opioids incremented serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (α-HBDH) activities, while tapentadol was associated with increased serum creatine kinase muscle brain (CK-MB) isoform activity. In turn, the analysis of metabolic parameters in brain cortex tissue revealed increased lactate concentration upon exposure to both drugs, as well as augmented LDH and creatine kinase (CK) activities following tapentadol treatment. In addition, pneumo- and cardiotoxicity biomarkers were quantified at the gene level, while neurotoxicity biomarkers were quantified both at the gene and protein levels; changes in their expression correlate with the oxidative stress, inflammatory, metabolic, and histopathological changes that were detected. Hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining revealed several histopathological alterations, including alveolar collapse and destruction in lung sections, inflammatory infiltrates, altered cardiomyocytes and loss of striation in heart sections, degenerated neurons, and accumulation of glial and microglial cells in brain cortex sections. In turn, Masson's trichrome staining confirmed fibrous tissue deposition in cardiac tissue. Taken as a whole, these results show that the repeated administration of both prescription opioids extends the dose range for which toxicological injury is observed to lower therapeutic doses. They also reinforce previous assumptions that tramadol and tapentadol are not devoid of toxicological risk even at clinical doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Barbosa
- IINFACTS—Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (J.F.); (F.G.); (S.L.); (A.V.N.); (R.M.); (O.Q.)
- UCIBIO, REQUIMTE—Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal;
- Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: (J.B.); (R.J.D.-O.); Tel.: +351-224-157-216 (J.B.); +351-224-157-216 (R.J.D.-O.)
| | - Juliana Faria
- IINFACTS—Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (J.F.); (F.G.); (S.L.); (A.V.N.); (R.M.); (O.Q.)
- UCIBIO, REQUIMTE—Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Fernanda Garcez
- IINFACTS—Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (J.F.); (F.G.); (S.L.); (A.V.N.); (R.M.); (O.Q.)
| | - Sandra Leal
- IINFACTS—Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (J.F.); (F.G.); (S.L.); (A.V.N.); (R.M.); (O.Q.)
- Department of Biomedicine, Unit of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS—Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís Pedro Afonso
- Department of Pathology, Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Ana Vanessa Nascimento
- IINFACTS—Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (J.F.); (F.G.); (S.L.); (A.V.N.); (R.M.); (O.Q.)
| | - Roxana Moreira
- IINFACTS—Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (J.F.); (F.G.); (S.L.); (A.V.N.); (R.M.); (O.Q.)
| | - Frederico C. Pereira
- Institute of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics/iCBR, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-354 Coimbra, Portugal;
| | - Odília Queirós
- IINFACTS—Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (J.F.); (F.G.); (S.L.); (A.V.N.); (R.M.); (O.Q.)
| | - Félix Carvalho
- UCIBIO, REQUIMTE—Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira
- IINFACTS—Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sciences, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (J.F.); (F.G.); (S.L.); (A.V.N.); (R.M.); (O.Q.)
- UCIBIO, REQUIMTE—Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal;
- Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: (J.B.); (R.J.D.-O.); Tel.: +351-224-157-216 (J.B.); +351-224-157-216 (R.J.D.-O.)
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Xia H, Chen Y, Wu KJ, Zhao H, Xiong CL, Huang DH. Role of C-type natriuretic peptide in the function of normal human sperm. Asian J Androl 2016; 18:80-4. [PMID: 25926602 PMCID: PMC4736361 DOI: 10.4103/1008-682x.150254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is a newly discovered type of local regulatory factor that mediates its biological effects through the specific, membrane-bound natriuretic peptide receptor-B (NPR-B). Recent studies have established that CNP is closely related to male reproductive function. The aims of this study were to determine the distribution of CNP/NPR-B in human ejaculated spermatozoa through different methods (such as immunolocalization, real time polymerase chain reaction and Western Blot), and then to evaluate the influence of CNP on sperm function i n vitro, such as motility and acrosome reaction. Human semen samples were collected from consenting donors who met the criteria of the World Health Organization for normozoospermia. Our results show that the specific receptor NPR-B of CNP is localized in the acrosomal region of the head and the membrane of the front-end tail of the sperm, and there is no signal of CNP in human sperm. Compared with the control, CNP can induce a significant dose-dependent increase in spermatozoa motility and acrosome reaction. In summary, CNP/NPR-B can affect sperm motility and acrosome reaction, thus regulating the reproductive function of males. CNP may be a new key factor in regulating sperm function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Dong-Hui Huang
- Family Planning Research Institute, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
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Qin Y, Han Y, Xiong CL, Li HG, Hu L, Zhang L. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator: a new target for male contraception? Asian J Androl 2015; 17:269-73. [PMID: 25578931 PMCID: PMC4650482 DOI: 10.4103/1008-682x.143316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is closely related to male reproduction. With the aim of investigating the possibility for uPA as a potential contraceptive target, in the present work, Kunming male mice were immunized by human uPA subcutaneous injection at three separate doses for 3 times. Then the potency of the anti-human uPA antibody in serum was analyzed, and mouse fertility was evaluated. Serum antibody titers for human uPA in immunized groups all reached 1:10,240 or higher levels by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and mating experiments revealed that pregnancy rates and the mean number of embryos implanted after mating declined obviously (P < 0.05) when compared with control groups. However, the mating capacity and reproductive organ weights had no obvious change, and histological analysis of the testes and epididymides also showed normal morphology for immunized male mice. Sperm function tests suggested that the sperm concentration, sperm viability, sperm motility, and in vitro fertilization rate for the cauda epididymis sperm in uPA-immunized groups were lower than those in the controls (P < 0.05). Together, these observations indicated that subcutaneous injection human uPA to the male mice could effectively reduce their fertility, and uPA could become a new target for immunocontraception in male contraceptive development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ling Zhang
- Family Planning Research Institute, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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The role of C-type natriuretic peptide in rat testes during spermatogenesis. Asian J Androl 2010; 13:275-80. [PMID: 21170077 DOI: 10.1038/aja.2010.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is a 22-amino acid peptide and act as a local paracrine or autocrine regulator. There is growing evidence that CNP is involved in male reproductive processes. To investigate the role of CNP during spermatogenesis, we measured the mRNA expression of CNP and its specific membrane-bound natriuretic peptide receptor-B (NPR-B) using real-time RT-PCR in the testes of normal rats on different postnatal days. After that spermatogenesis dysfunction model induced by ornidazole was established with the aim to study the correlation of CNP with spermatogenic dysfunction. Then, Sertoli cells from 18- to 22-day-old healthy male rats were cultured in the presence of different CNP concentrations (1×10(-6), 1×10(-7) and 1×10(-8) mol l(-1)), and the mRNA expression levels of androgen-binding protein, inhibin B and transferrin were examined at 0 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h. During the postnatal development of rat testes, the highest mRNA expression levels of CNP and NPR-B were found at postnatal D(0), and the levels then declined gradually, with a second CNP peak at postnatal D(35). In the ornidazole-induced infertile rat testes, CNP gene expression was lower than in the uninduced rats (P<0.05), while NPR-B gene expression was greater (P<0.05). In cultured Sertoli cells, supplementation with CNP stimulated the gene expression of androgen-binding protein/inhibin B/transferrin, particularly at 12 h, and 1×10(-7) mol l(-1) CNP had the highest upregulation effect. The gene expression levels of CNP/NPR-B in rat testes at different postnatal stages and in infertile rat testes indicated that CNP may participate in the physiology and/or pathology related to spermatogenesis. Moreover, CNP regulated endocrine function in Sertoli cells. Taken together, these results showed that CNP is closely tied to spermatogenesis.
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