Over-Expressed Bcl-2 Cannot Suppress Apoptosis via the Mitochondria in Buprenorphine Hydrochloride-Treated NG108-15 Cells

Effects of opioids on proximal renal tubular cells undergoing ATP depletion

This study investigated the effect of morphine, fentanyl, butorphanol and buprenorphine on viability and caspase-3 activity in renal proximal tubular cells exposed to opioids for 2 h before or 12 h after chemical anoxia. Cell viability decreased regardless the treatment although intracellular ATP content was elevated in morphine and fentanyl pre-treated cells at 12 h. Anoxia increased caspase activity but this effect was significantly reduced in cells treated before or after with morphine, fentanyl and in cell treated with butorphanol for 12 h. No influence of buprenorphine was detected. Morphine, fentanyl and butorphanol might have protective effects during kidney ischemia.

Molecular, anatomical, physiological, and behavioral studies of rats treated with buprenorphine after spinal cord injury

Acute pain is a common symptom experienced after spinal cord injury (SCI). The presence of this pain calls for treatment with analgesics, such as buprenorphine. However, there are concerns that the drug may exert other effects besides alleviation of pain. Among those reported are in vitro changes in gene expression, apoptosis, and necrosis. In this investigation, the effect of buprenorphine was assessed at the molecular, behavioral, electrophysiological, and histological levels after SCI. Rats were injured at the T10 thoracic level using the NYU impactor device. Half of the animals received buprenorphine (0.05 mg/kg) for 3 consecutive days immediately after SCI, and the other half were untreated. Microarray analysis (n = 5) was performed and analyzed using the Array Assist software. The genes under study were grouped in four categories according to function: regeneration, apoptosis, second messengers, and nociceptive related genes. Microarray analysis demonstrated no significant difference in gene expression between rats treated with buprenorphine and the control group at 2 and 4 days post-injury (DPI). Experiments performed to determine the effect of buprenorphine at the electrophysiological (tcMMEP), behavioral (BBB, grid walking and beam crossing), and histological (luxol staining) levels revealed no significant difference at 7 and 14 DPI in the return of nerve conduction, functional recovery, or white matter sparing between control and experimental groups (p > 0.05, n = 6). These results show that buprenorphine (0.05 mg/kg) can be used as part of the postoperative care to reduce pain after SCI without affecting behavioral, physiological, or anatomical parameters.

Expression of the Polyubiquitin Gene Early in the Buprenorphine Hydrochloride-induced Apoptosis of NG108-15 Cells

To clone genes expressed early in the buprenorphine hydrochloride (Bph)-induced apoptosis of NG108-15 nerve cells, we adopted a previously reported rapid and simple differential display (DD) cloning procedure. Complementary DNA was generated from differentially expressed mRNAs by reverse transcription (RT) using a fully degenerate 6-mer oligonucleotide as the primer. PCR amplification was then conducted using a combination of three arbitrary but defined 10-bp nucleotide primers. The differentially generated DNA fragments were detected by agarose gel electrophoresis, and 9 were excised from the gel and subcloned into a sequencing vector. Three DNAs that were specifically expressed upon Bph-induced apoptosis of NG108-15 cells were sequenced. Their specific expression was then confirmed by reverse-transcription PCR. One was identified as the mouse polyubiquitin gene c, and the others remain unidentified. Northern and western blots indicated the transcription and translation of polyubiquitin early in Bph-induced apoptosis. The polyubiquitination of apoptotic cellular proteins was also confirmed.