Wang_2016_Br.J.Pharmacol_173_1143

Reference

Title : The endocannabinoid system regulates synaptic transmission in nucleus accumbens by increasing DAGL-alpha expression following short-term morphine withdrawal - Wang_2016_Br.J.Pharmacol_173_1143
Author(s) : Wang XQ , Ma J , Cui W , Yuan WX , Zhu G , Yang Q , Heng LJ , Gao GD
Ref : British Journal of Pharmacology , 173 :1143 , 2016
Abstract :

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is involved in pathways that regulate drug addiction and eCB-mediated synaptic plasticity has been linked with addictive behaviours. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the changes in eCB-dependent synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens core (NAcc) following short-term withdrawal from repeated morphine treatment. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Conditioned place preference (CPP) was used to evaluate the rewarding effects of morphine in rats. Evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents of medium spiny neurons in NAcc were measured using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. Changes in depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI) in the NAcc were assessed to determine the effect of short-term morphine withdrawal on the eCB system. To identify the potential modulation mechanism of short-term morphine withdrawal on the eCB system, the expression of diacylglycerol lipase alpha (DGL-alpha) and monoacylglycerol lipase was detected by Western blot analysis. KEY
RESULTS: Repeated morphine administration for 7 days induced stable CPP. Compared with the saline group, the level of DSI in the NAcc was significantly increased in rats after short-term morphine withdrawal. Furthermore, this increase in DSI coincided with a significant increase in the expression of DGL-alpha. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Short-term morphine withdrawal potentiates eCB modulation of inhibitory synaptic transmission in the NAcc. We also found that DGL-alpha expression was elevated after short-term morphine withdrawal, suggesting that the eCB 2-arachidonyl-glycerol but not anandamide mediates the increase in DSI. These findings provide useful insights into the mechanisms underlying eCB-mediated plasticity in the NAcc during drug addiction. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on Endocannabinoids. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v173.7/issuetoc.

PubMedSearch : Wang_2016_Br.J.Pharmacol_173_1143
PubMedID: 25296881

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Citations formats

Wang XQ, Ma J, Cui W, Yuan WX, Zhu G, Yang Q, Heng LJ, Gao GD (2016)
The endocannabinoid system regulates synaptic transmission in nucleus accumbens by increasing DAGL-alpha expression following short-term morphine withdrawal
British Journal of Pharmacology 173 :1143

Wang XQ, Ma J, Cui W, Yuan WX, Zhu G, Yang Q, Heng LJ, Gao GD (2016)
British Journal of Pharmacology 173 :1143