Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
17
pubmed:dateCreated
2002-8-27
pubmed:abstractText
Tolerance to the analgesic effect of an opioid is a pharmacological phenomenon that occurs after its prolonged administration. Activation of the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) has been implicated in the cellular mechanisms of opioid tolerance. However, activation of NMDARs can lead to neurotoxicity under many circumstances. Here we demonstrate that spinal neuronal apoptosis was induced in rats made tolerant to morphine administered through intrathecal boluses or continuous infusion. The apoptotic cells were predominantly located in the superficial spinal cord dorsal horn, and most apoptotic cells also expressed glutamic acid decarboxylase, a key enzyme for the synthesis of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. Consistently, increased nociceptive sensitivity to heat stimulation was observed in these same rats. Mechanistically, the spinal glutamatergic activity modulated morphine-induced neuronal apoptosis, because pharmacological perturbation of the spinal glutamate transporter activity or coadministration of morphine with the NMDAR antagonist (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo [a,d] cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate affected both morphine tolerance and neuronal apoptosis. At the intracellular level, prolonged morphine administration resulted in an upregulation of the proapoptotic caspase-3 and Bax proteins but a downregulation of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein in the spinal cord dorsal horn. Furthermore, coadministration with morphine of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone (a pan-caspase inhibitor) or acetyl-aspartyl-glutamyl-valyl-aspart-1-aldehyde (a relatively selective caspase-3 inhibitor) blocked morphine-induced neuronal apoptosis. Blockade of the spinal caspase-like activity also partially prevented morphine tolerance and the associated increase in nociceptive sensitivity. These results indicate an opioid-induced neurotoxic consequence regulated by the NMDAR-caspase pathway, a mechanism that may have clinical implications in opioid therapy and substance abuse.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Amino Acid Transport System X-AG, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Analgesics, Opioid, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Bax protein, rat, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Casp3 protein, rat, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Caspase 3, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Caspases, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Glutamate Decarboxylase, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Isoenzymes, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Morphine, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Proto-Oncogene Proteins, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/bcl-2-Associated X Protein, http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/chemical/glutamate decarboxylase 1
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Sep
pubmed:issn
1529-2401
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:day
1
pubmed:volume
22
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
7650-61
pubmed:dateRevised
2008-11-21
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Amino Acid Transport System X-AG, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Analgesics, Opioid, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Animals, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Apoptosis, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Behavior, Animal, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Caspase 3, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Caspases, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Cell Count, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Drug Tolerance, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Glutamate Decarboxylase, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Hot Temperature, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-In Situ Nick-End Labeling, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Infusion Pumps, Implantable, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Injections, Spinal, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Isoenzymes, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Male, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Morphine, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Neurons, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Pain Measurement, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Proto-Oncogene Proteins, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Rats, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Rats, Sprague-Dawley, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-Spinal Cord, pubmed-meshheading:12196588-bcl-2-Associated X Protein
pubmed:year
2002
pubmed:articleTitle
Neuronal apoptosis associated with morphine tolerance: evidence for an opioid-induced neurotoxic mechanism.
pubmed:affiliation
Massachusetts General Hospital Pain Center, Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. jmao@partners.org
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.