title: A neuroactive steroid, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, prevents the development of morphine dependence and tolerance via c-fos expression linked to the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase.
abstract: In the present study, we investigated how the neurosteroid, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) affects the development of morphine dependence and tolerance in mice. Mice administered morphine (10 mg/kg) twice a day for 5 days developed tolerance to the analgesic effect and dependence as shown by a severe withdrawal syndrome induced by naloxone. Co-administration of DHEAS (10 mg/kg) with morphine significantly inhibited the development, but not the expression, of tolerance to morphine-induced analgesia and the naloxone-precipitated withdrawal. The expression of c-fos mRNA was observed in the frontal cortex and thalamus of mice showing signs of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal, while the expression of c-fos mRNA was significantly diminished by co-administration of DHEAS with morphine. On the naloxone-precipitated withdrawal, mice showed a significant elevation of cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels in the thalamus, whereas chronic administration of DHEAS with morphine did not affect the increase in cAMP. Interestingly, repeated co-administration of DHEAS with morphine prevented the withdrawal-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) 2 in the frontal cortex. These results showed that DHEAS prevented the development of morphine tolerance and dependence and suggested that the attenuating effects of DHEAS might result from the regulation of c-fos mRNA expression, which is possibly involved the signaling activation of ERK, but not of cAMP pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65, Tsuruma-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8560, Japan.
authors.forename: Xiuhai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mamiya
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Toshitaka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nabeshima
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009020:Morphine / Q000009:adverse effects; D009021:Morphine Dependence / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D013788:Thalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009270:Naloxone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D009020:Morphine; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases