Heroin affects purine nucleotides metabolism in rat brain.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effects of heroin on purine nucleotides metabolism in rat brain.


METHODS
Biochemical changes in association with heroin administration were compared between heroin-administered rats and non-heroin rats. HPLC method was used to detect the absolute content of purine nucleotides in brain tissues. Concentrations of uric acid (UA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cre) in plasma were measured. Enzymatic activities of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and xanthine oxidase (XO) in brain tissue were analyzed. Real-time PCR was used to determine the relative level of transcripts of ADA, XO, adenine phosphoribosyl transferase (APRT), hypoxanthine-guaninephosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) and adenosine kinase (AK) in brain tissue.


RESULTS
Compared with those in the saline group, the content of AMP and GTP of heroin group decreased significantly; the UA concentration in plasma, ADA and XO activities and the mRNA level of ADA and XO in brain tissues in heroin group increased significantly; the mRNA level of AK, APRT and HGPRT in brain tissues in heroin group decreased significantly (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Heroin administration may enhance the catabolism and inhibit the anabolism of purine nucleotides in brain. There may be a deficiency of purine nucleotides, especially GTP and AMP in rat brain exposed to heroin. Our findings may provide a new potential approach to study the mechanism of heroin addiction.
School of Nursing, Jilin University, 965 Xinjiang Street, Changchun, Jilin Province, China.
Kun
K
Li
Hai-tao
HT
He
Hong-mei
HM
Li
Jian-kai
JK
Liu
Hai-ying
HY
Fu
Min
M
Hong
D000228:Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000248:Adenosine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003932:Heroin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011685:Purine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011687:Purines / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism
D011685:Purine Nucleotides; D011687:Purines; D014527:Uric Acid; D003932:Heroin; D003404:Creatinine; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase; D000228:Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase; D000248:Adenosine Kinase; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase