title: Glial activation and midkine and pleiotrophin transcription in the ventral tegmental area are modulated by morphine administration.
abstract: Opiates cause persistent restructuring in the mesolimbic reward system. Although a possible role for midkine and pleiotrophin cytokines in the field of synaptic plasticity has been proposed, it has not been assessed whether morphine administration regulates astrogliosis and midkine and pleiotrophin transcription. We observed that single morphine injection and chronic morphine increased glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Interestingly, single morphine injection and chronic morphine increased VTA midkine and pleiotrophin mRNA expression. Given these results, we hypothesize a role for these cytokines in mediating, at least in part, acute neuroprotective effects and chronic neurotrophic adaptations that contribute to drug dependence.
authors.affiliation: Group of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Medical Faculty of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain. Electronic address: daniel.garcia9@um.es.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: García-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Group of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Medical Faculty of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luisa Laorden
authors.affiliation: Group of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Medical Faculty of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Núñez
authors.affiliation: Group of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Medical Faculty of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Victoria Milanés
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D000078792:Midkine; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009021:Morphine Dependence / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000276:immunology; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C066845:pleiotrophin; D000078792:Midkine; D009020:Morphine
keywords: Glial fibrillary acidic protein; Midkine; Opiate dependence; Pleiotrophin; Reward pathway