title: Endogenous opioids as substrates for ethanol intake in the neonatal rat: The impact of prenatal ethanol exposure on the opioid family in the early postnatal period.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite considerable knowledge that prenatal ethanol exposure can lead to devastating effects on the developing fetus, alcohol consumption by pregnant women remains strikingly prevalent. Both clinical and basic research has suggested that, in addition to possible physical, behavioral, and cognitive deficits, gestational exposure to alcohol may lead to an increased risk for the development of later alcohol-related use and abuse disorders. The current work sought to characterize alterations in endogenous opioid signaling peptides and gene expression produced by ethanol exposure during the last days of gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental subjects were 4-, 8-, and 12-day old infant rats obtained from pregnant females that were given daily intubations of 0, 1, or 2g/kg ethanol during the last few days of gestation (GDs 17-20). Using real-time RT-PCR, western blotting analysis, and enzyme immunoassays, we examined mRNA and protein for three opioid receptors and ligands in the nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, and hypothalamus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three main trends emerged - (1) mRNA for the majority of factors was found to upregulate across each of the three postnatal ages assessed, indicative of escalating ontogenetic expression of opioid-related genes; (2) prenatal ethanol significantly reduced many opioid peptides, suggesting a possible mechanism by which prenatal exposure can affect future responsiveness towards ethanol; and (3) the nucleus accumbens emerged as a key site for ethanol-dependent effects, suggesting a potential target for additional assessment and intervention towards understanding the ethanol's ability to program the developing brain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We provide a global assessment of relatively long-term changes in both opioid gene expression and protein following exposure to only moderate amounts of ethanol during a relatively short window in the prenatal period. These results suggest that, while continuing to undergo ontogenetic changes, the infant brain is sensitive to prenatal ethanol exposure and that such exposure may lead to relatively long-lasting changes in the endogenous opioid system within the reward circuitry. These data indicate a potential mechanism and target for additional assessments of ethanol's ability to program the brain, affecting later responsiveness towards the drug.
authors: Department of Psychology, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT 06515, United States; Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States. Electronic address: bordnerk2@southernct.edu.
authors: Kelly
authors: K
authors: Bordner
authors: Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States.
authors: Terrence
authors: T
authors: Deak
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004399:Dynorphins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects*; D005865:Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D004745:Enkephalins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; C036448:pre-prodynorphin; D000431:Ethanol; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D004399:Dynorphins; C033660:preproenkephalin
keywords: Ethanol; Ontogeny; Opioids; Protein; Rat; mRNA