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Dysregulation of dopaminergic regulatory mechanisms in the mesolimbic pathway induced by morphine and morphine withdrawal

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Abstract

Dopamine (DA) is thought to represent a teaching signal and has been implicated in the induction of addictive behaviours. Previously, it has been proposed that the transcription factors Nurr1 and Pitx3, which are critical for transcription of a set of genes involved in DA metabolism in the mesolimbic pathway, are associated with addiction pathology. The aim of our study was to investigate abnormalities in the mesolimbic pathway associated with morphine dependence and withdrawal. Using quantitative real-time PCR, immunofluorescence, HPLC and Western blotting, here we studied the effects of single morphine administration, morphine dependence and morphine withdrawal on Nurr1 and Pitx3 expression as well as on the DA marker tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and the turnover of DA in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and/or nucleus accumbens. We showed that the three experimental conditions caused induction of Nurr1 and Pitx3 in the VTA, which correlated with changes in TH expression during chronic morphine administration. Present data also confirmed the colocalization of Nurr1 and Pitx3 with TH-positive neurons in the posterior VTA. Furthermore, during morphine dependence, Nurr1 was detected in the nucleus compartment of VTA TH-positive neurons, whereas Pitx3 was strongly detected in the nucleus of TH-positive neurons after single morphine administration and during morphine withdrawal. The number of TH neurons, number of Nurr1 or Pitx3-positive cells, and the number of TH neurons expressing Nurr1 or Pitx3 were not modified in the subpopulations of DA neurons. Present data provide novel insight into the potential correlation between Nurr1 and Pitx3 and DA neurons plasticity during opiate addiction in the mesolimbic pathway.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from Ministerio de Ciencia e Imnovación (SAF/FEDER 2009-07178; SAF/FEDER 2010-17907), Spain; Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RTA), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Fundación Séneca (15405/PI/10), Región de Murcia, Spain. Daniel García-Pérez was supported by a fellowship from Ministerio de Economía e Innovación (AP2009-2379).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Group of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Medical Faculty of Murcia, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain

    Daniel García-Pérez, M. Luisa Laorden, Cristina Núñez & M. Victoria Milanés

  2. Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, Spain

    Daniel García-Pérez, M. Luisa Laorden, Cristina Núñez & M. Victoria Milanés

  3. Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Roger López-Bellido & Raquel E. Rodríguez

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  1. Daniel García-Pérez
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  2. Roger López-Bellido
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  3. Raquel E. Rodríguez
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  4. M. Luisa Laorden
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  5. Cristina Núñez
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  6. M. Victoria Milanés
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Correspondence to M. Victoria Milanés.

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García-Pérez, D., López-Bellido, R., Rodríguez, R.E. et al. Dysregulation of dopaminergic regulatory mechanisms in the mesolimbic pathway induced by morphine and morphine withdrawal. Brain Struct Funct 220, 1901–1919 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-014-0761-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-014-0761-5

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