ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To observe the expression of discs large homolog 4 (DLG4) protein in hippocampus, amygdala and frontal cortex of rats and evaluate postsynaptic density in heroin dependence.@*METHODS@#The rat heroin dependent model was established by increasing intraperitoneal injection of heroin. DLG4 proteins in hippocampus, amygdala and frontal cortex of heroin dependent 9, 18, 36 days rats were detected with immunohistochemical staining and compared with that in the control group.@*RESULTS@#DLG4 proteins in hippocampus, amygdala and frontal cortex were gradually reduced with extension of heroin dependent time.@*CONCLUSION@#Heroin dependence can affect postsynaptic density of hippocampus, amygdala and frontal cortex. The changes become more apparent with extension of heroin dependence time.
Subject(s)
Animals , Rats , Amygdala/metabolism , Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein , Frontal Lobe/metabolism , Heroin/pharmacology , Heroin Dependence , Hippocampus/metabolism , Injections, Intraperitoneal , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism , Membrane Proteins/metabolismABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To explore the changes of c-fos in apoptosis of cerebellar granular neuron of neonatal SD rats induced by heroin and the mechanisms of neuronal injury caused by heroin.@*METHODS@#Primary cerebellar granular neuron were cultured in vitro, the model of apoptosis induced by heroin was established. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were adopted to investigate the changes of c-fos in cell models.@*RESULTS@#Ten microg/mL of heroin was the optimal dose to induce the apoptosis of cerebellar granular neuron at 48 h. Both Western blotting and RT-PCR showed down regulation of c-fos expression.@*CONCLUSION@#Heroin could induce apoptosis of cerebellar granular neuron and down regulation of c-fos, which may be one of the apoptosis mechanisms.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Animals, Newborn , Apoptosis/drug effects , Blotting, Western , Cells, Cultured , Cerebellum/metabolism , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Down-Regulation , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Heroin/pharmacology , Neurons/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain ReactionABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effects of heroin on intracellular free Ca2+ in rat myocardium.@*METHODS@#The effects of heroin on intracellular free Ca2+ were observed in cultured neonatal rat myocardium by measuring intracellular free Ca2+ concentration using calcium fluorescent probe Flou-3/AM and laser scanning confocal microscope.@*RESULTS@#Different doses and concentrations of heroin appeared to have different effects on intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations, with a dosage dependent short linear increase in the fluorescence intensity (i.e., Ca2+ concentration) leading to [Ca2+]i peak.@*CONCLUSION@#Heroin could affect concentrations of [Ca2+]i in myocardium and its dosage related effect needs further investigation.
Subject(s)
Animals , Rats , Calcium/metabolism , Calcium Signaling , Cells, Cultured , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Heroin/pharmacology , Microscopy, Confocal/methods , Microscopy, Fluorescence , Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate whether heroin can directly induce apoptosis in primary cultured cortical neurons of rat's brain.@*METHODS@#Cultured primary neurons cultures were obtained from cerebral cortex of embryo rats. After 7 days, the cells were incubated with different concentrations of heroin (purity-80%) for 24 hours. The neuronal survival was assessed by cell viability counting with fluorescent diacetate (FDA) staining. The morphological and biochemical changes were observed with Hoechst 33258 fluorescent staining and then analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis, respectively.@*RESULTS@#After treatment with different concentrations of heroin, the neurons showed a decreased survival rate in a dose dependent manner, and there was a significant difference in the survival rate between the heroin group and the control group (P < 0.05). When exposed to different concentrations of heroin, neurons exhibited the morphological and biochemical features of apoptosis, including cell shrinkage, neurite degeneration, network disappearance, condensation and aggregation of nuclear chromatin, and the formation of DNA ladders. With the increase of heroin concentration of rat's brain more apoptotic bodies were seen.@*CONCLUSION@#Heroin can directly induce apoptosis in primary cultured cortical neurons in rat's brain.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Male , Rats , Apoptosis/drug effects , Cell Nucleus/pathology , Cell Survival/drug effects , Cells, Cultured , Cerebral Cortex/pathology , DNA Fragmentation/drug effects , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Electrophoresis, Agar Gel/methods , Heroin/pharmacology , Neurons/pathology , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Staining and LabelingABSTRACT
O consumo de heroína se tem revelado preocupante dentro do cenário mundíal Complicações clínicas e psiquiátricas graves têm sido relatadas entre os usuários. Nos Estados Unidos da América do Norte, a prevalência de abuso de heroína é menor do que 1 porcento; entretanto, os efeitos negativos deste consumo asseguram a severidade do problema. No Brasil, o uso deste opiáceo vem despontando como um fenômeno íncipiente, porém não menos preocupante.