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Opioid addiction and pregnancy: Perinatal exposure to buprenorphine affects myelination in the developing brain
Author(s) -
Sanchez Emilse S.,
Bigbee John W.,
Fobbs Wambura,
Robinson Susan E.,
SatoBigbee Carmen
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
glia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.954
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1098-1136
pISSN - 0894-1491
DOI - 10.1002/glia.20675
Subject(s) - buprenorphine , opioid receptor , opioid , myelin basic protein , μ opioid receptor , axon , biology , neuroscience , pharmacology , medicine , endocrinology , receptor , myelin , central nervous system
Abstract Buprenorphine is a μ‐opioid receptor partial agonist and κ‐opioid receptor antagonist currently on trials for the management of pregnant opioid‐dependent addicts. However, little is known about the effects of buprenorphine on brain development. Oligodendrocytes express opioid receptors in a developmentally regulated manner and thus, it is logical to hypothesize that perinatal exposure to buprenorphine could affect myelination. To investigate this possibility, pregnant rats were implanted with minipumps to deliver buprenorphine at 0.3 or 1 mg/kg/day. Analysis of their pups at different postnatal ages indicated that exposure to 0.3 mg/kg/day buprenorphine caused an accelerated and significant increase in the brain expression of all myelin basic protein (MBP) splicing isoforms. In contrast, treatment with the higher dose caused a developmental delay in MBP expression. Examination of corpus callosum at 26‐days of age indicated that both buprenorphine doses cause a significant increase in the caliber of the myelinated axons. Surprisingly, these axons have a disproportionately thinner myelin sheath, suggesting alterations at the level of axon‐glial interactions. Analysis of myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG) expression and glycosylation indicated that this molecule may play a crucial role in mediating these effects. Co‐immunoprecipitation studies also suggested a mechanism involving a MAG‐dependent activation of the Src‐family tyrosine kinase Fyn. These results support the idea that opioid signaling plays an important role in regulating myelination in vivo and stress the need for further studies investigating potential effects of perinatal buprenorphine exposure on brain development. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.