Involvement of opioid system in behavioral despair induced by social isolation stress in mice

Publication date: January 2019Source: Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, Volume 109Author(s): Arvin Haj-Mirzaian, Rajan Nikbakhsh, Kiana Ramezanzadeh, Mehdi Rezaee, Hossein Amini-Khoei, Arya Haj-Mirzaian, Maria Ghesmati, Khashayar Afshari, Nazgol-Sadat Haddadi, Ahmad Reza DehpourAbstractSocial isolation stress (SIS) as a type of chronic stress could induce depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors. Our study evaluates the role of opioid system on negative behavioral impacts of SIS in male NMRI mice. We investigated effects of morphine, a nonselective opioid receptor (OR) agonist, naltrexone (NLX), an OR antagonist, naltrindole (NLT), a delta opioid receptor (DOR) antagonist, SNC80, a DOR agonist, U-69593, a kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonist, nor-Binaltorphimine, a selective KOR antagonist and cyprodime hydrochloride a selective mu opioid receptor (MOR) antagonist on depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors. Using RT-PCR we evaluated ORs gene expression in mice brain. Our findings showed that SIS induced anxiety- and depressive-like behavior in the forced swimming test, open field test, splash test and hole-board test. Moreover, administration of SNC-80 significantly mitigated anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. NLT decreased grooming-activity in the splash test. Excitingly, administration of agents affecting KOR failed to alter the negative effects of SIS. RT-PCR demonstrated that MOR and KOR gene expression decreased in socially isolated mice; however, SIS did not affect DORs e...
Source: Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research