Association of time-dependent changes in mu opioid receptor mRNA but not BDNF TrkB or MeCP2 mRNA and protein expression in the rat nucleus accumbens with incubation of heroin craving

摘要

Rationale and objectivesResponding to heroin cues progressively increases after cessation of heroin self-administration (incubation of heroin craving). We investigated whether this incubation is associated with time-dependent changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) signaling and mu opioid receptor (MOR) expression in nucleus accumbens (NAc), dorsal striatum (DS), and medial pre-frontal cortex (mPFC). We also investigated the effect of the preferential MOR antagonist naloxone on cue-induced heroin seeking during abstinence.