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Khatri SN, Sadek S, Kendrick PT, Bondy EO, Hong M, Pauss S, Luo D, Prisinzano TE, Dunn KE, Marusich JA, Beckmann JS, Hinds TD, Gipson CD. Xylazine suppresses fentanyl consumption during self-administration and induces a unique sex-specific withdrawal syndrome that is not altered by naloxone in rats. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2024; 32:150-157. [PMID: 37470999 PMCID: PMC10799160 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Prescription and illicit opioid use are a public health crisis, with the landscape shifting to fentanyl use. Since fentanyl is 100-fold more potent than morphine, its use is associated with a higher risk of fatal overdose that can be remediated through naloxone (Narcan) administration. However, recent reports indicate that xylazine, an anesthetic, is increasingly detected in accidental fentanyl overdose deaths. Anecdotal reports suggest that xylazine may prolong the fentanyl "high," alter the onset of fentanyl withdrawal, and increase resistance to naloxone-induced reversal of overdose. To date, no preclinical studies have evaluated the impacts of xylazine on fentanyl self-administration (SA; 2.5 μg/kg/infusion) or withdrawal to our knowledge. We established a rat model of xylazine/fentanyl co-SA and withdrawal and evaluated outcomes as a function of biological sex. When administered alone, chronic xylazine (2.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) induced unique sex-specific withdrawal symptomatology, whereby females showed delayed onset of signs and a possible enhancement of sensitivity to the motor-suppressing effects of xylazine. Xylazine reduced fentanyl consumption in both male and female rats regardless of whether it was experimenter-administered or added to the intravenous fentanyl product (0.05, 0.10, and 0.5 mg/kg/infusion) when compared to fentanyl SA alone. Interestingly, this effect was dose-dependent when self-administered intravenously. Naloxone (0.1 mg/kg, subcutaneous injection) did not increase somatic signs of fentanyl withdrawal, regardless of the inclusion of xylazine in the fentanyl infusion in either sex; however, somatic signs of withdrawal were higher across time points in females after xylazine/fentanyl co-SA regardless of naloxone exposure as compared to females following fentanyl SA alone. Together, these results indicate that xylazine/fentanyl co-SA dose-dependently suppressed fentanyl intake in both sexes and induced a unique withdrawal syndrome in females that was not altered by acute naloxone treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailesh N. Khatri
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY
| | - Safiyah Sadek
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY
| | - Percell T. Kendrick
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY
| | - Emma O. Bondy
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY
| | - Mei Hong
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY
| | - Sally Pauss
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY
| | - Dan Luo
- Center for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Thomas E. Prisinzano
- Center for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Kelly E. Dunn
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Julie A. Marusich
- Center for Drug Discovery, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | | | - Terry D. Hinds
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY
| | - Cassandra D. Gipson
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY
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Smith MA, Pearson T, Ballard SL, Camp JD, Sharp JL. The effects of gonadal hormones on heroin Self-Administration in male gonadectomized rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:171-179. [PMID: 37833541 PMCID: PMC11135215 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06471-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Previous studies have shown that gonadal hormones influence opioid self-administration in female rodents, but very few studies have examined these effects in male rodents. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of chronic hormone treatment on intravenous heroin self-administration in gonadectomized male rats using both physiological and supraphysiological doses of testosterone, estradiol, or progesterone. METHODS Gonadectomized male rats were surgically implanted with intravenous catheters and trained to self-administer heroin on a fixed ratio (FR1) schedule of reinforcement. Using a between-subjects design, rats were treated daily with testosterone (0.175 or 1.75 mg, sc), estradiol (0.0005 or 0.005 mg, sc), progesterone, (0.0125 or 0.125 mg, sc), or their vehicles. After 14 days of chronic treatment, a dose-effect curve was determined for heroin (0.0003-0.03 mg/kg/infusion) over the course of one week. RESULTS Neither testosterone nor estradiol altered responding maintained by heroin. In contrast, the high dose of progesterone (0.125 mg) reduced responding maintained by all doses of heroin to saline-control levels. This dose of progesterone did not reduce responding maintained by food on a progressive ratio schedule in either food-restricted or food-sated rats. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that exogenous progesterone or a pharmacologically active metabolite selectively decreases heroin intake in male rodents, which may have therapeutic implications for men with opioid use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Smith
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA.
| | - Tallia Pearson
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Shannon L Ballard
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Jacob D Camp
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Jessica L Sharp
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
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Little KM, Kosten TA. Focus on fentanyl in females: Sex and gender differences in the physiological and behavioral effects of fentanyl. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101096. [PMID: 37597668 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of opioid use disorder and overdose continues to harm the U.S. population and is further exacerbated by the use of the synthetic opioid, fentanyl, and its analogs. Gender differences in the effects of fentanyl are not well understood. The present article reviews evidence for gender and sex differences in the physiological and behavioral effects of fentanyl in humans and animals. Biological sex seems to be a foundational driver in addiction vulnerability and affects mechanisms related to opioid use including fentanyl. Fentanyl has distinct pharmacodynamics and enhanced efficacy relative to other opioids that highlights the need to investigate how females may be uniquely altered by its use. Behavioral and physiological responses to fentanyl are found to differ by sex and gender in many cases, including outputs like affective symptoms, analgesia, tolerance, and withdrawal emphasizing the need for further research about the role of biological sex on fentanyl use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M Little
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Therese A Kosten
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States.
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Nagai M, Shityakov S, Smetak M, Hunkler HJ, Bär C, Schlegel N, Thum T, Förster CY. Blood Biomarkers in Takotsubo Syndrome Point to an Emerging Role for Inflammaging in Endothelial Pathophysiology. Biomolecules 2023; 13:995. [PMID: 37371575 DOI: 10.3390/biom13060995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), an acute cardiac condition characterized by transient wall motion abnormalities mostly of the left ventricle, results in difficulties in diagnosing patients. We set out to present a detailed blood analysis of TTS patients analyzing novel markers to understand the development of TTS. Significant differences in proinflammatory cytokine expression patterns and sex steroid and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression levels were observed in the TTS patient collected. Remarkably, the measured catecholamine serum concentrations determined from TTS patient blood could be shown to be two orders of magnitude lower than the levels determined from experimentally induced TTS in laboratory animals. Consequently, the exposure of endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes in vitro to such catecholamine concentrations did not damage the cellular integrity or function of either endothelial cells forming the blood-brain barrier, endothelial cells derived from myocardium, or cardiomyocytes in vitro. Computational analysis was able to link the identified blood markers, specifically, the proinflammatory cytokines and glucocorticoid receptor GR to microRNA (miR) relevant in the ontogeny of TTS (miR-15) and inflammation (miR-21, miR-146a), respectively. Amongst the well-described risk factors of TTS (older age, female sex), inflammaging-related pathways were identified to add to these relevant risk factors or prediagnostic markers of TTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiaki Nagai
- Department of Cardiology, 2-1-1, Kabeminami, Aaskita-ku, Hiroshima City Asa, Hiroshima 731-0293, Japan
| | - Sergey Shityakov
- Infochemistry Scientific Center, Laboratory of Chemoinformatics, ITMO University, Lomonosova Str. 9, 191002 Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Manuel Smetak
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Hannah Jill Hunkler
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Bär
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH-Centre for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Nicolas Schlegel
- Department of General, Visceral, Transplant, Vascular and Pediatric Surgery, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Thum
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH-Centre for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Carola Yvette Förster
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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Radevski ME, Prendergast MA, Bardo MT, Akins CK. PT150 blocks the rewarding properties of ethanol and attenuates ethanol-induced reduction of egg laying in Coturnix quail. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:295-301. [PMID: 36607385 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06299-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been shown to be associated with a dysregulated stress system. Reducing the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT), that binds to glucocorticoid receptors, may attenuate the rewarding properties of drugs of abuse. However, the effect of blocking corticosterone receptors on ethanol reward has yet to be investigated. OBJECTIVES The current study investigated whether the stress hormone receptor antagonist, PT150, would block the rewarding properties of ethanol via the glucocorticoid receptor system and attenuate other ethanol-induced effects. METHODS A conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure was used to examine the rewarding properties of ethanol in an avian preclinical model. Ethanol was paired with the least preferred chamber. On alternate days, water was paired with the preferred chamber. After eight pairings, a place preference test was given that allowed subjects to have access to both chambers. Half of the subjects received PT150 prior to ethanol administration. The other half received vehicle. Time spent in each chamber during the preference tests, locomotor activity during the pairings, and egg production in female birds was recorded. RESULTS Ethanol treatment resulted in a CPP and pretreatment of PT150 blocked the acquisition of the ethanol-induced place preference. Neither ethanol nor PT150 altered locomotor activity. Pretreatment of PT150 also increased egg production in female quail treated with ethanol. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest repeated ethanol pairings with visual cues can produce a CPP. Furthermore, pretreatment of PT150 may be a potential pharmacotherapy for blocking the rewarding properties of ethanol and may enhance egg production in female quail treated with ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia E Radevski
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA.
| | - Mark A Prendergast
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Michael T Bardo
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Chana K Akins
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
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Chandler CM, Shaykin JD, Peng H, Pauly JR, Nixon K, Bardo MT. Effects of voluntary adolescent intermittent alcohol exposure and social isolation on adult alcohol intake in male rats. Alcohol 2022; 104:13-21. [PMID: 35981637 PMCID: PMC10806401 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Initiating alcohol use in adolescence significantly increases the likelihood of developing adult alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, it has been difficult to replicate adolescent alcohol exposure leading to increased adult alcohol intake across differing preclinical models. In the present study, differentially housed male rats (group vs. single cages) were used to determine the effects of voluntary intermittent exposure of saccharin-sweetened ethanol during adolescence on adult intake of unsweetened 20% ethanol. Adolescent male rats were assigned to group- or isolated-housing conditions and underwent an intermittent 2-bottle choice in adolescence (water only or water vs. 0.2% saccharin/20% ethanol), and again in adulthood (water vs. 20% ethanol). Intermittent 2-bottle choice sessions lasted for 24 h, and occurred three days per week, for five weeks. Rats were moved from group or isolated housing to single-housing cages for 2-bottle choice tests and returned to their original housing condition on off days. During adolescence, rats raised in isolated-housing conditions consumed significantly more sweetened ethanol than rats raised in group-housing conditions, an effect that was enhanced across repeated exposures. In adulthood, rats raised in isolated-housing conditions and exposed to sweetened ethanol during adolescence also consumed significantly higher levels of unsweetened 20% ethanol compared to group-housed rats. The effect was most pronounced over the first five re-exposure sessions. Housing conditions alone had little effect on adult ethanol intake. These preclinical results suggest that social isolation stress, combined with adolescent ethanol exposure, may play a key role in adult AUD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassie M Chandler
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, United States.
| | - Jakob D Shaykin
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, United States.
| | - Hui Peng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, United States.
| | - James R Pauly
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, United States.
| | - Kimberly Nixon
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
| | - Michael T Bardo
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, United States.
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