Project description:To study the relationship between microRNAs and μ-opioid receptor (MOR) signaling, we examined microRNA expression after chronic morphine or fentanyl treatment in rat primary hippocampal neurons and in mouse hippocampus. Mouse cerebellum region was also tested as a negative control to eliminate microRNA expression changes unrelated to MOR signaling, as the cerebellum is essentially devoid of MOR. We identified a number of microRNAs that altered their expression upon treatment with both morphine and fentanyl in the rat and mouse systems. There were, however, some microRNAs that changed in response to morphine, or fentanyl, but not both. Keywords: Expression profiling
Project description:To study the relationship between microRNAs and μ-opioid receptor (MOR) signaling, we examined microRNA expression after chronic morphine or fentanyl treatment in rat primary hippocampal neurons and in mouse hippocampus. Mouse cerebellum region was also tested as a negative control to eliminate microRNA expression changes unrelated to MOR signaling, as the cerebellum is essentially devoid of MOR. We identified a number of microRNAs that altered their expression upon treatment with both morphine and fentanyl in the rat and mouse systems. There were, however, some microRNAs that changed in response to morphine, or fentanyl, but not both. Keywords: Expression profiling There are up to three biological replicates (indicated by 1, 2, and 3) of primary hippocampal neurons from new born rats and the cerebellum and hippocampus regions from adult mice treated for three days (control, morphine, and fentanyl). The biological replicates were from experiments performed on different dates. Each biological replicate contained cells or tissues collected from multiple animals so that enough RNA could be extracted for RNA analysis. RNA was labelled with a green dye, mixed with a reference DNA sample labelled with a red dye. The reference DNA contained a number of synthetic DNA oligos with mature microRNA sequences that served to verify microarray hybridization. RNA signals were in ch1, DNA signals ch2.
Project description:Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of heterogeneous and fatal hematopoietic malignancy. The ten-eleven translocation (TET) mediated DNA demethylation is known to be critically associated with AML pathogenesis. Through chemical compound screening, we found that the opioid receptor agonist, loperamide hydrochloride (OPA1), significantly suppresses AML cell viability. The potential therapeutic effects of opioid receptor agonists, especially OPA1, were then verified in AML cells in vitro, and t(11q23) and t(8;21) AML mouse models in vivo. OPA1-induced activation of OPRM1 enhanced the transcription of TET2, increased DNA 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) modification, and in turn, activated NFκB signaling. Notably, AML with TET2 mutations or chemotherapy resistance were highly sensitive to OPA1. Our results reveal a previously unknown OPRM1-TET2-5hmC-TRAF2 regulatory axis in AML, and suggest that opioid agonists, particularly OPA1, an FDA-approved antidiarrheal drug, have therapeutic potential in AML, especially in TET2 mutated and chemotherapy-resistant AML, which have a poor prognosis.
Project description:Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of heterogeneous and fatal hematopoietic malignancy. The ten-eleven translocation (TET) mediated DNA demethylation is known to be critically associated with AML pathogenesis. Through chemical compound screening, we found that the opioid receptor agonist, loperamide hydrochloride (OPA1), significantly suppresses AML cell viability. The potential therapeutic effects of opioid receptor agonists, especially OPA1, were then verified in AML cells in vitro, and t(11q23) and t(8;21) AML mouse models in vivo. OPA1-induced activation of OPRM1 enhanced the transcription of TET2, increased DNA 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) modification, and in turn, activated NFκB signaling. Notably, AML with TET2 mutations or chemotherapy resistance were highly sensitive to OPA1. Our results reveal a previously unknown OPRM1-TET2-5hmC-TRAF2 regulatory axis in AML, and suggest that opioid agonists, particularly OPA1, an FDA-approved antidiarrheal drug, have therapeutic potential in AML, especially in TET2 mutated and chemotherapy-resistant AML, which have a poor prognosis.
Project description:Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a group of heterogeneous diseases with high malignancy. The ten-eleven translocation (TET) mediated DNA demethylation was known to be critically associated with AML pathogenesis. Through chemical compound screening, we found an opioid receptor agonist, namely loperamide hydrochloride (OPA1), most significantly suppressed AML cell viability. The potential therapeutic effects of opioid receptor agonists, especially OPA1, were then verified in AML cells in vitro, and AML mouse models carrying t(11q23) and t(8;21) in vivo. OPA1-induced activation of OPRM1 enhanced the transcription of TET2, increased DNA 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) modification, and in turn, activated NFκB signaling. Notably, AML with TET2 mutations or chemotherapy resistance were sensitive to OPA1. Our results unveiled the previously unappreciated OPRM1-TET2-5hmC-TRAF2 regulatory axis in AML, and highlighted the therapeutic potential of opioid agonists, particularly OPA1, a FDA-approved antidiarrheal drug, in treating AML, especially TET2 mutated AML and chemotherapy-resistant AML, which were known to have poor prognosis.
Project description:Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a group of heterogeneous diseases with high malignancy. The ten-eleven translocation (TET) mediated DNA demethylation was known to be critically associated with AML pathogenesis. Through chemical compound screening, we found an opioid receptor agonist, namely loperamide hydrochloride (OPA1), most significantly suppressed AML cell viability. The potential therapeutic effects of opioid receptor agonists, especially OPA1, were then verified in AML cells in vitro, and AML mouse models carrying t(11q23) and t(8;21) in vivo. OPA1-induced activation of OPRM1 enhanced the transcription of TET2, increased DNA 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) modification, and in turn, activated NFκB signaling. Notably, AML with TET2 mutations or chemotherapy resistance were sensitive to OPA1. Our results unveiled the previously unappreciated OPRM1-TET2-5hmC-TRAF2 regulatory axis in AML, and highlighted the therapeutic potential of opioid agonists, particularly OPA1, a FDA-approved antidiarrheal drug, in treating AML, especially TET2 mutated AML and chemotherapy-resistant AML, which were known to have poor prognosis.
Project description:This study investigates the predictive and prognostic values of inflammatory markers and microRNA in stage IV colorectal cancer. The expression of inflammatory markers and microRNA in plasma will be correlated with tumor location, with dietary patterns and with survival during treatment.
Project description:The opioid receptors are important regulators of pain, reward, and addiction. Limited evidence suggests the mu and delta opioid receptors form a heterodimer (MDOR), which may act as a negative feedback brake on opioid-induced analgesia. However, evidence for the MDOR in vivo is indirect and limited, and there are few selective tools available. We recently published the first MDOR-selective antagonist, D24M, allowing us to test the role of the MDOR in mice. We thus co-treated CD-1 mice with D24M and opioids in tail flick, paw incision, and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy pain models. D24M treatment enhanced oxymorphone anti-nociception in all models by 52.3%-628%. This enhancement could not be replicated with the mu and delta selective antagonists CTAP and naltrindole, and D24M had a mild transient effect in the Rotarod test, suggesting this increase is selective to the MDOR. However, D24M had no effect on morphine or buprenorphine, suggesting that only specific opioids interact with the MDOR. To find a mechanism we performed phosphoproteomic analysis on brainstems of mice. We found that the kinases Src and CaMKII were repressed by oxymorphone, which was restored by D24M. We were able to confirm the role of Src and CaMKII in D24M-enhanced anti-nociception using small molecule inhibitors (KN93, Src-I1). Together these results provide direct in vivo evidence that the MDOR acts as an opioid negative feedback brake, which occurs via the repression of Src and CaMKII signal transduction. These results further suggest that MDOR antagonism could be a means to improve clinical opioid therapy.