The knowledge about proteome changes proceeding during protracted opioid withdrawal is lacking. Therefore, the aim of this work was to analyze the spectrum of altered proteins in the rat hippocampus in comparison with the forebrain cortex after 6-month morphine withdrawal. We utilized 2D electrophoretic workflow (Pro-Q® Diamond staining and Colloidal Coomassie Blue staining) which was preceded by label-free quantification (MaxLFQ). The phosphoproteomic analysis revealed six significantly altered hippocampal (Calm1, Ywhaz, Tuba1b, Stip1, Pgk1, and Aldoa) and three cortical proteins (Tubb2a, Tuba1a, and Actb). The impact of 6-month morphine withdrawal on the changes in the proteomic profiles was higher in the hippocampus-14 proteins, only three proteins were detected in the forebrain cortex. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of differentially expressed hippocampal proteins revealed the most enriched terms related to metabolic changes, cytoskeleton organization and response to oxidative stress. There is increasing evidence that energy metabolism plays an important role in opioid addiction. However, the way how morphine treatment and withdrawal alter energy metabolism is not fully understood. Our results indicate that the rat hippocampus is more susceptible to changes in proteome and phosphoproteome profiles induced by 6-month morphine withdrawal than is the forebrain cortex.

• Keywords
• energy metabolism, gel-based proteomics, nLC-MS/MS, oxidative stress, protracted morphine withdrawal, rat brain cortex, rat hippocampus,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Opioid addiction is recognized as a chronic relapsing brain disease resulting from repeated exposure to opioid drugs. Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the ability of organism to return back to the physiological norm after cessation of drug supply are not fully understood. The aim of this work was to extend our previous studies of morphine-induced alteration of rat forebrain cortex protein composition to the hippocampus. Rats were exposed to morphine for 10 days and sacrificed 24 h (groups +M10 and -M10) or 20 days after the last dose of morphine (groups +M10/-M20 and -M10/-M20). The six altered proteins (≥2-fold) were identified in group (+M10) when compared with group (-M10) by two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE). The number of differentially expressed proteins was increased to thirteen after 20 days of the drug withdrawal. Noticeably, the altered level of α-synuclein, β-synuclein, α-enolase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was also determined in both (±M10) and (±M10/-M20) samples of hippocampus. Immunoblot analysis of 2D gels by specific antibodies oriented against α/β-synucleins and GAPDH confirmed the data obtained by 2D-DIGE analysis. Label-free quantification identified nineteen differentially expressed proteins in group (+M10) when compared with group (-M10). After 20 days of morphine withdrawal (±M10/-M20), the number of altered proteins was increased to twenty. We conclude that the morphine-induced alteration of protein composition in rat hippocampus after cessation of drug supply proceeds in a different manner when compared with the forebrain cortex. In forebrain cortex, the total number of altered proteins was decreased after 20 days without morphine, whilst in hippocampus, it was increased.

• MeSH
• Substance Withdrawal Syndrome pathology   MeSH
• Time Factors MeSH
• Hippocampus drug effects   pathology   MeSH
• Rats MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Disease Models, Animal MeSH
• Morphine adverse effects   MeSH
• Cerebral Cortex drug effects   pathology   MeSH
• Analgesics, Opioid adverse effects   MeSH
• Opioid-Related Disorders pathology   MeSH
• Rats, Wistar MeSH
• Proteomics MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation drug effects   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Rats MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Morphine MeSH
• Analgesics, Opioid MeSH

The development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension is characterized by the structural remodeling of pulmonary arteries. However, the relationship between changes of arterial cells and the extracellular matrix remains unclear. We focused on the evaluation of the non-fibrillar collagen changes in tunica media induced by a four-day exposure to hypoxia and the correlation of these changes with the pulmonary arterial wall structure modifications. We used 20 adult male Wistar rats. The amount and localization of collagen VI, collagen IV, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2, and MMP9 were tested in pulmonary arteries immunohistochemically. Two-dimensional electrophoresis and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression were used for the subsequent comparison of protein changes in arterial tunica media cells (normoxia/hypoxia). Collagen VI was significantly reduced strictly in the tunica media of conduit arteries of hypoxia-exposed rats; however, its mRNA increased. The amount of collagen IV and its mRNA were not altered. We detected a significant increase of MMP9 strictly in the tunica media. In addition, a significantly increased number of MMP9-positive cells surrounded the arteries. MMP2 and the expression of its mRNA were decreased in tunica media. We conclude that the loss of collagen VI is an important step characterizing the remodeling of pulmonary arteries. It could influence the phenotypic status and behavior of smooth muscle cells and modify their proliferation and migration.

• Keywords
• collagen VI, hypoxic pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary arterial remodeling, smooth muscle cells, tunica media,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

The heart is characterized by a remarkable degree of heterogeneity. Since different cardiac pathologies affect different cardiac regions, it is important to understand molecular mechanisms by which these parts respond to pathological stimuli. In addition to already described left ventricular (LV)/right ventricular (RV) and transmural differences, possible baso-apical heterogeneity has to be taken into consideration. The aim of our study has been, therefore, to compare proteomes in the apical and basal parts of the rat RV and LV. Two-dimensional electrophoresis was used for the proteomic analysis. The major result of this study has revealed for the first time significant baso-apical differences in concentration of several proteins, both in the LV and RV. As far as the LV is concerned, five proteins had higher concentration in the apical compared to basal part of the ventricle. Three of them are mitochondrial and belong to the "metabolism and energy pathways" (myofibrillar creatine kinase M-type, L-lactate dehydrogenase, dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase). Myosin light chain 3 is a contractile protein and HSP60 belongs to heat shock proteins. In the RV, higher concentration in the apical part was observed in two mitochondrial proteins (creatine kinase S-type and proton pumping NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase). The described changes were more pronounced in the LV, which is subjected to higher workload. However, in both chambers was the concentration of proteins markedly higher in the apical than that in basal part, which corresponds to the higher energetic demand and contractile activity of these segments of both ventricles.

• Keywords
• Heart, Myocardial heterogeneity, Proteomics, Two-dimensional electrophoresis, Ventricle, Ventricular myocardium,
• MeSH
• Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional MeSH
• Chaperonin 60 metabolism   MeSH
• Chromatography, Liquid MeSH
• Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase metabolism   MeSH
• Energy Metabolism MeSH
• Creatine Kinase, MM Form metabolism   MeSH
• L-Lactate Dehydrogenase metabolism   MeSH
• Myosin Light Chains metabolism   MeSH
• Mitochondrial Proteins metabolism   MeSH
• Rats, Wistar MeSH
• Proteomics * MeSH
• Electron Transport Complex I metabolism   MeSH
• Heart Ventricles enzymology   metabolism   MeSH
• Muscle Proteins isolation & purification   metabolism   MeSH
• Tandem Mass Spectrometry MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Chaperonin 60 MeSH
• Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase MeSH
• Hspd1 protein, rat MeSH Browser
• Creatine Kinase, MM Form MeSH
• L-Lactate Dehydrogenase MeSH
• Myosin Light Chains MeSH
• Mitochondrial Proteins MeSH
• Electron Transport Complex I MeSH
• Muscle Proteins MeSH