Morphine withdrawal increases glutamate uptake and surface expression of glutamate transporter GLT1 at hippocampal synapses.

ABSTRACT: Opiate abuse causes adaptive changes in several processes of synaptic transmission in which the glutamatergic system appears a critical element involved in opiate tolerance and dependence, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we found that glutamate uptake in hippocampal synaptosomes was significantly increased (by 70% in chronic morphine-treated rats) during the morphine withdrawal period, likely attributable to an increase in the number of functional glutamate transporters. Immunoblot analysis showed that expression of GLT1 (glutamate transporter subtype 1) was identified to be upregulated in synaptosomes but not in total tissues, suggesting a redistribution of glutamate transporter expression. Moreover, the increase in glutamate uptake was reproduced in cu

SUBMITTER: Xu NJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6740794 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature