Conjugate vaccine produces long-lasting attenuation of fentanyl vs. food choice and blocks expression of opioid withdrawal-induced increases in fentanyl choice in rats.

ABSTRACT: The current opioid crisis remains a significant public health issue and there is a critical need for biomedical research to develop effective and easily deployable candidate treatments. One emerging treatment strategy for opioid use disorder includes immunopharmacotherapies or opioid-targeted vaccines. The present study determined the effectiveness of a fentanyl-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine to alter fentanyl self-administration using a fentanyl-vs.-food choice procedure in male and female rats under three experimental conditions. For comparison, continuous 7-day naltrexone (0.01-0.1 mg/kg/h) and 7-day clonidine (3.2-10 μg/kg/h) treatment effects were also determined on fentanyl-vs.-food choice. Male and female rats responded for concurrently available 18% diluted Ensure® (liquid food)

SUBMITTER: Townsend EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6784909 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature