Brain cell-derived exosomes in plasma serve as neurodegeneration biomarkers in male cynomolgus monkeys self-administrating oxycodone.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The United States is currently facing an opioid crisis. Novel tools to better comprehend dynamic molecular changes in the brain associated with the opioid abuse are limited. Recent studies have suggested the usefulness of plasma exosomes in better understanding CNS disorders. However, no study has ever characterized exosomes (small extracellular vesicles of endocytic origin) secreted by brain cells to understand the potential neurodegenerative effects of long-term oxycodone self-administration (SA).

Methods

MRI of Cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) was performed to assess alterations in gray matter volumes with oxycodone SA. We isolated total exosomes (TE) from the plasma of these monkeys; from TE, we pulled-out neuron-derived exosomes (NDE), astrocytes-deri

SUBMITTER: Kumar A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7804975 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature