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. 2022 Mar 4:9:311-315.
doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2022.03.002. eCollection 2022.

Effects of exposure in utero to buprenorphine on oxidative stress and apoptosis in the hippocampus of rat pups

Saeed Samarghandian  1 , Fahimeh Ghasemi  2   3 , Hamed Aramjoo  4 , Fariborz Samini  5   6 , Michael Aschner  7 , Babak Roshanravan  8 , Tahereh Farkhondeh  4   9
Affiliations

Effects of exposure in utero to buprenorphine on oxidative stress and apoptosis in the hippocampus of rat pups

Saeed Samarghandian et al. Toxicol Rep. .

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of buprenorphine (BUP) on oxidative indices and gene expression of apoptotic molecules in the hippocampus of neonates during the fetal stage. BUP (1 or 0.5 mg/kg) was subcutaneously administrated to pregnant rat dams. After parturition, the pups were maintained to the end of breastfeeding period, then hippocampi were assessed for oxidative stress indices [glutathione (GSH), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC)] and mRNA expression of apoptotic markers (Bax, Bcl2 and caspase 3). Our data indicated that BUP (0.5 mg/kg) administration during gestation significantly increased GSH and TAC concentrations in the hippocampus of pups versus control group (p < 0.05). BUP (0.5 and 1 mg/kg) administration significantly elevated the expression levels of Bcl2 in the hippocampus of neonates compared with controls. BUP injection (0.5 and 1 mg/kg) to pregnant rats markedly reduced the expression levels of caspase 3 in the hippocampus of neonates in BUP 0.5 group (p < 0.01) and BUP 1 group (p < 0.05) versus the controls. Our study indicated that BUP may potentiate antioxidant system and inhibit apoptosis and oxidative stress in the hippocampus of neonates received this drug during the fetal stage.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Brain; Buprenorphine; Oxidative stress; Pup; Rat.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

ga1
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Bax and Bcl2 mRNA expressions in neonatal rat hippocampus. Abbreviations: C: control, BUP 0.5: Buprenorphine 05 mg/kg, BUP 1: Buprenorphine 1 mg/kg. Significant difference between the data of the C group vs other control groups: * *; p < 0.01.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Caspase 3 mRNA expressions in neonatal rat hippocampus. Abbreviations: C: control, BUP 0.5: Buprenorphine 05 mg/kg, BUP 1: Buprenorphine 1 mg/kg. Significant difference between the data of the C group vs other control groups: * ; p < 0.05, * *; p < 0.01.
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