Modulation by chronic morphine administration of single-stranded cAMP response element (ssCRE) binding proteins in the mouse cerebellum

Abstract

The development of opiate tolerance and dependence are thought to be associated with gene expression. Our previous studies have shown that the binding activity of nuclear factors to a single-stranded oligo-DNA containing cAMP response element (ssCRE) is altered by long term treatment with morphine in cultured neuronal cells. In the present experiments, the effects of acute and chronic treatments with morphine on the binding of nuclear proteins to single- and double-stranded oligo-DNAs of the cAMP response element were studied in the mouse brains by using gel shift assay. The activity of single-stranded CRE binding proteins (ssCRE-BP) was decreased by chronic morphine treatment to about 40% of control in the cerebellum. The effect of chronic morphine treatment on the binding activity persisted for at least 2 weeks after morphine withdrawal. The activity of double-stranded CRE binding proteins was also detected in the cerebellum, but it was insensitive to the morphine treatment. The activity of ssCRE-BP was also decreased by acute morphine treatment in 5 h, but it returned to control level in 24 h. These data suggest that the change of ssCRE-BP can be involved in the development of tolerance and dependence.