MILD STRESS INDUCED BY MATERNAL MANIPULATION DURING LATE GESTATION AND INFANTILE ETHANOL CONSUMPTION INDUCE CHANGES IN PRO-DYN, MU AND KAPPA OPIOID mRNA EXPRESSION

GUTTLEIN L; MACCHIONE, AF; MENDEZ, S; MOLINA JC; ABATE P

Córdoba

Congreso; XXXIII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias; 2018

SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE NEUROCIENCIAS

Fetal ethanol experience generates learning and memories, capable of enhance ethanol consummatory behaviors during infancy. Opioid system seems to mediate alcohol reinforcement aspects. We proposed to study ethanol prenatal and infantile effects on opioid precursor peptides (POMC, Pro-enk and Pro-DYN) and receptors (MOR, DOR and KOR) mRNA expression, in hypothalamus. Pregnant rats received (GDs) 17-20, a daily intragastric (i.g.) administration with 2g/kg ethanol or water, or remained undisturbed (Unmanipulated group). An intake test was conducted at PDs 14-15. Three groups were performed: control (no intake test), water and 5% ethanol. At the end of intake test hypothalamus sections were obtained to perform qRT-PRC assessments. Alcohol intake was higher in animals whose dams received an i.g. manipulation, whenever water or alcohol. Prenatal manipulation possibly acts as a mild stressor capable of enhance consumption of alcohol, after birth. To test this alternative hypothesis we regrouped prenatal manipulation in: unmanipulated and manipulated (pups from water and alcohol groups). qRT-PCR data demonstrated that ethanol intake experiences down-regulate the expression of Pro-Dyn mRNA and gradually up-regulate mRNA expression of MOR and KOR . Also, MOR mRNA expression was attenuated by prenatal i.g. manipulation, supporting the idea that possibly plays a role as a mild stressor.