Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of the Human Brain, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 197376, Russia
Address for correspondence: Svetlana Dambinova, D.Sci., Ph.D., Visiting Professor, of Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Voice: 1(404) 325 8734; fax: 1(404) 633 9494.
sdambin{at}emory.edu
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 965: 497-514 (2002).
The brain is particularly vulnerable to drugs of abuse changing
the neuroreceptor functions. Opiates interact and overstimulate
heterogeneous opioid receptors leading to their desensitization,
internalization, and activation of recombinant opioid receptor.
The molecular properties of rat and human brain recombinant
µ-
receptor were compared with those of purified µ-
and
-receptors. cDNA coding the unique fragment of recombinant
µ-
receptor was isolated and sequenced. We hypothesized
that recombinant µ-
receptor may be a hallmark of opiate
abuse. Peptide fragments of the µ- (MOR),
- (DOR), and
recombinant µ-
- (MDOR) receptors were used as antigens
to assess the presence of autoantibodies in the blood of rats
that self-administered heroin and cocaine, as well as drug abusers.
Significant steady elevation of MDOR autoantibodies were measured
in sera of rats that self-administered heroin compared to that
for cocaine and vehicle animals. The appearance and increased
level of MDOR autoantibodies in opiate abusers correlated with
severity of the disorder and duration of drug exposure.
Receptor as a Marker of Opiate Abuse
