Spatial transcriptomics reveals distinct cell type dynamics following opioid dependence in female mice with the common human μ-opioid receptor variant Oprm1 A118G
Randomized trial reveals distinct cellular changes in opioid dependence among female mice with genetic variants, indicating the influence of genetic risk on brain function.
Key Points
This research aims to understand how the Oprm1 A118G variant affects cellular and molecular responses to opioid dependence in mice.
Single-nucleus spatial transcriptomic analyses were performed on Oprm1 A112G mice with and without morphine dependence.
Cell type composition and transcriptional changes were assessed in response to opioid exposure.
Cellular responses were linked to genetic variations in opioid receptors.
Opioid dependence caused significant transcriptomic changes in glial populations in Oprm1 GG mice, not in neurons.
The Oprm1 risk allele (G) was associated with glial alterations, while the protective allele (A) correlated with neuronal plasticity.
Molecular pathways governing opioid dependence were mapped, linking genetic risk to functional changes in the brain.