Abstract
The amphetamine derivative 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has become a popular recreational drug, and has also been shown to cause serotonergic neurotoxicity. This report shows that MDMA impairs brain development in a whole mouse embryo culture. The results of quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that autophagy-related protein 5 (Atg5) expression is elevated in mouse embryo and neuroblastoma cells after MDMA treatment. This elevated Atg5 expression interferes with the neuronal differentiation of neuroblastoma cells such as SH-SY5Y and PC12 cells. Thus, our results suggest that the use of MDMA during pregnancy may impair neuronal development via an induction of Atg5 expression.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Autophagy / drug effects
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Autophagy-Related Protein 5
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Cell Differentiation / drug effects*
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Embryo Culture Techniques
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Female
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Fetal Development / drug effects
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Humans
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Mice
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Microtubule-Associated Proteins / genetics*
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Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism*
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N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / pharmacology*
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Neuroblastoma / metabolism
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Neuroblastoma / pathology
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Neurons / drug effects*
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Neurons / metabolism
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Neurons / pathology
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PC12 Cells
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Pregnancy
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Proteins / genetics
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Proteins / metabolism
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Rats
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Tretinoin / metabolism
Substances
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ATG5 protein, human
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Atg5 protein, mouse
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Atg5 protein, rat
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Autophagy-Related Protein 5
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Microtubule-Associated Proteins
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Proteins
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Tretinoin
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N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine