Human opioid abuse: midbrain gene expression. Homo sapiens

A better understanding of the molecular and cellular bases of opioid abuse could lead to advancements in therapeutics. This study represents, to our knowledge, the first unbiased examination of genome-wide changes in midbrain gene expression associated with human opioid abuse. Our analysis identified numerous differentially expressed genes and distinct gene networks associated with opioid abuse. Genes with the best predictive capability for subject assignment to the opioid abuse cohort, and genes most similarly affected in chronic opioid and cocaine abusers, were also determined. A number of differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs were shown to regulated downstream, drug-responsive protein-coding genes. The genes identified in this study warrant further investigation as potential biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets for opioid abuse.