m-Trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide (m-CF3-PhSe)2 modulates the hippocampal neurotoxic adaptations and abolishes a depressive-like phenotype in a short-term morphine withdrawal in mice.

The opioid withdrawal syndrome is defined as a complex phenomenon involving multiple cellular adaptations, which leads to the emergence of aversive physical and affective signs. The m-trifluoromethyl-diphenyl diselenide (m-CF3-PhSe)2 elicits an antidepressant-like effect by modulating the opioid system in different animal models of mood disorders. Notably, repeated exposure to (m-CF3-PhSe)2 developed neither tolerance nor withdrawal signs in mice. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether (m-CF3-PhSe)2 attenuates the physical signs and the depressive-like phenotype during morphine withdrawal through its neuroprotective effects on oxidative stress, the NMDA receptor and the proBDNF/mBDNF signaling in the hippocampus of mice. Adult Swiss mice received saline solution or escalating doses (20-100 mg/kg, sc) of morphine for six days. For the next three days, the animals were treated with canola oil, (m-CF3-PhSe)2 (5 and 10 mg/kg, ig) or methadone (5 mg/kg, sc) whereas morphine injections were discontinued. On day 9, physical withdrawal signs and depressive-like behavior were assessed 30 min after the last administration of (m-CF3-PhSe)2. Although short-term treatment with (m-CF3-PhSe)2 at both doses suppressed the aversive physical and affective signs in morphine withdrawn-mice, the highest dose of (m-CF3-PhSe)2 per se increased the teeth chattering manifestation. The intrinsic antioxidant property of (m-CF3-PhSe)2 modulated oxidative stress, it also restored the NMDA receptor levels in the hippocampus of morphine withdrawn-mice. Besides, (m-CF3-PhSe)2 downregulated the proBDNF/p-75NTR/JNK pro-apoptotic pathway without affecting the mBDNF/TrkB/ERK/CREB pro-survival signaling in the hippocampus of morphine withdrawn-mice. The results show that (m-CF3-PhSe)2 treatment modulated the hippocampal neurotoxic adaptations and abolished the depressive-like phenotype following morphine withdrawal in mice.

Sequential Carbon-Carbon/Carbon-Selenium Bond Formation Mediated by Iron(III) Chloride and Diorganyl Diselenides: Synthesis and Reactivity of 2-Organoselenyl-Naphthalenes.

In this paper, we report an intramolecular cyclization of benzylic-substituted propargyl alcohols promoted by iron(III) chloride and diorganyl diselenides to give 2-organoselenyl-naphthalenes via a sequential carbon-carbon/carbon-selenium bond formation. The present reaction tolerated a wide range of substituents in both propargyl alcohols and diorganyl diselenides to give the desired 2-organoselenyl-naphthalenes in good yields with high selectivity. In addition, O-acyl protected propargyl alcohol and propargyl bromide were also subjected to this protocol giving the corresponding 2-organoselenyl-naphthalenes. We found that dichalcogenide species affected the formation of cyclized products, whereas diorganyl diselenides gave high yields, moderate yields were obtained with diorganyl disulfides, and no product formation was found with diorganyl ditellurides. The key transformations could be attributed to the carbon-carbon triple bond activation of benzylic-substituted propargyl alcohols by a seleniranium ion, antiattack of the electron cloud from the aromatic ring at the activated triple bond, and cyclization via an exclusive 6-endo-dig process. We also found that the corresponding 2-organoselenyl-naphthalenes are suitable substrates to the selenium-lithium exchange reactions followed by trapping with aldehydes affording the corresponding secondary alcohols.