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Zhou JL, de Guglielmo G, Ho AJ, Kallupi M, Pokhrel N, Li HR, Chitre AS, Munro D, Mohammadi P, Carrette LLG, George O, Palmer AA, McVicker G, Telese F. Single-nucleus genomics in outbred rats with divergent cocaine addiction-like behaviors reveals changes in amygdala GABAergic inhibition. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1868-1879. [PMID: 37798411 PMCID: PMC10620093 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01452-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
The amygdala processes positive and negative valence and contributes to addiction, but the cell-type-specific gene regulatory programs involved are unknown. We generated an atlas of single-nucleus gene expression and chromatin accessibility in the amygdala of outbred rats with high and low cocaine addiction-like behaviors following prolonged abstinence. Differentially expressed genes between the high and low groups were enriched for energy metabolism across cell types. Rats with high addiction index (AI) showed increased relapse-like behaviors and GABAergic transmission in the amygdala. Both phenotypes were reversed by pharmacological inhibition of the glyoxalase 1 enzyme, which metabolizes methylglyoxal-a GABAA receptor agonist produced by glycolysis. Differences in chromatin accessibility between high and low AI rats implicated pioneer transcription factors in the basic helix-loop-helix, FOX, SOX and activator protein 1 families. We observed opposite regulation of chromatin accessibility across many cell types. Most notably, excitatory neurons had greater accessibility in high AI rats and inhibitory neurons had greater accessibility in low AI rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Zhou
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Integrative Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Aaron J Ho
- Integrative Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marsida Kallupi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Narayan Pokhrel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hai-Ri Li
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Apurva S Chitre
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Munro
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Pejman Mohammadi
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Center for Immunity and Immunotherapies, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Abraham A Palmer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Graham McVicker
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Integrative Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Francesca Telese
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Gancarz AM, Hagarty DP, Cobb MM, Kausch MA, Krieg B, Alammari N, Gilbert K, Russo J, Dietz DM. Operant novelty seeking predicts cue-induced reinstatement following cocaine but not water reinforcement in male rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:2201-2215. [PMID: 37552291 PMCID: PMC10506955 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06441-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE An important facet of cocaine addiction is a high propensity to relapse, with increasing research investigating factors that predispose individuals toward uncontrolled drug use and relapse. A personality trait linked to drug addiction is high sensation seeking, i.e., a preference for novel sensations/experiences. In an animal model of sensation seeking, operant novelty seeking predicts the acquisition of drug self-administration. OBJECTIVE The primary goal of this research was to evaluate the hypothesis that sensitivity to the reinforcing effects of novel sensory stimuli predicts more intensive aspects of drug-taking behaviors, such as relapse. METHODS Rats were first tested for Operant Novelty Seeking, during which responses resulted in complex visual/auditory stimuli. Next, rats were trained to respond to water/cocaine reinforcers signaled by a cue light. Finally, rats were exposed to extinction in the absence of discrete cues and subsequently tested in a single session of cue-induced reinstatement, during which active responses resulted in cues previously paired with water/cocaine delivery. RESULTS The present study showed operant responses to produce novel sensory stimuli positively correlate with responding for cocaine during self-administration and during discrete cue-induced reinstatement, but no association with performance during extinction. A different pattern of associations was observed for a natural reward, in this case, water reinforcement. Here, the degree of novelty seeking also correlated with responding to water reinforcement and extinction responding; however, operant novelty seeking did not correlate with responding to water cues during testing of cue-induced reinstatement. Taken together, the incongruence of relationships indicates an underlying difference between natural and drug reinforcers. CONCLUSION In summary, we found a reinforcer-dependent relationship between operant novelty seeking (i.e., sensation seeking) and responsivity to extinction and discrete cues signaling availability for cocaine (i.e., craving), demonstrating the validity of the operant novelty seeking model to investigate drug seeking and relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M Gancarz
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Bakersfield, Dorothy Donahoe Hall (DDH) H106, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA.
| | - Devin P Hagarty
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Bakersfield, Dorothy Donahoe Hall (DDH) H106, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA
| | - Moriah M Cobb
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Bakersfield, Dorothy Donahoe Hall (DDH) H106, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA
| | - Michael A Kausch
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Bakersfield, Dorothy Donahoe Hall (DDH) H106, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA
| | - Brandon Krieg
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Bakersfield, Dorothy Donahoe Hall (DDH) H106, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA
| | - Nora Alammari
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Bakersfield, Dorothy Donahoe Hall (DDH) H106, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA
| | - Kameron Gilbert
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Bakersfield, Dorothy Donahoe Hall (DDH) H106, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA
| | - Jacqueline Russo
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Bakersfield, Dorothy Donahoe Hall (DDH) H106, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA
| | - David M Dietz
- Clinical and Research Institute On Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Doyle MR, Martinez AR, Qiao R, Dirik S, Di Ottavio F, Pascasio G, Martin-Fardon R, Benner C, George O, Telese F, de Guglielmo G. Strain and sex-related behavioral variability of oxycodone dependence in rats. Neuropharmacology 2023; 237:109635. [PMID: 37327971 PMCID: PMC10353778 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, the escalating prescription of opioid medications for pain management has culminated in a widespread opioid epidemic, significantly impacting public health, social dynamics, and economic stability. The urgent need for improved treatments for opioid addiction necessitates a deeper understanding of its biological underpinnings, with genetic variations playing a crucial role in individual susceptibility to opioid use disorder (OUD) and influencing clinical practices. In this study, we leverage the genetic diversity of four rat strains (ACI/N, BN/NHsd, WKY/N, and F344/N) to examine the contribution of genetic factors to oxycodone metabolism and addiction-like behaviors. We used the extended access to intravenous oxycodone self-administration procedure (12 h/day, 0.15 mg/kg/injection) to comprehensively characterize oxycodone-related behaviors and pharmacokinetics. We measured escalation of oxycodone self-administration, motivation for drug consumption, tolerance to the analgesic effects of oxycodone, withdrawal-induced hyperalgesia, and oxycodone-induced respiratory depression. Additionally, we examined oxycodone-seeking behavior after four weeks of withdrawal by reintroducing the animals to environmental and cue stimuli previously associated with oxycodone self-administration. The findings revealed notable strain differences in several behavioral measures, including oxycodone metabolism. Intriguingly, BN/NHsd and WKY/N strains exhibited similar drug intake and escalation patterns but displayed significant disparities in oxycodone and oxymorphone metabolism. Minimal sex differences were observed within strains, primarily relating to oxycodone metabolism. In conclusion, this study identifies strain differences in the behavioral responses and pharmacokinetics associated with oxycodone self-administration in rats, providing a robust foundation for identifying genetic and molecular variants associated with various facets of the opioid addiction process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R Doyle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Angelica R Martinez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ran Qiao
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Selen Dirik
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Francesca Di Ottavio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Glenn Pascasio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Rémi Martin-Fardon
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Christopher Benner
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Francesca Telese
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Giordano de Guglielmo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Duttke SH, Montilla-Perez P, Chang MW, Li H, Chen H, Carrette LLG, de Guglielmo G, George O, Palmer AA, Benner C, Telese F. Glucocorticoid Receptor-Regulated Enhancers Play a Central Role in the Gene Regulatory Networks Underlying Drug Addiction. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:858427. [PMID: 35651629 PMCID: PMC9149415 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.858427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance abuse and addiction represent a significant public health problem that impacts multiple dimensions of society, including healthcare, the economy, and the workforce. In 2021, over 100,000 drug overdose deaths were reported in the US, with an alarming increase in fatalities related to opioids and psychostimulants. Understanding the fundamental gene regulatory mechanisms underlying addiction and related behaviors could facilitate more effective treatments. To explore how repeated drug exposure alters gene regulatory networks in the brain, we combined capped small (cs)RNA-seq, which accurately captures nascent-like initiating transcripts from total RNA, with Hi-C and single nuclei (sn)ATAC-seq. We profiled initiating transcripts in two addiction-related brain regions, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc), from rats that were never exposed to drugs or were subjected to prolonged abstinence after oxycodone or cocaine intravenous self-administration (IVSA). Interrogating over 100,000 active transcription start regions (TSRs) revealed that most TSRs had hallmarks of bonafide enhancers and highlighted the KLF/SP1, RFX, and AP1 transcription factors families as central to establishing brain-specific gene regulatory programs. Analysis of rats with addiction-like behaviors versus controls identified addiction-associated repression of transcription at regulatory enhancers recognized by nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C (NR3C) factors, including glucocorticoid receptors. Cell-type deconvolution analysis using snATAC-seq uncovered a potential role of glial cells in driving the gene regulatory programs associated with addiction-related phenotypes. These findings highlight the power of advanced transcriptomics methods to provide insight into how addiction perturbs gene regulatory programs in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sascha H. Duttke
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | | | - Max W. Chang
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Hairi Li
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science and Toxicology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | | | - Giordano de Guglielmo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Abraham A. Palmer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Christopher Benner
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Francesca Telese
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Poisson CL, Engel L, Saunders BT. Dopamine Circuit Mechanisms of Addiction-Like Behaviors. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:752420. [PMID: 34858143 PMCID: PMC8631198 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.752420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Addiction is a complex disease that impacts millions of people around the world. Clinically, addiction is formalized as substance use disorder (SUD), with three primary symptom categories: exaggerated substance use, social or lifestyle impairment, and risky substance use. Considerable efforts have been made to model features of these criteria in non-human animal research subjects, for insight into the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Here we review evidence from rodent models of SUD-inspired criteria, focusing on the role of the striatal dopamine system. We identify distinct mesostriatal and nigrostriatal dopamine circuit functions in behavioral outcomes that are relevant to addictions and SUDs. This work suggests that striatal dopamine is essential for not only positive symptom features of SUDs, such as elevated intake and craving, but also for impairments in decision making that underlie compulsive behavior, reduced sociality, and risk taking. Understanding the functional heterogeneity of the dopamine system and related networks can offer insight into this complex symptomatology and may lead to more targeted treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carli L. Poisson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Liv Engel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Benjamin T. Saunders
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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