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Namba MD, Xie Q, Park K, Jackson JG, Barker JM. EcoHIV Infection Modulates the Effects of Cocaine Exposure Pattern and Abstinence on Cocaine Seeking and Neuroimmune Protein Expression in Male Mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.15.589615. [PMID: 38659915 PMCID: PMC11042347 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.15.589615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Cocaine use disorders (CUDs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remain persistent public health dilemmas throughout the world. One major hurdle for treating CUD is the increase in cocaine craving and seeking behavior that occurs over a protracted period of abstinence, an effect known as the incubation of craving. Little is known about how HIV may modulate this process. Thus, we sought to examine the impact of chronic HIV infection on the incubation of cocaine craving and associated changes in the central and peripheral immune systems. Here, mice were inoculated with EcoHIV, which is a chimeric HIV-1 construct that produces chronic HIV infection in mice. EcoHIV- and sham-infected mice were conditioned with cocaine daily or intermittently in a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm, followed by 1 or 21 days of forced abstinence prior to assessing preference for the cocaine-paired chamber. Under both conditioning regimens, sham mice exhibited incubation of cocaine CPP after 21 days of abstinence. EcoHIV-infected mice conditioned daily with cocaine showed enhanced cocaine seeking at both abstinence timepoints, whereas infected mice conditioned intermittently showed a reversal of the incubation effect, with higher cocaine seeking after 1 day of abstinence compared to 21 days. Analysis of corticolimbic CX3CL1-CX3CR1 and glutamate receptor expression revealed alterations in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) CX3CL1 and nucleus accumbens (NAc) GluN2A receptors that correlated with cocaine seeking following daily cocaine exposure. Moreover, examination of peripheral immune markers showed that the effect of abstinence and EcoHIV infection on these measures depended on the cocaine exposure regimen. Altogether, these results highlight the importance of cocaine abstinence and exposure pattern as critical variables that modulate HIV-associated neuroimmune outcomes and relapse vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D. Namba
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qiaowei Xie
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Graduate Program in Pharmacology and Physiology, College of Medicine, Drexel University
| | - Kyewon Park
- Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joshua G. Jackson
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jacqueline M. Barker
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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2
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Vines L, Sotelo D, Giddens N, Manza P, Volkow ND, Wang GJ. Neurological, Behavioral, and Pathophysiological Characterization of the Co-Occurrence of Substance Use and HIV: A Narrative Review. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1480. [PMID: 37891847 PMCID: PMC10605099 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13101480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has greatly reduced the severity of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders in people living with HIV (PLWH); however, PLWH are more likely than the general population to use drugs and suffer from substance use disorders (SUDs) and to exhibit risky behaviors that promote HIV transmission and other infections. Dopamine-boosting psychostimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine are some of the most widely used substances among PLWH. Chronic use of these substances disrupts brain function, structure, and cognition. PLWH with SUD have poor health outcomes driven by complex interactions between biological, neurocognitive, and social factors. Here we review the effects of comorbid HIV and psychostimulant use disorders by discussing the distinct and common effects of HIV and chronic cocaine and methamphetamine use on behavioral and neurological impairments using evidence from rodent models of HIV-associated neurocognitive impairments (Tat or gp120 protein expression) and clinical studies. We also provide a biopsychosocial perspective by discussing behavioral impairment in differentially impacted social groups and proposing interventions at both patient and population levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Vines
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (L.V.); (D.S.); (P.M.); (N.D.V.)
| | - Diana Sotelo
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (L.V.); (D.S.); (P.M.); (N.D.V.)
| | - Natasha Giddens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53719, USA;
| | - Peter Manza
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (L.V.); (D.S.); (P.M.); (N.D.V.)
| | - Nora D. Volkow
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (L.V.); (D.S.); (P.M.); (N.D.V.)
| | - Gene-Jack Wang
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (L.V.); (D.S.); (P.M.); (N.D.V.)
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3
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Towe SL, Tang R, Gibson MJ, Zhang AR, Meade CS. Longitudinal changes in neurocognitive performance related to drug use intensity in a sample of persons with and without HIV who use illicit stimulants. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 251:110923. [PMID: 37598454 PMCID: PMC10538396 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Illicit stimulant use remains a public health concern that has been associated with multiple adverse outcomes, including cognitive deficits. The effects of stimulant use on cognition may be particularly deleterious in persons with HIV. Stimulant use intensity may be an important factor in the magnitude of observed deficits over time. METHODS We completed neurocognitive testing in a sample of people who use stimulants with (n = 84) and without HIV (n = 123) at baseline and up to 4 follow-up time points over approximately 1 year. Participants reported on substance use at each visit, including frequency of use and stimulant dependence. Mixed effects models examined the relationship between stimulant-related factors and neurocognitive function over time. RESULTS Participants were mostly male (57%), African American (86%), and 47.41 years old on average. All participants actively used stimulants at enrollment and use remained prevalent throughout the follow-up period, with an average of ≥24 days of use in the past 90 days at all time points. Retention was excellent, with 86% completing all 4 follow-up assessments. Mixed effects models showed that stimulant dependence was associated with lower neurocognitive performance independent of HIV status (p = 0.002), whereas frequency of use had a greater negative impact on performance in participants with HIV compared to those without HIV (p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS Our key finding is that stimulant-related factors are associated with neurocognitive performance over time, but in complex ways. These findings have important implications for harm reduction approaches, particularly those that target cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheri L Towe
- Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Runshi Tang
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Statistics, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Matthew J Gibson
- Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Anru R Zhang
- Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Christina S Meade
- Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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4
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Namba MD, Xie Q, Barker JM. Advancing the preclinical study of comorbid neuroHIV and substance use disorders: Current perspectives and future directions. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 113:453-475. [PMID: 37567486 PMCID: PMC10528352 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.07.021] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a persistent public health concern throughout the world. Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a common comorbidity that can worsen treatment outcomes for people living with HIV. The relationship between HIV infection and SUD outcomes is likely bidirectional, making clear interrogation of neurobehavioral outcomes challenging in clinical populations. Importantly, the mechanisms through which HIV and addictive drugs disrupt homeostatic immune and CNS function appear to be highly overlapping and synergistic within HIV-susceptible reward and motivation circuitry in the central nervous system. Decades of animal research have revealed invaluable insights into mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology SUDs and HIV, although translational studies examining comorbid SUDs and HIV are very limited due to the technical challenges of modeling HIV infection preclinically. In this review, we discuss preclinical animal models of HIV and highlight key pathophysiological characteristics of each model, with a particular emphasis on rodent models of HIV. We then review the implementation of these models in preclinical SUD research and identify key gaps in knowledge in the field. Finally, we discuss how cutting-edge behavioral neuroscience tools, which have revealed key insights into the neurobehavioral mechanisms of SUDs, can be applied to preclinical animal models of HIV to reveal potential, novel treatment avenues for comorbid HIV and SUDs. Here, we argue that future preclinical SUD research would benefit from incorporating comorbidities such as HIV into animal models and would facilitate the discovery of more refined, subpopulation-specific mechanisms and effective SUD prevention and treatment targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D Namba
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qiaowei Xie
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jacqueline M Barker
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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5
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Boateng CA, Nilson AN, Placide R, Pham ML, Jakobs FM, Boldizsar N, McIntosh S, Stallings LS, Korankyi IV, Kelshikar S, Shah N, Panasis D, Muccilli A, Ladik M, Maslonka B, McBride C, Sanchez MX, Akca E, Alkhatib M, Saez J, Nguyen C, Kurtyan E, DePierro J, Crowthers R, Brunt D, Bonifazi A, Newman AH, Rais R, Slusher BS, Free RB, Sibley DR, Stewart KD, Wu C, Hemby SE, Keck TM. Pharmacology and Therapeutic Potential of Benzothiazole Analogues for Cocaine Use Disorder. J Med Chem 2023; 66:12141-12162. [PMID: 37646374 PMCID: PMC10510399 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacological targeting of the dopamine D4 receptor (D4R)─expressed in brain regions that control cognition, attention, and decision-making─could be useful for several neuropsychiatric disorders including substance use disorders (SUDs). This study focused on the synthesis and evaluation of a novel series of benzothiazole analogues designed to target D4R. We identified several compounds with high D4R binding affinity (Ki ≤ 6.9 nM) and >91-fold selectivity over other D2-like receptors (D2R, D3R) with diverse partial agonist and antagonist profiles. Novel analogue 16f is a potent low-efficacy D4R partial agonist, metabolically stable in rat and human liver microsomes, and has excellent brain penetration in rats (AUCbrain/plasma > 3). 16f (5-30 mg/kg, i.p.) dose-dependently decreased iv cocaine self-administration in rats, consistent with previous results produced by D4R-selective antagonists. Off-target antagonism of 5-HT2A or 5-HT2B may also contribute to these effects. Results with 16f support further efforts to target D4R in SUD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Comfort A. Boateng
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Ashley N. Nilson
- Molecular
Neuropharmacology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Rebekah Placide
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Mimi L. Pham
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Franziska M. Jakobs
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Noelia Boldizsar
- Molecular
Neuropharmacology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Scot McIntosh
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Leia S. Stallings
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Ivana V. Korankyi
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Shreya Kelshikar
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Nisha Shah
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Diandra Panasis
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Abigail Muccilli
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Maria Ladik
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Brianna Maslonka
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Connor McBride
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Moises Ximello Sanchez
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Ebrar Akca
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Mohammad Alkhatib
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Julianna Saez
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Catherine Nguyen
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Emily Kurtyan
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Jacquelyn DePierro
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Raymond Crowthers
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Dylan Brunt
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Alessandro Bonifazi
- Medicinal
Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch,
National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Amy Hauck Newman
- Medicinal
Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch,
National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Rana Rais
- Department
of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Department
of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - R. Benjamin Free
- Molecular
Neuropharmacology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - David R. Sibley
- Molecular
Neuropharmacology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke-Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Kent D. Stewart
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Chun Wu
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
| | - Scott E. Hemby
- Department
of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, One University Parkway, High Point, North Carolina 27268, United States
| | - Thomas M. Keck
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Biological & Biomedical
Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, United States
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6
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Pla-Tenorio J, Roig AM, García-Cesaní PA, Santiago LA, Sepulveda-Orengo MT, Noel RJ. Astrocytes: Role in pathogenesis and effect of commonly misused drugs in the HIV infected brain. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 5:100108. [PMID: 38020814 PMCID: PMC10663134 DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2023.100108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The roles of astrocytes as reservoirs and producers of a subset of viral proteins in the HIV infected brain have been studied extensively as a key to understanding HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). However, their comprehensive role in the context of intersecting substance use and neurocircuitry of the reward pathway and HAND has yet to be fully explained. Use of methamphetamines, cocaine, or opioids in the context of HIV infection have been shown to lead to a faster progression of HAND. Glutamatergic, dopaminergic, and GABAergic systems are implicated in the development of HAND-induced cognitive impairments. A thorough review of scientific literature exploring the variety of mechanisms in which these drugs exert their effects on the HIV brain and astrocytes has revealed marked areas of convergence in overexcitation leading to increased drug-seeking behavior, inflammation, apoptosis, and irreversible neurotoxicity. The present review investigates astrocytes, the neural pathways, and mechanisms of drug disruption that ultimately play a larger holistic role in terms of HIV progression and drug use. There are opportunities for future research, therapeutic intervention, and preventive strategies to diminish HAND in the subset population of patients with HIV and substance use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessalyn Pla-Tenorio
- Ponce Health Sciences University, School of Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, 395 Industrial Reparada, Zona 2, Ponce, PR, 00716, Puerto Rico
| | - Angela M. Roig
- Seattle Children's Hospital, MS OC.7.830, 4800 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98105-0371, United States
| | - Paulina A. García-Cesaní
- Bella Vista Hospital, Family Medicine Residency, Carr. 349 Km 2.7, Cerro Las Mesas, Mayaguez, PR, 00681, Puerto Rico
| | - Luis A. Santiago
- Ponce Health Sciences University, School of Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, 395 Industrial Reparada, Zona 2, Ponce, PR, 00716, Puerto Rico
| | - Marian T. Sepulveda-Orengo
- Ponce Health Sciences University, School of Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, 395 Industrial Reparada, Zona 2, Ponce, PR, 00716, Puerto Rico
| | - Richard J. Noel
- Ponce Health Sciences University, School of Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, 395 Industrial Reparada, Zona 2, Ponce, PR, 00716, Puerto Rico
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7
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Namba MD, Phillips MN, Chen PJ, Blass BE, Olive MF, Neisewander JL. HIV gp120 impairs nucleus accumbens neuroimmune function and dopamine D3 receptor-mediated inhibition of cocaine seeking in male rats. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 5:100062. [PMID: 36909738 PMCID: PMC9997483 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Cocaine Use Disorders (CUDs) are associated with an increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Cocaine and the HIV envelope protein gp120 each induce distinct deficits to mesocorticolimbic circuit function and motivated behavior; however, little is known regarding how they interact to dysregulate these functions or how such interactions impact pharmacotherapeutic efficacy. We have previously shown that the selective, weak partial agonist of the dopamine D3 receptor (D3R), MC-25-41, attenuates cocaine-seeking behavior in male rats. Here, we sought to characterize changes in striatal neuroimmune function in gp120-exposed rats across abstinence from operant access to cocaine (0.75 mg/kg, i.v.) or sucrose (45 mg/pellet), and to examine the impact of gp120 exposure on MC-25-41-reduced cocaine seeking. After establishing a history of cocaine or sucrose self-administration, rats received intracerebroventricular gp120 infusions daily the first 5 days of abstinence and were sacrificed either on day 6 or after 21 days of forced abstinence and a cue-induced cocaine seeking test. We demonstrated that MC-25-41 treatment attenuated cue-induced cocaine seeking among control rats but not gp120-exposed rats. Moreover, postmortem analysis of nucleus accumbens (NAc) core neuroimmune function indicated cocaine abstinence- and gp120-induced impairments, and the expression of several immune factors within the NAc core significantly correlated with cocaine-seeking behavior. We conclude that cocaine abstinence dysregulates striatal neuroimmune function and interacts with gp120 to inhibit the effectiveness of a D3R partial agonist in reducing cocaine seeking. These findings highlight the need to consider comorbidities, such as immune status, when evaluating the efficacy of novel pharmacotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D Namba
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Megan N Phillips
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Peng-Jen Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, School of Pharmacy, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Benjamin E Blass
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research, School of Pharmacy, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - M Foster Olive
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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8
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Cocaine Self-Administration Influences Central Nervous System Immune Responses in Male HIV-1 Transgenic Rats. Cells 2022; 11:cells11152405. [PMID: 35954251 PMCID: PMC9368446 DOI: 10.3390/cells11152405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cocaine use increases the neurotoxic severity of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection and the development of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Among the studied cellular mechanisms promoting neurotoxicity in HIV-1 and cocaine use, central nervous system (CNS) immunity, such as neuroimmune signaling and reduced antiviral activity, are risk determinants; however, concrete evidence remains elusive. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that cocaine self-administration by transgenic HIV-1 (HIV-1Tg) rats promotes CNS inflammation. To test this hypothesis, we measured cytokine, chemokine, and growth factor protein levels in the frontal cortex (fCTX) and caudal striatum (cSTR). Our results demonstrated that cocaine self-administration significantly increased fCTX inflammation in HIV-1Tg rats, but not in the cSTR. Accordingly, we postulate that cocaine synergizes with HIV-1 proteins to increase neuroinflammation in a region-selective manner, including the fCTX. Given the fCTX role in cognition, this interaction may contribute to the hyperimmunity and reduced antiviral activity associated with cocaine-mediated enhancement of HAND.
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9
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S-Equol mitigates motivational deficits and dysregulation associated with HIV-1. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11870. [PMID: 34088932 PMCID: PMC8178385 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91240-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Motivational deficits (e.g., apathy) and dysregulation (e.g., addiction) in HIV-1 seropositive individuals, despite treatment with combination antiretroviral therapy, necessitates the development of innovative adjunctive therapeutics. S-Equol (SE), a selective estrogen receptor β agonist, has been implicated as a neuroprotective and/or neurorestorative therapeutic for HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND); its therapeutic utility for motivational alterations, however, has yet to be systematically evaluated. Thus, HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) and control animals were treated with either a daily oral dose of SE (0.2 mg) or vehicle and assessed in a series of tasks to evaluate goal-directed and drug-seeking behavior. First, at the genotypic level, motivational deficits in HIV-1 Tg rats treated with vehicle were characterized by a diminished reinforcing efficacy of, and sensitivity to, sucrose. Motivational dysregulation was evidenced by enhanced drug-seeking for cocaine relative to control animals treated with vehicle. Second, treatment with SE ameliorated both motivational deficits and dysregulation in HIV-1 Tg rats. Following a history of cocaine self-administration, HIV-1 Tg animals treated with vehicle exhibited lower levels of dendritic branching and a shift towards longer dendritic spines with decreased head diameter. Treatment with SE, however, led to long-term enhancements in dendritic spine morphology in HIV-1 Tg animals supporting a potential underlying basis by which SE exerts its therapeutic effects. Taken together, SE restored motivated behavior in the HIV-1 Tg rat, expanding the potential clinical utility of SE to include both neurocognitive and affective alterations.
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10
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Namba MD, Leyrer-Jackson JM, Nagy EK, Olive MF, Neisewander JL. Neuroimmune Mechanisms as Novel Treatment Targets for Substance Use Disorders and Associated Comorbidities. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:650785. [PMID: 33935636 PMCID: PMC8082184 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.650785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies examining the neurobiology of substance abuse have revealed a significant role of neuroimmune signaling as a mechanism through which drugs of abuse induce aberrant changes in synaptic plasticity and contribute to substance abuse-related behaviors. Immune signaling within the brain and the periphery critically regulates homeostasis of the nervous system. Perturbations in immune signaling can induce neuroinflammation or immunosuppression, which dysregulate nervous system function including neural processes associated with substance use disorders (SUDs). In this review, we discuss the literature that demonstrates a role of neuroimmune signaling in regulating learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity, emphasizing specific cytokine signaling within the central nervous system. We then highlight recent preclinical studies, within the last 5 years when possible, that have identified immune mechanisms within the brain and the periphery associated with addiction-related behaviors. Findings thus far underscore the need for future investigations into the clinical potential of immunopharmacology as a novel approach toward treating SUDs. Considering the high prevalence rate of comorbidities among those with SUDs, we also discuss neuroimmune mechanisms of common comorbidities associated with SUDs and highlight potentially novel treatment targets for these comorbid conditions. We argue that immunopharmacology represents a novel frontier in the development of new pharmacotherapies that promote long-term abstinence from drug use and minimize the detrimental impact of SUD comorbidities on patient health and treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D. Namba
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | | | - Erin K. Nagy
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - M. Foster Olive
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
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Cirino TJ, McLaughlin JP. Mini review: Promotion of substance abuse in HIV patients: Biological mediation by HIV-1 Tat protein. Neurosci Lett 2021; 753:135877. [PMID: 33838257 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Despite successful viral suppression by combinatorial anti-retroviral therapy, HIV infection continues to negatively impact the quality of life of patients by promoting neuropathy and HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND), where substance use disorder (SUD) is highly comorbid and known to worsen health outcomes. While substance abuse exacerbates the progression of HIV, emerging evidence also suggests the virus may potentiate the rewarding effect of abused substances. As HIV does not infect neurons, these effects are theorized to be mediated by viral proteins. Key among these proteins are HIV-1 Tat, which can continue to be produced under viral suppression in patients. This review will recap the behavioral evidence for HIV-1 Tat mediation of a potentiation of cocaine, opioid and alcohol reward, and explore the neurochemical dysfunction associated by Tat as potential mechanisms underlying changes in reward. Targeting rampant oxidative stress, inflammation and excitotoxicity associated with HIV and Tat protein exposure may prove useful in combating persistent substance abuse comorbid with HIV in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Cirino
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Jay P McLaughlin
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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HIV-1 Tat Dysregulates the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Stress Axis and Potentiates Oxycodone-Mediated Psychomotor and Anxiety-Like Behavior of Male Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218212. [PMID: 33153023 PMCID: PMC7662349 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with co-morbid affective and stress-sensitive neuropsychiatric disorders that may be related to dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress axis. The HPA axis is perturbed in up to 46% of HIV patients, but the mechanisms are not known. The neurotoxic HIV-1 regulatory protein, trans-activator of transcription (Tat), may contribute. We hypothesized that HPA dysregulation may contribute to Tat-mediated interactions with oxycodone, a clinically-used opioid often prescribed to HIV patients. In transgenic male mice, Tat expression produced significantly higher basal corticosterone levels with adrenal insufficiency in response to a natural stressor or pharmacological blockade of HPA feedback, recapitulating the clinical phenotype. On acute exposure, HIV-1 Tat interacted with oxycodone to potentiate psychomotor and anxiety like-behavior in an open field and light-dark transition tasks, whereas repeated exposure sensitized stress-related psychomotor behavior and the HPA stress response. Pharmacological blockade of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) partially-restored the stress response and decreased oxycodone-mediated psychomotor behavior in Tat-expressing mice, implicating GR in these effects. Blocking corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors reduced anxiety-like behavior in mice that were exposed to oxycodone. Together, these effects support the notion that Tat exposure can dysregulate the HPA axis, potentially raising vulnerability to stress-related substance use and affective disorders.
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Huynh YW, Thompson BM, Larsen CE, Buch S, Guo ML, Bevins RA, Murray JE. Male HIV-1 transgenic rats show reduced cocaine-maintained lever-pressing compared to F344 wildtype rats despite similar baseline locomotion. J Exp Anal Behav 2020; 113:468-484. [PMID: 32077125 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) rat model is valuable for understanding HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) and accompanying substance use and misuse. Tg and F344/NHsd wildtype (WT) rats were allowed to self-administer intrajugular cocaine. For the first 7 sessions, neither genotype self-administered cocaine (0.1 mg/kg/infusion) on a fixed ratio 1 schedule. We thus implemented a lever-cocaine "autoshaping" session followed by a series of manipulations changing dose and reinforcement schedule. Tg rats self-administered much less cocaine than WT rats throughout the study. Of 8 Tg rats, 5 modestly increased self-administration from sessions 36-50. Of those, only 3 showed a lever discrimination. Of 10 WT rats, 8 acquired robust self-administration by session 19; all WT rats self-administered cocaine by the end of the study. WT and Tg rats had similar baseline locomotor activity in the self-administration chamber suggesting that the low levels of cocaine intake in the Tg rats did not reflect a nonspecific motor impairment in this rat strain. Concomitant measurement of activity with self-administration revealed activity increases that followed increased cocaine intake. That relation held in Tg rats. Therefore, the present study provides evidence that HIV-1 Tg rats are less sensitive to the reinforcing effects of cocaine than their F344 WT counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Wendy Huynh
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-, Lincoln
| | | | | | - Shilpa Buch
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
| | - Ming-Lei Guo
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
| | - Rick A Bevins
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-, Lincoln
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Hemby SE, McIntosh S, Leon F, Cutler SJ, McCurdy CR. Abuse liability and therapeutic potential of the Mitragyna speciosa (kratom) alkaloids mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Addict Biol 2019; 24:874-885. [PMID: 29949228 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Kratom, derived from the plant Mitragyna speciosa, is receiving increased attention as an alternative to traditional opiates and as a replacement therapy for opiate dependence. Mitragynine (MG) and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-HMG) are major psychoactive constituents of kratom. While MG and 7-HMG share behavioral and analgesic properties with morphine, their reinforcing effects have not been examined to date. 7-HMG, but not MG, substituted for morphine self-administration in a dose-dependent manner in the rat self-administration paradigm. Following the substitution procedure, re-assessment of morphine self-administration revealed a significant increase following 7-HMG and a significant decrease following MG substitution. In a separate cohort, 7-HMG, but not MG, engendered and maintained intravenous self-administration in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of pretreatment with nalxonaxine (NLXZ), a μ1 opiate receptor antagonist, and naltrindole (NTI), a δ opiate receptor antagonist, on 7-HMG and morphine self-administration were also examined. Both NLXZ and NTI reduced 7-HMG self-administration, whereas only NLXZ decreased morphine intake. The present results are the first to demonstrate that 7-HMG is readily self-administered, and the reinforcing effects of 7-HMG are mediated in part by μ and δ opiate receptors. In addition, prior exposure to 7-HMG increased subsequent morphine intake whereas prior exposure to MG decreased morphine intake. The present findings indicate that MG does not have abuse potential and reduces morphine intake, desired characteristics of candidate pharmacotherapies for opiate addiction and withdrawal, whereas 7-HMG should be considered a kratom constituent with high abuse potential that may also increase the intake of other opiates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott E. Hemby
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy; High Point University; High Point NC USA
| | - Scot McIntosh
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy; High Point University; High Point NC USA
| | - Francisco Leon
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy; University of Florida; Gainesville FL USA
| | | | - Christopher R. McCurdy
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy; University of Florida; Gainesville FL USA
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Age-Related Decrease in Tyrosine Hydroxylase Immunoreactivity in the Substantia Nigra and Region-Specific Changes in Microglia Morphology in HIV-1 Tg Rats. Neurotox Res 2019; 36:563-582. [PMID: 31286433 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-019-00077-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Animal models have been used to study cellular processes related to human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1)-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). The HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) rat expresses HIV viral genes except the gag-pol replication genes and exhibits neuropathological features similar to HIV patients receiving combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Using this rat, alterations in dopaminergic function have been demonstrated; however, the data for neuroinflammation and glial reactivity is conflicting. Differences in behavior, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity, neuroinflammation, and glia reactivity were assessed in HIV-1 Tg male rats. At 6 and 12 weeks of age, rotarod performance was diminished, motor activity was not altered, and active avoidance latency performance and memory were diminished in HIV-1 Tg rats. TH+ immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra (SN) was decreased at 8 months but not at 2-5 months. At 5 months, astrocyte and microglia morphology was not altered in the cortex, hippocampus, or SN. In the striatum, astrocytes were unaltered, microglia displayed slightly thickened proximal processes, mRNA levels for Iba1 and Cd11b were elevated, and interleukin (Il)1α,Cxcr3, and cell adhesion molecule, Icam, decreased. In the hippocampus, mRNA levels for Tnfa and Cd11b were slightly elevated. No changes were observed in the cortex or SN. The data support an age-related effect of HIV proteins upon the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system and suggest an early response of microglia in the terminal synaptic region with little evidence of an associated neuroinflammatory response across brain regions.
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Ohene-Nyako M, Persons AL, Napier TC. Region-specific changes in markers of neuroplasticity revealed in HIV-1 transgenic rats by low-dose methamphetamine. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:3503-3513. [PMID: 29931627 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1701-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Methamphetamine abuse co-occurring with HIV infection presents neuropathology in brain regions that mediate reward and motivation. A neuronal signaling cascade altered acutely by meth and some HIV-1 proteins is the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. It remains unknown if chronic co-exposure to meth and HIV-1 proteins converge on MAPK in vivo. To make this determination, we studied young adult Fischer 344 HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) and non-Tg rats that self-administered meth (0.02-0.04 mg/kg/0.05 ml iv infusion, 2 h/day for 21 days) and their saline-yoked controls. One day following the operant task, rats were killed. Brain regions involved in reward-motivation [i.e., nucleus accumbens (NA) and ventral pallidum (VP)], were assayed for a MAPK cascade protein, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and a downstream transcription factor, ΔFosB. In the NA, activated (phosphorylated; p) ERK-to-ERK ratio (pERK/ERK) was increased in meth-exposed Tg rats versus saline Tg controls, and versus meth non-Tg rats. ΔFosB was increased in meth Tg rats versus saline and meth non-Tg rats. Assessment of two targets of ΔFosB-regulated transcription revealed (1) increased dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) immunoreactivity in the NA shell of Tg-meth rats versus saline Tg controls, but (2) no changes in the AMPA receptor subunit, GluA2. No changes related to genotype or meth occurred for ERK, ΔFosB or D1R protein in the VP. Results reveal a region-specific activation of ERK, and increases in ΔFosB and D1R expression induced by HIV-1 proteins and meth. Such effects may contribute to the neuronal and behavioral pathology associated with meth/HIV comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ohene-Nyako
- Department of Pharmacology, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Center for Compulsive Behavior and Addiction, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Amanda L Persons
- Department of Physician Assistant Studies, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, 1735 W. Harrison Street, Cohn Research Building Suite #424, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.,Center for Compulsive Behavior and Addiction, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - T Celeste Napier
- Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, 1735 W. Harrison Street, Cohn Research Building Suite #424, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA. .,Center for Compulsive Behavior and Addiction, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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HIV-1 proteins dysregulate motivational processes and dopamine circuitry. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7869. [PMID: 29777165 PMCID: PMC5959859 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-25109-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivational alterations, such as apathy, in HIV-1+ individuals are associated with decreased performance on tasks involving frontal-subcortical circuitry. We used the HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) rat to assess effect of long-term HIV-1 protein exposure on motivated behavior using sucrose (1–30%, w/v) and cocaine (0.01–1.0 mg/kg/infusion) maintained responding with fixed-ratio (FR) and progressive-ratio (PR) schedules of reinforcement. For sucrose-reinforced responding, HIV-1 Tg rats displayed no change in EC50 relative to controls, suggesting no change in sucrose reinforcement but had a downward shifted concentration-response curves, suggesting a decrease in response vigor. Cocaine-maintained responding was attenuated in HIV-1 Tg rats (FR1 0.33 mg/kg/infusion and PR 1.0 mg/kg/infusion). Dose-response tests (PR) revealed that HIV-1 Tg animals responded significantly less than F344 control rats and failed to earn significantly more infusions of cocaine as the unit dose increased. When choosing between cocaine and sucrose, control rats initially chose sucrose but with time shifted to a cocaine preference. In contrast, HIV-1 disrupted choice behaviors. DAT function was altered in the striatum of HIV-1 Tg rats; however, prior cocaine self-administration produced a unique effect on dopamine homeostasis in the HIV-1 Tg striatum. These findings of altered goal directed behaviors may determine neurobiological mechanisms of apathy in HIV-1+ patients.
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Chen R, McIntosh S, Hemby SE, Sun H, Sexton T, Martin TJ, Childers SR. High and low doses of cocaine intake are differentially regulated by dopamine D2 receptors in the ventral tegmental area and the nucleus accumbens. Neurosci Lett 2018; 671:133-139. [PMID: 29454035 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) are associated with vulnerability to addiction; however, whether D2Rs in these two brain regions play differential roles in regulation of drug intake is unknown. Here, we compared the effect of decreased mRNA level of Drd2 in each region on cocaine self-administration in a dose-response function. Drd2 mRNA levels in rat VTA or NAc were knocked down by bilateral microinjection of lentivirus coding shRNAs against rat Drd2 or scrambled shRNA. Drd2 knockdown was persistent and stable between 20 and 90 days after lentiviral infection. Animals were trained to self-administer cocaine 20 days after Drd2 shRNA treatment. Compared to scrambled shRNA treated rats, Drd2 knockdown in the VTA increased cocaine self-administration at all tested doses (0.02-0.56 mg/kg/infusion) producing an upward shift (both the ascending and descending limb) in the dose-response curve of cocaine self-administration. In contrast, intra-NAc knockdown increased cocaine self-administration only on the ascending limb of the dose-response curve (0.02-0.07 mg/kg/infusion). These data suggest that D2Rs in the VTA, not in the NAc, regulate high-dose cocaine intake. The present study not only demonstrates that low levels of D2Rs in either region increase low doses of cocaine intake, but also reveals for the first time their dissociable roles in limiting high doses of cocaine self-administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Chen
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States; Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States; Center for Molecular Signaling, Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, NC 27109, United States.
| | - S McIntosh
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States
| | - S E Hemby
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States
| | - H Sun
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States; Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States
| | - T Sexton
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States; Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States
| | - T J Martin
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States; Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States
| | - S R Childers
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States; Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States
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Persons AL, Bradaric BD, Dodiya HB, Ohene-Nyako M, Forsyth CB, Keshavarzian A, Shaikh M, Napier TC. Colon dysregulation in methamphetamine self-administering HIV-1 transgenic rats. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190078. [PMID: 29293553 PMCID: PMC5749763 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The integrity and function of the gut is impaired in HIV-infected individuals, and gut pathogenesis may play a role in several HIV-associated disorders. Methamphetamine is a popular illicit drug abused by HIV-infected individuals. However, the effect of methamphetamine on the gut and its potential to exacerbate HIV-associated gut pathology is not known. To shed light on this scenario, we evaluated colon barrier pathology in a rat model of the human comorbid condition. Intestinal barrier integrity and permeability were assessed in drug-naïve Fischer 344 HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) and non-Tg rats, and in Tg and non-Tg rats instrumented with jugular cannulae trained to self-administer methamphetamine or serving as saline-yoked controls. Intestinal permeability was determined by measuring the urine content of orally gavaged sugars. Intestinal barrier integrity was evaluated by immunoblotting or immunofluorescence of colon claudin-1 and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), two major tight junction proteins that regulate gut epithelial paracellular permeability. Both non-Tg and Tg rats self-administered moderate amounts of methamphetamine. These amounts were sufficient to increase colon permeability, reduce protein level of claudin-1, and reduce claudin-1 and ZO-1 immunofluorescence in Tg rats relative to non-Tg rats. Methamphetamine decreased tight junction immunofluorescence in non-Tg rats, with a similar, but non-significant trend observed in Tg rats. However, the effect of methamphetamine on tight junction proteins was subthreshold to gut leakiness. These findings reveal that both HIV-1 proteins and methamphetamine alter colon barrier integrity, and indicate that the gut may be a pathogenic site for these insults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda L. Persons
- Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Physician Assistant Studies, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Center for Compulsive Behavior and Addiction, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Brinda D. Bradaric
- Center for Compulsive Behavior and Addiction, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Health Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Hemraj B. Dodiya
- Department of Pharmacology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Michael Ohene-Nyako
- Center for Compulsive Behavior and Addiction, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Christopher B. Forsyth
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Ali Keshavarzian
- Center for Compulsive Behavior and Addiction, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Maliha Shaikh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - T. Celeste Napier
- Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Center for Compulsive Behavior and Addiction, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
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HIV-1 and cocaine disrupt dopamine reuptake and medium spiny neurons in female rat striatum. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188404. [PMID: 29176843 PMCID: PMC5703481 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV-1 and addictive drugs, such as cocaine (COC), may act in combination to produce serious neurological complications. In the present experiments, striatal brain slices from HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) and F344 control female rats were studied. First, we examined dopamine (DA) reuptake in control, HIV-1, COC-treated (5µM) and HIV-1+COC-treated, striatal slices using fast scan cyclic voltammetry. COC-treated striatal slices from F344 control animals significantly increased DA reuptake time (T80), relative to untreated control slices. In contrast, in HIV-1 Tg striatal slices, DA reuptake time was extended by HIV-1, which was not further altered by COC treatment. Second, analysis of medium spiny neuronal populations from striatal brain slices found that controls treated with cocaine displayed increases in spine length, whereas cocaine treated HIV-1 slices displayed decreased spine length. Taken together, the current study provides evidence for dysfunction of the dopamine transporter (DAT) in mediating DA reuptake in HIV-1 Tg rats and limited responses to acute COC exposure. Collectively, dysfunction of the DAT reuptake and altered dendritic spine morphology of the MSNs, suggest a functional disruption of the dopamine system within the HIV-1 Tg rat.
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Casas R, Muthusamy S, Wakim PG, Sinharay S, Lentz MR, Reid WC, Hammoud DA. MR brain volumetric measurements are predictive of neurobehavioral impairment in the HIV-1 transgenic rat. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2017; 17:659-666. [PMID: 29204344 PMCID: PMC5705794 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Introduction HIV infection is known to be associated with brain volume loss, even in optimally treated patients. In this study, we assessed whether dynamic brain volume changes over time are predictive of neurobehavorial performance in the HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) rat, a model of treated HIV-positive patients. Materials and methods Cross-sectional brain MRI imaging was first performed comparing Tg and wild type (WT) rats at 3 and 19 months of age. Longitudinal MRI and neurobehavioral testing of another group of Tg and WT rats was then performed from 5 to 23 weeks of age. Whole brain and subregional image segmentation was used to assess the rate of brain growth over time. We used repeated-measures mixed models to assess differences in brain volumes and to establish how predictive the volume differences are of specific neurobehavioral deficits. Results Cross-sectional imaging showed smaller whole brain volumes in Tg compared to WT rats at 3 and at 19 months of age. Longitudinally, Tg brain volumes were smaller than age-matched WT rats at all time points, starting as early as 5 weeks of age. The Tg striatal growth rate delay between 5 and 9 weeks of age was greater than that of the whole brain. Striatal volume in combination with genotype was the most predictive of rota-rod scores and in combination with genotype and age was the most predictive of total exploratory activity scores in the Tg rats. Conclusion The disproportionately delayed striatal growth compared to whole brain between 5 and 9 weeks of age and the role of striatal volume in predicting neurobehavioral deficits suggest an important role of the dopaminergic system in HIV associated neuropathology. This might explain problems with motor coordination and executive decisions in this animal model. Smaller brain and subregional volumes and neurobehavioral deficits were seen as early as 5 weeks of age, suggesting an early brain insult in the Tg rat. Neuroprotective therapy testing in this model should thus target this early stage of development, before brain damage becomes irreversible. HIV infection is known to be associated with brain volume loss. HIV transgenic rats showed smaller brain volumes than wild type rats. Tg rats showed disproportionate loss of volume in the striatum compared to brain. Tg striatal volume loss along with genotype/age predict neurobehavioral deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Casas
- Center for Infectious Disease Imaging (CIDI), Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Siva Muthusamy
- Center for Infectious Disease Imaging (CIDI), Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Paul G Wakim
- Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sanhita Sinharay
- Center for Infectious Disease Imaging (CIDI), Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Margaret R Lentz
- Center for Infectious Disease Imaging (CIDI), Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - William C Reid
- Center for Infectious Disease Imaging (CIDI), Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Dima A Hammoud
- Center for Infectious Disease Imaging (CIDI), Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States.
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Abstract
HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) remains highly prevalent in HIV infected individuals and represents a special group of neuropathological disorders, which are associated with HIV-1 viral proteins, such as transactivator of transcription (Tat) protein. Cocaine abuse increases the incidence of HAND and exacerbates its severity by enhancing viral replication. Perturbation of dopaminergic transmission has been implicated as a risk factor of HAND. The presynaptic dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) is essential for DA homeostasis and dopaminergic modulation of the brain function including cognition. Tat and cocaine synergistically elevate synaptic DA levels by acting directly on human DAT (hDAT), ultimately leading to dysregulation of DA transmission. Through integrated computational modeling and experimental validation, key residues have been identified in hDAT that play a critical role in Tat-induced inhibition of DAT and induce transporter conformational transitions. This review presents current information regarding neurological changes in DAT-mediated dopaminergic system associated with HIV infection, DAT-mediated adaptive responses to Tat as well as allosteric modulatory effects of novel compounds on hDAT. Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which Tat induces DAT-mediated dysregulation of DA system is of great clinical interest for identifying new targets for an early therapeutic intervention for HAND.
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Gaskill PJ, Miller DR, Gamble-George J, Yano H, Khoshbouei H. HIV, Tat and dopamine transmission. Neurobiol Dis 2017; 105:51-73. [PMID: 28457951 PMCID: PMC5541386 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a progressive infection that targets the immune system, affecting more than 37 million people around the world. While combinatorial antiretroviral therapy (cART) has lowered mortality rates and improved quality of life in infected individuals, the prevalence of HIV associated neurocognitive disorders is increasing and HIV associated cognitive decline remains prevalent. Recent research has suggested that HIV accessory proteins may be involved in this decline, and several studies have indicated that the HIV protein transactivator of transcription (Tat) can disrupt normal neuronal and glial function. Specifically, data indicate that Tat may directly impact dopaminergic neurotransmission, by modulating the function of the dopamine transporter and specifically damaging dopamine-rich regions of the CNS. HIV infection of the CNS has long been associated with dopaminergic dysfunction, but the mechanisms remain undefined. The specific effect(s) of Tat on dopaminergic neurotransmission may be, at least partially, a mechanism by which HIV infection directly or indirectly induces dopaminergic dysfunction. Therefore, precisely defining the specific effects of Tat on the dopaminergic system will help to elucidate the mechanisms by which HIV infection of the CNS induces neuropsychiatric, neurocognitive and neurological disorders that involve dopaminergic neurotransmission. Further, this will provide a discussion of the experiments needed to further these investigations, and may help to identify or develop new therapeutic approaches for the prevention or treatment of these disorders in HIV-infected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Gaskill
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, United States.
| | - Douglas R Miller
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
| | - Joyonna Gamble-George
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
| | - Hideaki Yano
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
| | - Habibeh Khoshbouei
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States.
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Yang Z, Nesil T, Wingo T, Chang SL, Li MD. HIV-1 Proteins Influence Novelty-Seeking Behavior and Alter Region-Specific Transcriptional Responses to Chronic Nicotine Treatment in HIV-1Tg Rats. Nicotine Tob Res 2017; 19:1024-1032. [PMID: 28339662 PMCID: PMC5896433 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntx047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Clinical studies suggest that HIV-1-infected patients are more likely to use or abuse addictive drugs than is the general population. We hypothesized that HIV-1 proteins impact novelty-seeking behavior and enhance the transcriptional response to nicotine in genes implicated in both novelty-seeking behavior and drug addiction. METHODS We assessed the effects of HIV-1 proteins on novelty-seeking behavior by comparing baseline activity differences of HIV-1Tg and F344 control rats in the open-field test. One day after behavioral testing, all rats began daily subcutaneous injections of either nicotine (0.4 mg/kg, base) or saline (the same for each rat) for 27 days. At the end of treatment, the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and ventral tegmental area were collected for RNA expression analysis of genes in the receptor families for dopamine, GABA, glutamate, and serotonin. RESULTS Significant strain difference was detected in the distance moved in the center, such that HIV-1Tg rats traveled greater distance in the center of the arena than did F344 rats. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that mRNA from Drd3 and Grm2 in the prefrontal cortex and Drd5 and Gabra6 in the ventral tegmental area was significantly upregulated, whereas that of Drd5 in the nucleus accumbens was downregulated in HIV-1Tg rats compared with F344 rats. Further, more addiction-related genes were significantly modulated by nicotine in each brain region in the HIV-1Tg rats than in the control animals. CONCLUSIONS HIV-1 proteins may affect novelty-seeking behavior and modulate the expression of genes related to drug addiction and novelty-seeking behavior. IMPLICATIONS HIV-1 viral proteins and chronic nicotine treatment impact the expression of genes involved in novelty-seeking behavior and addiction in three brain regions of the HIV-1 transgenic rat. These findings implicate that HIV-1 proteins may be involved in novelty-seeking behavior and in modulating the expression of genes related to drug addiction and novelty seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongli Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University,Hangzhou,China
- Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Seton Hall University,South Orange, NJ
| | - Tanseli Nesil
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Taylor Wingo
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Sulie L Chang
- Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Seton Hall University,South Orange, NJ
- Department of Biology, Seton Hall University,South Orange, NJ
| | - Ming D Li
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University,Hangzhou,China
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
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Sun WL, Quizon PM, Yuan Y, Zhang W, Ananthan S, Zhan CG, Zhu J. Allosteric modulatory effects of SRI-20041 and SRI-30827 on cocaine and HIV-1 Tat protein binding to human dopamine transporter. Sci Rep 2017. [PMID: 28623359 PMCID: PMC5473888 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03771-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine transporter (DAT) is the target of cocaine and HIV-1 transactivator of transcription (Tat) protein. Identifying allosteric modulatory molecules with potential attenuation of cocaine and Tat binding to DAT are of great scientific and clinical interest. We demonstrated that tyrosine 470 and 88 act as functional recognition residues in human DAT (hDAT) for Tat-induced inhibition of DA transport and transporter conformational transitions. Here we investigated the allosteric modulatory effects of two allosteric ligands, SRI-20041 and SRI-30827 on cocaine binding on wild type (WT) hDAT, Y470 H and Y88 F mutants. Effect of SRI-30827 on Tat-induced inhibition of [3H]WIN35,428 binding was also determined. Compared to a competitive DAT inhibitor indatraline, both SRI-compounds displayed a similar decrease (30%) in IC50 for inhibition of [3H]DA uptake by cocaine in WT hDAT. The addition of SRI-20041 or SRI-30827 following cocaine slowed the dissociation rate of [3H]WIN35,428 binding in WT hDAT relative to cocaine alone. Moreover, Y470H and Y88F hDAT potentiate the inhibitory effect of cocaine on DA uptake and attenuate the effects of SRI-compounds on cocaine-mediated dissociation rate. SRI-30827 attenuated Tat-induced inhibition of [3H]WIN35,428 binding. These observations demonstrate that tyrosine 470 and 88 are critical for allosteric modulatory effects of SRI-compounds on the interaction of cocaine with hDAT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Lun Sun
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Pamela M Quizon
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Yaxia Yuan
- Molecular Modeling and Biopharmaceutical Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.,Center for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Drug Discovery Division, Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Subramaniam Ananthan
- Department of Chemistry, Drug Discovery Division, Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Chang-Guo Zhan
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.,Center for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Jun Zhu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
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Selective Vulnerability of Striatal D2 versus D1 Dopamine Receptor-Expressing Medium Spiny Neurons in HIV-1 Tat Transgenic Male Mice. J Neurosci 2017; 37:5758-5769. [PMID: 28473642 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0622-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite marked regional differences in HIV susceptibility within the CNS, there has been surprisingly little exploration into the differential vulnerability among neuron types and the circuits they underlie. The dorsal striatum is especially susceptible, harboring high viral loads and displaying marked neuropathology, with motor impairment a frequent manifestation of chronic infection. However, little is known about the response of individual striatal neuron types to HIV or how this disrupts function. Therefore, we investigated the morphological and electrophysiological effects of HIV-1 trans-activator of transcription (Tat) in dopamine subtype 1 (D1) and dopamine subtype 2 (D2) receptor-expressing striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) by breeding transgenic Tat-expressing mice to Drd1a-tdTomato- or Drd2-eGFP-reporter mice. An additional goal was to examine neuronal vulnerability early during the degenerative process to gain insight into key events underlying the neuropathogenesis. In D2 MSNs, exposure to HIV-1 Tat reduced dendritic spine density significantly, increased dendritic damage (characterized by swellings/varicosities), and dysregulated neuronal excitability (decreased firing at 200-300 pA and increased firing rates at 450 pA), whereas insignificant morphologic and electrophysiological consequences were observed in Tat-exposed D1 MSNs. These changes were concomitant with an increased anxiety-like behavioral profile (lower latencies to enter a dark chamber in a light-dark transition task, a greater frequency of light-dark transitions, and reduced rearing time in an open field), whereas locomotor behavior was unaffected by 2 weeks of Tat induction. Our findings suggest that D2 MSNs and a specific subset of neural circuits within the dorsal striatum are preferentially vulnerable to HIV-1.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Despite combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), neurocognitive disorders afflict 30-50% of HIV-infected individuals and synaptodendritic injury remains evident in specific brain regions such as the dorsal striatum. A possible explanation for the sustained neuronal injury is that the neurotoxic HIV-1 regulatory protein trans-activator of transcription (Tat) continues to be expressed in virally suppressed patients on cART. Using inducible Tat-expressing transgenic mice, we found that dopamine subtype 2 (D2) receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (MSNs) are selectively vulnerable to Tat exposure compared with D1 receptor-expressing MSNs. This includes Tat-induced reductions in D2 MSN dendritic spine density, increased dendritic damage, and disruptions in neuronal excitability, which coincide with elevated anxiety-like behavior. These data suggest that D2 MSNs and specific circuits within the basal ganglia are preferentially vulnerable to HIV-1.
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Cao J, Nesil T, Wang S, Chang SL, Li MD. Expression profile of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits in the brain of HIV-1 transgenic rats given chronic nicotine treatment. J Neurovirol 2016; 22:626-633. [PMID: 27056721 PMCID: PMC5574164 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-016-0438-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 03/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Abuse of addictive substances, including cigarettes, is much greater in HIV-1-infected individuals than in the general population and challenges the efficiency of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). The HIV-1 transgenic (HIV-1Tg) rat, an animal model used to study drug addiction in HIV-1-infected patients on HAART, displays abnormal neurobehavioral responses to addictive substances. Given that the cholinergic system plays an essential part in the central reward circuitry, we evaluated the expression profile of nine nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit genes in the central nervous system (CNS) of HIV-1Tg rats. We found that nAChR subunits were differentially expressed in various brain regions in HIV-1Tg rats compared to F344 control rats, with more subunits altered in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the HIV-1Tg rats than in other brain regions. We also found that chronic nicotine treatment (0.4 mg/kg/day) decreased the mRNA expression of nAChR subunits α6, β3, and β4 in the VTA of HIV-1Tg rats, whereas expression of α4 and α6 subunits in the NAc increased. No such changes were observed in F344 rats. Together, our data suggest that HIV-1 proteins alter the expression of nAChRs, which may contribute to the vulnerability to cigarette smoking addiction in HIV-1 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junran Cao
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
| | - Tanseli Nesil
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
| | - Shaolin Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
| | - Sulie L Chang
- Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, USA.
| | - Ming D Li
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA.
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HIV-1 Transgenic Rat Prefrontal Cortex Hyper-Excitability is Enhanced by Cocaine Self-Administration. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:1965-73. [PMID: 26677947 PMCID: PMC4908633 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2015] [Revised: 11/14/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is dysregulated in HIV-1-infected humans and the dysregulation is enhanced by cocaine abuse. Understanding mPFC pathophysiology in this comorbid state has been hampered by the dearth of relevant animal models. To help fill this knowledge gap, electrophysiological assessments were made of mPFC pyramidal neurons (PN) from adult male HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) F344 rats (which express seven of the nine HIV-1 toxic proteins) and non-Tg F344 rats that self-administered cocaine for 14 days (COC-SA), as well as saline-yoked controls (SAL-Yoked) and experimentally naive Tg and non-Tg rats. Forebrain slices were harvested and prepared for whole-cell patch-clamp recording, and in treated rats, this occurred after 14-18 days of forced abstinence. Aged-matched rats were used for immunohistochemical detection of the L-channel protein, Cav1.2-α1c. We determined that: (i) the two genotypes acquired the operant task and maintained similar levels of COC-SA, (ii) forced abstinence from COC-SA enhanced mPFC PN excitability in both genotypes, and neurons from Tg rats exhibited the greatest pathophysiology, (iii) neurons from SAL-Yoked Tg rats were more excitable than those from SAL-Yoked non-Tg rats, and in Tg rats (iv) blockade of L-type Ca(2+) channels reduced the enhanced excitability, and (v) Cav1.2-immunoreactivity was increased. These findings provide the first assessment of the mPFC pathophysiology in a rodent model of HIV-1-mediated neuropathology with and without cocaine self-administration. Outcomes reveal an enhanced cortical excitability during chronic exposure to HIV-1 proteins that is excessively exacerbated with cocaine abuse. Such neuropathophysiology may underlie the cognitive dysregulation reported for comorbid humans.
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HIV-1 transgenic rats display an increase in [(3)H]dopamine uptake in the prefrontal cortex and striatum. J Neurovirol 2015; 22:282-92. [PMID: 26501780 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-015-0391-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Revised: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/02/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
HIV viral proteins within the central nervous system are associated with the development of neurocognitive impairments in HIV-infected individuals. Dopamine transporter (DAT)-mediated dopamine transport is critical for normal dopamine homeostasis. Abnormal dopaminergic transmission has been implicated as a risk determinant of HIV-induced neurocognitive impairments. Our published work has demonstrated that transactivator of transcription (Tat)-induced inhibition of DAT is mediated by allosteric binding site(s) on DAT, not the interaction with the dopamine uptake site. The present study investigated whether impaired DAT function induced by Tat exposure in vitro can be documented in HIV-1 transgenic (HIV-1Tg) rats. We assessed kinetic analyses of [(3)H]dopamine uptake into prefrontal and striatal synaptosomes of HIV-1Tg and Fisher 344 rats. Compared with Fisher 344 rats, the capacity of dopamine transport in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum of HIV-1Tg rats was increased by 34 and 32 %, respectively. Assessment of surface biotinylation indicated that DAT expression in the plasma membrane was reduced in PFC and enhanced in striatum, respectively, of HIV-1Tg rats. While the maximal binding sites (B max) of [(3)H]WIN 35,428 was decreased in striatum of HIV-1Tg rats, an increase in DAT turnover proportion was found, relative to Fisher 344 rats. Together, these findings suggest that neuroadaptive changes in DAT function are evidenced in the HIV-1Tg rats, perhaps compensating for viral-protein-induced abnormal dopaminergic transmission. Thus, our study provides novel insights into understanding mechanism underlying neurocognitive impairment evident in neuroAIDS.
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Dahal S, Chitti SVP, Nair MPN, Saxena SK. Interactive effects of cocaine on HIV infection: implication in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder and neuroAIDS. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:931. [PMID: 26441868 PMCID: PMC4562305 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Substantial epidemiological studies suggest that not only, being one of the reasons for the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but drug abuse also serves its role in determining the disease progression and severity among the HIV infected population. This article focuses on the drug cocaine, and its role in facilitating entry of HIV into the CNS and mechanisms of development of neurologic complications in infected individuals. Cocaine is a powerfully addictive central nervous system stimulating drug, which increases the level of neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) in the brain, by blocking the dopamine transporters (DAT) which is critical for DA homeostasis and neurocognitive function. Tat protein of HIV acts as an allosteric modulator of DAT, where as cocaine acts as reuptake inhibitor. When macrophages in the CNS are exposed to DA, their number increases. These macrophages release inflammatory mediators and neurotoxins, causing chronic neuroinflammation. Cocaine abuse during HIV infection enhances the production of platelet monocyte complexes (PMCs), which may cross transendothelial barrier, and result in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). HAND is characterized by neuroinflammation, including astrogliosis, multinucleated giant cells, and neuronal apoptosis that is linked to progressive virus infection and immune deterioration. Cocaine and viral proteins are capable of eliciting signaling transduction pathways in neurons, involving in mitochondrial membrane potential loss, oxidative stress, activation of JNK, p38, and ERK/MAPK pathways, and results in downstream activation of NF-κB that leads to HAND. Tat-induced inflammation provokes permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB) in the platelet dependent manner, which can potentially be the reason for progression to HAND during HIV infection. A better understanding on the role of cocaine in HIV infection can give a clue in developing novel therapeutic strategies against HIV-1 infection in cocaine using HIV infected population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santosh Dahal
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology , Hyderabad, India
| | - Sai V P Chitti
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology , Hyderabad, India
| | - Madhavan P N Nair
- College of Medicine, Florida International University , Miami, FL, USA
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