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Thibeault KC, Leonard MZ, Kondev V, Emerson SD, Bethi R, Lopez AJ, Sens JP, Nabit BP, Elam HB, Winder DG, Patel S, Kiraly DD, Grueter BA, Calipari ES. A Cocaine-Activated Ensemble Exerts Increased Control Over Behavior While Decreasing in Size. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01388-X. [PMID: 38901723 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substance use disorder is characterized by long-lasting changes in reward-related brain regions, such as the nucleus accumbens. Previous work has shown that cocaine exposure induces plasticity in broad, genetically defined cell types in the nucleus accumbens; however, in response to a stimulus, only a small percentage of neurons are transcriptionally active-termed an ensemble. Here, we identify an Arc-expressing neuronal ensemble that has a unique trajectory of recruitment and causally controls drug self-administration after repeated, but not acute, cocaine exposure. METHODS Using Arc-CreERT2 transgenic mice, we expressed transgenes in Arc+ ensembles activated by cocaine exposure (either acute [1 × 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally] or repeated [10 × 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally]). Using genetic, optical, and physiological recording and manipulation strategies, we assessed the contribution of these ensembles to behaviors associated with substance use disorder. RESULTS Repeated cocaine exposure reduced the size of the ensemble while simultaneously increasing its control over behavior. Neurons within the repeated cocaine ensemble were hyperexcitable, and their optogenetic excitation was sufficient for reinforcement. Finally, lesioning the repeated cocaine, but not the acute cocaine, ensemble blunted cocaine self-administration. Thus, repeated cocaine exposure reduced the size of the ensemble while simultaneously increasing its contributions to drug reinforcement. CONCLUSIONS We showed that repeated, but not acute, cocaine exposure induced a physiologically distinct ensemble characterized by the expression of the immediate early gene Arc, which was uniquely capable of modulating reinforcement behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly C Thibeault
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Michael Z Leonard
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Veronika Kondev
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Soren D Emerson
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Rishik Bethi
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Alberto J Lopez
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Jonathon P Sens
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Brett P Nabit
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Hannah B Elam
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Danny G Winder
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt JF Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Sachin Patel
- Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Drew D Kiraly
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Brad A Grueter
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt JF Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.
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2
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Mews P, Sosnick L, Gurung A, Sidoli S, Nestler EJ. Decoding cocaine-induced proteomic adaptations in the mouse nucleus accumbens. Sci Signal 2024; 17:eadl4738. [PMID: 38626009 PMCID: PMC11170322 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.adl4738] [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: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is a chronic neuropsychiatric condition that results from enduring cellular and molecular adaptations. Among substance use disorders, CUD is notable for its rising prevalence and the lack of approved pharmacotherapies. The nucleus accumbens (NAc), a region that is integral to the brain's reward circuitry, plays a crucial role in the initiation and continuation of maladaptive behaviors that are intrinsic to CUD. Leveraging advancements in neuroproteomics, we undertook a proteomic analysis that spanned membrane, cytosolic, nuclear, and chromatin compartments of the NAc in a mouse model. The results unveiled immediate and sustained proteomic modifications after cocaine exposure and during prolonged withdrawal. We identified congruent protein regulatory patterns during initial cocaine exposure and reexposure after withdrawal, which contrasted with distinct patterns during withdrawal. Pronounced proteomic shifts within the membrane compartment indicated adaptive and long-lasting molecular responses prompted by cocaine withdrawal. In addition, we identified potential protein translocation events between soluble-nuclear and chromatin-bound compartments, thus providing insight into intracellular protein dynamics after cocaine exposure. Together, our findings illuminate the intricate proteomic landscape that is altered in the NAc by cocaine use and provide a dataset for future research toward potential therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Mews
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Lucas Sosnick
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Ashik Gurung
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Simone Sidoli
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Eric J. Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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3
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Meckel KR, Simpson SS, Godino A, Peck EG, Sens JP, Leonard MZ, George O, Calipari ES, Hofford RS, Kiraly DD. Microbial short-chain fatty acids regulate drug seeking and transcriptional control in a model of cocaine seeking. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:386-395. [PMID: 37528220 PMCID: PMC10724273 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01661-w] [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: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Cocaine use disorder represents a public health crisis with no FDA-approved medications for its treatment. A growing body of research has detailed the important connections between the brain and the resident population of bacteria in the gut, the gut microbiome, in psychiatric disease models. Acute depletion of gut bacteria results in enhanced reward in a mouse cocaine place preference model, and repletion of bacterially-derived short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) metabolites reverses this effect. However, the role of the gut microbiome and its metabolites in modulating cocaine-seeking behavior after prolonged abstinence is unknown. Given that relapse prevention is the most clinically challenging issue in treating substance use disorders, studies examining the effects of microbiome manipulations in relapse-relevant models are critical. Here, male Sprague-Dawley rats received either untreated water or antibiotics to deplete the gut microbiome and its metabolites. Rats were trained to self-administer cocaine and subjected to either within-session threshold testing to evaluate motivation for cocaine or 21 days of abstinence followed by a cue-induced cocaine-seeking task to model relapse behavior. Microbiome depletion did not affect cocaine acquisition on an fixed-ratio 1 schedule. However, microbiome-depleted rats exhibited significantly enhanced motivation for low dose cocaine on a within-session threshold task. Similarly, microbiome depletion increased cue-induced cocaine-seeking following prolonged abstinence and altered transcriptional regulation in the nucleus accumbens. In the absence of a normal microbiome, repletion of bacterially-derived SCFA metabolites reversed the behavioral and transcriptional changes associated with microbiome depletion. These findings suggest that gut bacteria, via their metabolites, are key regulators of drug-seeking behaviors, positioning the microbiome as a potential translational research target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R Meckel
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, 19081, USA
| | - Sierra S Simpson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Arthur Godino
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Emily G Peck
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA
| | - Jonathon P Sens
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA
| | - Michael Z Leonard
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, 865F Light Hall, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Rebecca S Hofford
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Drew D Kiraly
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA.
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Emerson SD, Chevée M, Mews P, Calipari ES. The transcriptional response to acute cocaine is inverted in male mice with a history of cocaine self-administration and withdrawal throughout the mesocorticolimbic system. Mol Cell Neurosci 2023; 125:103823. [PMID: 36868542 PMCID: PMC10247534 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2023.103823] [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: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A large body of work has demonstrated that cocaine-induced changes in transcriptional regulation play a central role in the onset and maintenance of cocaine use disorder. An underappreciated aspect of this area of research, however, is that the pharmacodynamic properties of cocaine can change depending on an organism's previous drug-exposure history. In this study, we utilized RNA sequencing to characterize how the transcriptome-wide effects of acute cocaine exposure were altered by a history of cocaine self-administration and long-term withdrawal (30 days) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and prefrontal cortex (PFC) in male mice. First, we found that the gene expression patterns induced by a single cocaine injection (10 mg/kg) were discordant between cocaine-naïve mice and mice in withdrawal from cocaine self-administration. Specifically, the same genes that were upregulated by acute cocaine in cocaine-naïve mice were downregulated by the same dose of cocaine in mice undergoing long-term withdrawal; the same pattern of opposite regulation was observed for the genes downregulated by initial acute cocaine exposure. When we analyzed this dataset further, we found that the gene expression patterns that were induced by long-term withdrawal from cocaine self-administration showed a high degree of overlap with the gene expression patterns of acute cocaine exposure - even though animals had not consumed cocaine in 30 days. Interestingly, cocaine re-exposure at this withdrawal time point reversed this expression pattern. Finally, we found that this pattern was similar across the VTA, PFC, NAc, and within each brain region the same genes were induced by acute cocaine, re-induced during long-term withdrawal, and reversed by cocaine re-exposure. Together, we identified a longitudinal pattern of gene regulation that is conserved across the VTA, PFC, and NAc, and characterized the genes constituting this pattern in each brain region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soren D Emerson
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Maxime Chevée
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Philipp Mews
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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5
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Chang VN, Peters J. Neural circuits controlling choice behavior in opioid addiction. Neuropharmacology 2023; 226:109407. [PMID: 36592884 PMCID: PMC9898219 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109407] [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: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
As the opioid epidemic presents an ever-expanding public health threat, there is a growing need to identify effective new treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD). OUD is characterized by a behavioral misallocation in choice behavior between opioids and other rewards, as opioid use leads to negative consequences, such as job loss, family neglect, and potential overdose. Preclinical models of addiction that incorporate choice behavior, as opposed to self-administration of a single drug reward, are needed to understand the neural circuits governing opioid choice. These choice models recapitulate scenarios that humans suffering from OUD encounter in their daily lives. Indeed, patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) exhibit a propensity to choose drug under certain conditions. While most preclinical addiction models have focused on relapse as the outcome measure, our data suggest that choice is an independent metric of addiction severity, perhaps relating to loss of cognitive control over choice, as opposed to excessive motivational drive to seek drugs during relapse. In this review, we examine both preclinical and clinical literature on choice behavior for drugs, with a focus on opioids, and the neural circuits that mediate drug choice versus relapse. We argue that preclinical models of opioid choice are needed to identify promising new avenues for OUD therapy that are translationally relevant. Both forward and reverse translation will be necessary to identify novel treatment interventions. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Opioid-induced changes in addiction and pain circuits".
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria N Chang
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Jamie Peters
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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6
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Shang A, Bieszczad KM. Epigenetic mechanisms regulate cue memory underlying discriminative behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 141:104811. [PMID: 35961385 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The burgeoning field of neuroepigenetics has introduced chromatin modification as an important interface between experience and brain function. For example, epigenetic mechanisms like histone acetylation and DNA methylation operate throughout a lifetime to powerfully regulate gene expression in the brain that is required for experiences to be transformed into long-term memories. This review highlights emerging evidence from sensory models of memory that converge on the premise that epigenetic regulation of activity-dependent transcription in the sensory brain facilitates highly precise memory recall. Chromatin modifications may be key for neurophysiological responses to transient sensory cue features experienced in the "here and now" to be recapitulated over the long term. We conclude that the function of epigenetic control of sensory system neuroplasticity is to regulate the amount and type of sensory information retained in long-term memories by regulating neural representations of behaviorally relevant cues that guide behavior. This is of broad importance in the neuroscience field because there are few circumstances in which behavioral acts are devoid of an initiating sensory experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Shang
- Dept. of Psychology - Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Rutgers University - New Brunswick, 152 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Kasia M Bieszczad
- Dept. of Psychology - Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Rutgers University - New Brunswick, 152 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science (RuCCS), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA.
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7
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Bisserier M, Brojakowska A, Saffran N, Rai AK, Lee B, Coleman M, Sebastian A, Evans A, Mills PJ, Addya S, Arakelyan A, Garikipati VNS, Hadri L, Goukassian DA. Astronauts Plasma-Derived Exosomes Induced Aberrant EZH2-Mediated H3K27me3 Epigenetic Regulation of the Vitamin D Receptor. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:855181. [PMID: 35783863 PMCID: PMC9243458 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.855181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There are unique stressors in the spaceflight environment. Exposure to such stressors may be associated with adverse effects on astronauts' health, including increased cancer and cardiovascular disease risks. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs, i.e., exosomes) play a vital role in intercellular communication and regulate various biological processes contributing to their role in disease pathogenesis. To assess whether spaceflight alters sEVs transcriptome profile, sEVs were isolated from the blood plasma of 3 astronauts at two different time points: 10 days before launch (L-10) and 3 days after return (R+3) from the Shuttle mission. AC16 cells (human cardiomyocyte cell line) were treated with L-10 and R+3 astronauts-derived exosomes for 24 h. Total RNA was isolated and analyzed for gene expression profiling using Affymetrix microarrays. Enrichment analysis was performed using Enrichr. Transcription factor (TF) enrichment analysis using the ENCODE/ChEA Consensus TF database identified gene sets related to the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) and Vitamin D receptor (VDR) in AC16 cells treated with R+3 compared to cells treated with L-10 astronauts-derived exosomes. Further analysis of the histone modifications using datasets from the Roadmap Epigenomics Project confirmed enrichment in gene sets related to the H3K27me3 repressive mark. Interestingly, analysis of previously published H3K27me3-chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) ENCODE datasets showed enrichment of H3K27me3 in the VDR promoter. Collectively, our results suggest that astronaut-derived sEVs may epigenetically repress the expression of the VDR in human adult cardiomyocytes by promoting the activation of the PRC2 complex and H3K27me3 levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malik Bisserier
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Cardiovascular Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Agnieszka Brojakowska
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Cardiovascular Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nathaniel Saffran
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Cardiovascular Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Amit Kumar Rai
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Brooke Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Matthew Coleman
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Aimy Sebastian
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Angela Evans
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Paul J. Mills
- Center of Excellence for Research and Training in Integrative Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Sankar Addya
- Kimmel Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Arsen Arakelyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology, National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (NAS RA), Yerevan, Armenia
- Department of Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, and Molecular Biology, Russian-Armenian University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Venkata Naga Srikanth Garikipati
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart Lung and Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Lahouaria Hadri
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Cardiovascular Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - David A. Goukassian
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Cardiovascular Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
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8
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Chesnokova E, Beletskiy A, Kolosov P. The Role of Transposable Elements of the Human Genome in Neuronal Function and Pathology. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5847. [PMID: 35628657 PMCID: PMC9148063 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) have been extensively studied for decades. In recent years, the introduction of whole-genome and whole-transcriptome approaches, as well as single-cell resolution techniques, provided a breakthrough that uncovered TE involvement in host gene expression regulation underlying multiple normal and pathological processes. Of particular interest is increased TE activity in neuronal tissue, and specifically in the hippocampus, that was repeatedly demonstrated in multiple experiments. On the other hand, numerous neuropathologies are associated with TE dysregulation. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of literature about the role of TEs in neurons published over the last three decades. The first chapter of the present review describes known mechanisms of TE interaction with host genomes in general, with the focus on mammalian and human TEs; the second chapter provides examples of TE exaptation in normal neuronal tissue, including TE involvement in neuronal differentiation and plasticity; and the last chapter lists TE-related neuropathologies. We sought to provide specific molecular mechanisms of TE involvement in neuron-specific processes whenever possible; however, in many cases, only phenomenological reports were available. This underscores the importance of further studies in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Chesnokova
- Laboratory of Cellular Neurobiology of Learning, Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117485 Moscow, Russia; (A.B.); (P.K.)
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9
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Peltz G, Tan Y. What Have We Learned (or Expect to) From Analysis of Murine Genetic Models Related to Substance Use Disorders? Front Psychiatry 2022; 12:793961. [PMID: 35095607 PMCID: PMC8790171 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.793961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The tremendous public health problem created by substance use disorders (SUDs) presents a major opportunity for mouse genetics. Inbred mouse strains exhibit substantial and heritable differences in their responses to drugs of abuse (DOA) and in many of the behaviors associated with susceptibility to SUD. Therefore, genetic discoveries emerging from analysis of murine genetic models can provide critically needed insight into the neurobiological effects of DOA, and they can reveal how genetic factors affect susceptibility drug addiction. There are already indications, emerging from our prior analyses of murine genetic models of responses related to SUDs that mouse genetic models of SUD can provide actionable information, which can lead to new approaches for alleviating SUDs. Lastly, we consider the features of murine genetic models that enable causative genetic factors to be successfully identified; and the methodologies that facilitate genetic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Peltz
- Department of Anesthesia, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
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10
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López AJ, Johnson AR, Kunnath AJ, Morris AD, Zachry JE, Thibeault KC, Kutlu MG, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES. An optimized procedure for robust volitional cocaine intake in mice. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2021; 29:319-333. [PMID: 32658535 PMCID: PMC7890946 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a behavioral disorder characterized by volitional drug consumption. Mouse models of SUD allow for the use of molecular, genetic, and circuit-level tools, providing enormous potential for defining the underlying mechanisms of this disorder. However, the relevance of results depends on the validity of the mouse models used. Self-administration models have long been the preferred preclinical model for SUD as they allow for volitional drug consumption, thus providing strong face validity. While previous work has defined the parameters that influence intravenous cocaine self-administration in other species-such as rats and primates-many of these parameters have not been explicitly assessed in mice. In a series of experiments, we showed that commonly used mouse models of self-administration, where behavior is maintained on a fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement, show similar levels of responding in the presence and absence of drug delivery-demonstrating that it is impossible to determine when drug consumption is and is not volitional. To address these issues, we have developed a novel mouse self-administration procedure where animals do not need to be pretrained on sucrose and behavior is maintained on a variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement. This procedure increases rates of reinforcement behavior, increases levels of drug intake, and results in clearer delineation between drug-reinforced and saline conditions. Together, these data highlight a major issue with fixed-ratio models in mice that complicates subsequent analysis and provide a simple approach to minimize these confounds with variable-ratio schedules of reinforcement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto J López
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University/Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
| | - Amy R Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University/Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
| | - Ansley J Kunnath
- Vanderbilt University Medical Scientists Training Program, Vanderbilt University/Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
| | - Allison D Morris
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University/Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
| | - Jennifer E Zachry
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University/Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
| | - Kimberly C Thibeault
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University/Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
| | - Munir G Kutlu
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University/Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
| | - Cody A Siciliano
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University/Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University/Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
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11
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Ossola P, Gerra MC, Gerra ML, Milano G, Zatti M, Zavan V, Volpi R, Marchesi C, Donnini C, Gerra G, Di Gennaro C. Alcohol use disorders among adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs): Gene-environment resilience factors. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 108:110167. [PMID: 33166669 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Both genetic and early environmental factors contribute to the pathogenesis of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Gender and psychopathology symptoms might further moderate this association, resulting in an impairment of both the dopaminergic and serotoninergic pathways that sustain the binge, withdrawal and craving cycle. In a sample of of adult children of alcoholic parents (ACOAs) (n = 107) we compared those with and without an AUD, on socio-demographic variables, adverse childhood experiences, psychopathology symptoms and two polymorphisms associated with an impaired serotoninergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission (5HTTLPR and Taq1A/DRD2). A logistic regression revealed that an early caring environment might lower the risk of developing an AUD. When controlling for the actual psychopathology symptoms, being male and having the genotype associated with an impaired dopaminergic neurotransmission were still associated with AUD. Results were confirmed by an unsupervised approach that showed how the clusters characterised by being male and having the high risk genotypes were still associated with AUD compared to being female without the unfavourable dopamine genotype.Our results point to the need for implementing prevention strategies aimed at creating a caring environment especially in those families with an alcoholic parent. We further suggest that psycho-education as a symptom recognition and avoiding self-medication could improve the outcome in those subjects at higher risk, especially males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Ossola
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
| | - Maria Carla Gerra
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), SMI®, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
| | - Maria Lidia Gerra
- Department of Mental Health, Local Health Agency Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Giulia Milano
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marta Zatti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
| | - Valeria Zavan
- Department of Addiction Pathology, Local Health Agency Alessandria, Alessandria, Italy
| | - Riccardo Volpi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
| | - Carlo Marchesi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
| | - Claudia Donnini
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
| | - Gilberto Gerra
- Drug Prevention and Health Branch, Division for Operations, United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime, Vienna, Austria.
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12
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Mews P, Calipari ES, Day J, Lobo MK, Bredy T, Abel T. From Circuits to Chromatin: The Emerging Role of Epigenetics in Mental Health. J Neurosci 2021; 41:873-882. [PMID: 33446519 PMCID: PMC7880276 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1649-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
A central goal of neuroscience research is to understand how experiences modify brain circuits to guide future adaptive behavior. In response to environmental stimuli, neural circuit activity engages gene regulatory mechanisms within each cell. This activity-dependent gene expression is governed, in part, by epigenetic processes that can produce persistent changes in both neural circuits and the epigenome itself. The complex interplay between circuit activity and neuronal gene regulation is vital to learning and memory, and, when disrupted, is linked to debilitating psychiatric conditions, such as substance use disorder. To develop clinical treatments, it is paramount to advance our understanding of how neural circuits and the epigenome cooperate to produce behavioral adaptation. Here, we discuss how new genetic tools, used to manipulate neural circuits and chromatin, have enabled the discovery of epigenetic processes that bring about long-lasting changes in behavior relevant to mental health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Mews
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10129
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Departments of Pharmacology, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37323
| | - Jeremy Day
- Department of Neurobiology, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Timothy Bredy
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
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13
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Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic regulation is dependent on metabolic state, and implicates specific metabolic factors in neural functions that drive behaviour1. In neurons, acetylation of histones relies on the metabolite acetyl-CoA, which is produced from acetate by chromatin-bound acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2)2. Notably, the breakdown of alcohol in the liver leads to a rapid increase in levels of blood acetate3, and alcohol is therefore a major source of acetate in the body. Histone acetylation in neurons may thus be under the influence of acetate that is derived from alcohol4, with potential effects on alcohol-induced gene expression in the brain, and on behaviour5. Here, using in vivo stable-isotope labelling in mice, we show that the metabolism of alcohol contributes to rapid acetylation of histones in the brain, and that this occurs in part through the direct deposition of acetyl groups that are derived from alcohol onto histones in an ACSS2-dependent manner. A similar direct deposition was observed when mice were injected with heavy-labelled acetate in vivo. In a pregnant mouse, exposure to labelled alcohol resulted in the incorporation of labelled acetyl groups into gestating fetal brains. In isolated primary hippocampal neurons ex vivo, extracellular acetate induced transcriptional programs related to learning and memory, which were sensitive to ACSS2 inhibition. We show that alcohol-related associative learning requires ACSS2 in vivo. These findings suggest that there is a direct link between alcohol metabolism and gene regulation, through the ACSS2-dependent acetylation of histones in the brain.
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14
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Lee NR, Zheng G, Leggas M, Janganati V, Nickell JR, Crooks PA, Bardo MT, Dwoskin LP. GZ-11608, a Vesicular Monoamine Transporter-2 Inhibitor, Decreases the Neurochemical and Behavioral Effects of Methamphetamine. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2019; 371:526-543. [PMID: 31413138 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.119.258699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite escalating methamphetamine use and high relapse rates, pharmacotherapeutics for methamphetamine use disorders are not available. Our iterative drug discovery program had found that R-N-(1,2-dihydroxypropyl)-2,6-cis-di-(4-methoxyphenethyl)piperidine hydrochloride (GZ-793A), a selective vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT2) inhibitor, specifically decreased methamphetamine's behavioral effects. However, GZ-793A inhibited human-ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) channels, suggesting cardiotoxicity and prohibiting clinical development. The current study determined if replacement of GZ-793A's piperidine ring with a phenylalkyl group to yield S-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-N-(1-phenylpropan-2-yl)propan-1-amine (GZ-11608) diminished hERG interaction while retaining pharmacological efficacy. VMAT2 inhibition, target selectivity, and mechanism of GZ-11608-induced inhibition of methamphetamine-evoked vesicular dopamine release were determined. We used GZ-11608 doses that decreased methamphetamine-sensitized activity to evaluate the potential exacerbation of methamphetamine-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity. GZ-11608-induced decreases in methamphetamine reinforcement and abuse liability were determined using self-administration, reinstatement, and substitution assays. Results show that GZ-11608 exhibited high affinity (Ki = 25 nM) and selectivity (92-1180-fold) for VMAT2 over nicotinic receptors, dopamine transporter, and hERG, suggesting low side-effects. GZ-11608 (EC50 = 620 nM) released vesicular dopamine 25-fold less potently than it inhibited VMAT2 dopamine uptake. GZ-11608 competitively inhibited methamphetamine-evoked vesicular dopamine release (Schild regression slope = 0.9 ± 0.13). GZ-11608 decreased methamphetamine sensitization without altering striatal dopamine content or exacerbating methamphetamine-induced dopamine depletion, revealing efficacy without neurotoxicity. GZ-11608 exhibited linear pharmacokinetics and rapid brain penetration. GZ-11608 decreased methamphetamine self-administration, and this effect was not surmounted by increasing methamphetamine unit doses. GZ-11608 reduced cue- and methamphetamine-induced reinstatement, suggesting potential to prevent relapse. GZ-11608 neither served as a reinforcer nor substituted for methamphetamine, suggesting low abuse liability. Thus, GZ-11608, a potent and selective VMAT2 inhibitor, shows promise as a therapeutic for methamphetamine use disorder. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: GZ-11608 is a potent and selective vesicular monoamine transporter-2 inhibitor that decreases methamphetamine-induced dopamine release from isolated synaptic vesicles from brain dopaminergic neurons. Results from behavioral studies show that GZ-11608 specifically decreases methamphetamine-sensitized locomotor activity, methamphetamine self-administration, and reinstatement of methamphetamine-seeking behavior, without exhibiting abuse liability. Tolerance does not develop to the efficacy of GZ-11608 to decrease the behavioral effects of methamphetamine. In conclusion, GZ-11608 is an outstanding lead in our search for a therapeutic to treat methamphetamine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na-Ra Lee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (N.-R.L., M.L., J.R.N., L.P.D.), and Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences (M.T.B.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (G.Z.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (V.J., P.A.C.)
| | - Guangrong Zheng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (N.-R.L., M.L., J.R.N., L.P.D.), and Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences (M.T.B.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (G.Z.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (V.J., P.A.C.)
| | - Markos Leggas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (N.-R.L., M.L., J.R.N., L.P.D.), and Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences (M.T.B.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (G.Z.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (V.J., P.A.C.)
| | - Venumadhav Janganati
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (N.-R.L., M.L., J.R.N., L.P.D.), and Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences (M.T.B.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (G.Z.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (V.J., P.A.C.)
| | - Justin R Nickell
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (N.-R.L., M.L., J.R.N., L.P.D.), and Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences (M.T.B.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (G.Z.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (V.J., P.A.C.)
| | - Peter A Crooks
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (N.-R.L., M.L., J.R.N., L.P.D.), and Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences (M.T.B.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (G.Z.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (V.J., P.A.C.)
| | - Michael T Bardo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (N.-R.L., M.L., J.R.N., L.P.D.), and Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences (M.T.B.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (G.Z.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (V.J., P.A.C.)
| | - Linda P Dwoskin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (N.-R.L., M.L., J.R.N., L.P.D.), and Department of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences (M.T.B.), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (G.Z.); and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas (V.J., P.A.C.)
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15
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López AJ, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES. Activity-Dependent Epigenetic Remodeling in Cocaine Use Disorder. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2019; 258:231-263. [PMID: 31628597 DOI: 10.1007/164_2019_257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a behavioral disorder characterized by cycles of abstinence, drug seeking, and relapse. SUD is characterized by aberrant learning processes which develop after repeated exposure to drugs of abuse. At the core of this phenotype is the persistence of symptoms, such as craving and relapse to drug seeking, long after the cessation of drug use. The neural basis of these behavioral changes has been linked to dysfunction in neural circuits across the brain; however, the molecular drivers that allow for these changes to persist beyond the lifespan of any individual protein remain opaque. Epigenetic adaptations - where DNA is modified to increase or decrease the probability of gene expression at key genes - have been identified as a mechanism underlying the long-lasting nature of drug-seeking behavior. Thus, to understand SUD, it is critical to define the interplay between neuronal activation and longer-term changes in transcription and epigenetic remodeling and define their role in addictive behaviors. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of drug-induced changes to circuit function, recent discoveries in epigenetic mechanisms that mediate these changes, and, ultimately, how these adaptations drive the persistent nature of relapse, with emphasis on adaptations in models of cocaine use disorder. Understanding the complex interplay between epigenetic gene regulation and circuit activity will be critical in elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying SUD. This, with the advent of novel genetic-based techniques, will allow for the generation of novel therapeutic avenues to improve treatment outcomes in SUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto J López
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Cody A Siciliano
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Infection, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Infection, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
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16
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Caputi FF, Romualdi P, Candeletti S. Regulation of the Genes Encoding the ppN/OFQ and NOP Receptor. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2019; 254:141-162. [PMID: 30689088 DOI: 10.1007/164_2018_196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Over the years, the ability of N/OFQ-NOP receptor system in modulating several physiological functions, including the release of neurotransmitters, anxiety-like behavior responses, modulation of the reward circuitry, inflammatory signaling, nociception, and motor function, has been examined in several brain regions and at spinal level. This chapter collects information related to the genes encoding the ppN/OFQ and NOP receptor, their regulation, and relative transcriptional control mechanisms. Furthermore, genetic manipulations, polymorphisms, and epigenetic alterations associated with different pathological conditions are discussed. The evidence here collected indicates that the study of ppN/OFQ and NOP receptor gene expression may offer novel opportunities in the field of personalized therapies and highlights this system as a good "druggable target" for different pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Felicia Caputi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Patrizia Romualdi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Sanzio Candeletti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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17
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Abstract
Chromatin-related phenomena regulate gene expression by altering the compaction and accessibility of DNA to relevant transcription factors, thus allowing every cell in the body to attain distinct identities and to function properly within a given cellular context. These processes occur not only in the developing central nervous system, but continue throughout the lifetime of a neuron to constantly adapt to changes in the environment. Such changes can be positive or negative, thereby altering the chromatin landscape to influence cellular and synaptic plasticity within relevant neural circuits, and ultimately behavior. Given the importance of epigenetic mechanisms in guiding physiological adaptations, perturbations in these processes in brain have been linked to several neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. In this review, we cover some of the recent advances linking chromatin dynamics to complex brain disorders and discuss new methodologies that may overcome current limitations in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M Bastle
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Ian Maze
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029.,Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
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18
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Mews P, Walker DM, Nestler EJ. Epigenetic Priming in Drug Addiction. COLD SPRING HARBOR SYMPOSIA ON QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2018; 83:131-139. [PMID: 30936392 PMCID: PMC6764605 DOI: 10.1101/sqb.2018.83.037663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disorder that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and continued use despite negative outcomes. Current pharmacological therapies target neuronal receptors or transporters upon which drugs of abuse act initially, yet these treatments remain ineffective for most individuals and do not prevent disease relapse after abstinence. Drugs of abuse, in addition to their acute effects, cause persistent plasticity after repeated use, involving dysregulated gene expression in the brain's reward regions, which are thought to mediate the persistent behavioral abnormalities that characterize addiction. Emerging evidence implicates epigenetic priming as a key mechanism that underlies the long-lasting alterations in neuronal gene regulation, which can remain latent until triggered by re-exposure to drug-associated stimuli or the drug itself. Thus, to effectively treat drug addiction, we must identify the precise epigenetic mechanisms that establish and preserve the drug-induced pathology of the brain reward circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Mews
- Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Deena M Walker
- Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
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