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Dugan MP, Maiya R, Fleischer C, Bajo M, Snyder AE, Koduri A, Srinivasan S, Roberto M, Messing RO. Brain-specific serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 is a substrate of protein kinase C epsilon involved in sex-specific ethanol and anxiety phenotypes. Addict Biol 2024; 29:e13388. [PMID: 38497285 PMCID: PMC10950061 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13388] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε) regulates behavioural responses to ethanol and plays a role in anxiety-like behaviour, but knowledge is limited on downstream substrates of PKCε that contribute to these behaviours. We recently identified brain-specific serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (BRSK1) as a substrate of PKCε. Here, we test the hypothesis that BRSK1 mediates responses to ethanol and anxiety-like behaviours that are also PKCε dependent. We used in vitro kinase assays to further validate BRSK1 as a substrate of PKCε and used Brsk1-/- mice to assess the role of BRSK1 in ethanol- and anxiety-related behaviours and in physiological responses to ethanol. We found that BRSK1 is phosphorylated by PKCε at a residue identified in a chemical genetic screen of PKCε substrates in mouse brain. Like Prkce-/- mice, male and female Brsk1-/- mice were more sensitive than wild-type to the acute sedative-hypnotic effect of alcohol. Unlike Prkce-/- mice, Brsk1-/- mice responded like wild-type to ataxic doses of ethanol. Although in Prkce-/- mice ethanol consumption and reward are reduced in both sexes, they were reduced only in female Brsk1-/- mice. Ex vivo slice electrophysiology revealed that ethanol-induced facilitation of GABA release in the central amygdala was absent in male Brsk1-/- mice similar to findings in male Prkce-/- mice. Collectively, these results indicate that BRSK1 is a target of PKCε that mediates some PKCε-dependent responses to ethanol in a sex-specific manner and plays a role distinct from PKCε in anxiety-like behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P. Dugan
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchDepartment of NeuroscienceThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Rajani Maiya
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchDepartment of NeuroscienceThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
- Department of PhysiologyLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Caleb Fleischer
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchDepartment of NeuroscienceThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular MedicineThe Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Angela E. Snyder
- Department of Molecular MedicineThe Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ashwin Koduri
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchDepartment of NeuroscienceThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Sathvik Srinivasan
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchDepartment of NeuroscienceThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular MedicineThe Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Robert O. Messing
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchDepartment of NeuroscienceThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
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Savarese AM, Metten P, Phillips TJ, Jensen BE, Crabbe JC, Ozburn AR. Midazolam, methamphetamine, morphine and nicotine intake in high‐drinking‐in‐the‐dark mice. Addict Biol 2022; 27:e13212. [PMID: 36001437 PMCID: PMC9677807 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The high-drinking-in-the-dark (HDID) lines of mice were selectively bred for achieving high blood alcohol levels in the drinking-in-the-dark (DID) task and have served as a unique genetic risk model for binge-like alcohol intake. However, little is known about their willingness to consume other addictive drugs. Here, we examined (a) whether the HDID-1 and HDID-2 lines of mice would voluntarily consume midazolam, methamphetamine, morphine and nicotine in a DID test and (b) whether the HDID lines differ from their founders, heterogeneous stock/Northport (HS/NPT), in consumption levels of these drugs at the concentrations tested. Separate groups of HDID-1, HDID-2 and HS/NPT mice were given 4 days of access to each drug, using the single-bottle, limited-access DID paradigm. Male and female mice of both HDID lines consumed all four offered drugs. We observed no genotype differences in 40 μg/ml methamphetamine intake, but significant differences in nicotine, midazolam and morphine intake. Both HDID lines drank significantly more (150 μg/ml) midazolam than their founders, providing strong support for a shared genetic contribution to binge ethanol and midazolam intake. HDID-2 mice, but not HDID-1 mice, consumed more morphine (700 μg/ml) and more nicotine across a range of concentrations than HS/NPT mice. These results demonstrate that the HDID mice can be utilized for tests of voluntary drug consumption other than ethanol and highlight potentially important differences between HDID lines in risk for elevated drug intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia M. Savarese
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience Oregon Health & Science University Portland USA
| | - Pamela Metten
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience Oregon Health & Science University Portland USA
- VA Portland Health Care System Portland USA
| | - Tamara J. Phillips
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience Oregon Health & Science University Portland USA
- VA Portland Health Care System Portland USA
| | - Bryan E. Jensen
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience Oregon Health & Science University Portland USA
- VA Portland Health Care System Portland USA
| | - John C. Crabbe
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience Oregon Health & Science University Portland USA
- VA Portland Health Care System Portland USA
| | - Angela R. Ozburn
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience Oregon Health & Science University Portland USA
- VA Portland Health Care System Portland USA
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Borrego MB, Chan AE, Ozburn AR. Regulation of alcohol drinking by ventral striatum and extended amygdala circuitry. Neuropharmacology 2022; 212:109074. [PMID: 35487273 PMCID: PMC9677601 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is a complex psychiatric disorder that can be modeled in rodents using a number of drinking paradigms. Drinking-in-the-dark (DID) is widely used to model the binge/intoxication stage of addiction, and chronic intermittent ethanol vapor procedures (CIE) are used to induce dependence and model withdrawal/negative affect induced escalation of drinking. We discuss experiments showing the ventral striatum (vStr) and extended amygdala (EA) are engaged in response to ethanol in rodents through c-Fos/Fos immunoreactivity studies. We also discuss experiments in rodents that span a wide variety of techniques where the function of vStr and EA structures are changed following DID or CIE, and the role of neurotransmitter and neuropeptide systems studies in these ethanol-related outcomes. We note where signaling systems converge across regions and paradigms and where there are still gaps in the literature. Dynorphin/κ-opioid receptor (KOR) signaling, as well as corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)/CRF receptor signaling were found to be important regulators of drinking behaviors across brain regions and drinking paradigms. Future research will require that females and a variety of rodent strains are used in preclinical experiments in order to strengthen the generalizability of findings and improve the likelihood of success for testing potential therapeutics in human laboratory studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa B Borrego
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Amy E Chan
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Angela R Ozburn
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
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Abstract
The mechanistic target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is the central regulator of cell growth and proliferation by integrating growth factor and nutrient availability. Under healthy physiological conditions, this process is tightly coordinated and essential to maintain whole-body homeostasis. Not surprisingly, dysregulated mTOR signaling underpins several diseases with increasing incidence worldwide, including obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Consequently, there is significant clinical interest in developing therapeutic strategies that effectively target this pathway. The transition of mTOR inhibitors from the bench to bedside, however, has largely been marked with challenges and shortcomings, such as the development of therapy resistance and adverse side effects in patients. In this review, we discuss the current status of first-, second-, and third-generation mTOR inhibitors as a cancer therapy in both preclinical and clinical settings, with a particular emphasis on the mechanisms of drug resistance. We focus especially on the emerging role of diet as an important environmental determinant of therapy response, and posit a conceptual framework that links nutrient availability and whole-body metabolic states such as obesity with many of the previously defined processes that drive resistance to mTOR-targeted therapies. Given the role of mTOR as a central integrator of cell metabolism and function, we propose that modulating nutrient inputs through dietary interventions may influence the signaling dynamics of this pathway and compensatory nodes. In doing so, new opportunities for exploiting diet/drug synergies are highlighted that may unlock the therapeutic potential of mTOR inhibitors as a cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikos Koundouros
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021,USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
- Correspondence: Nikos Koundouros, Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, 413 East 69th Street, New York, NY, 10021 USA.
| | - John Blenis
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021,USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
- Correspondence: John Blenis, Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, 413 East 69th Street, New York, NY, 10021 USA.
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Savarese AM, Grigsby KB, Jensen BE, Borrego MB, Finn DA, Crabbe JC, Ozburn AR. Corticosterone Levels and Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene Expression in High Drinking in the Dark Mice and Their Heterogeneous Stock (HS/NPT) Founder Line. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:821859. [PMID: 35645743 PMCID: PMC9135139 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.821859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The High Drinking in the Dark (HDID-1) line of mice has been selectively bred for achieving high blood alcohol levels (BALs) in the Drinking in the Dark task, a model of binge-like drinking. Recently, we determined that glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonism with either mifepristone or CORT113176 (a selective GR antagonist) reduced binge-like ethanol intake in the HDID-1 mice, but not in their founder line, HS/NPT. Here, we examined whether the selection process may have altered glucocorticoid functioning by measuring (1) plasma corticosterone levels and (2) expression of the genes encoding GR (Nr3c1) and two of its chaperone proteins FKBP51 and FKBP52 (Fkbp5 and Fkbp4) in the brains (nucleus accumbens, NAc) of HDID-1 and HS/NPT mice. We observed no genotype differences in baseline circulating corticosterone levels. However, HDID-1 mice exhibited a greater stimulated peak corticosterone response to an IP injection (of either ethanol or saline) relative to their founder line. We further observed reduced basal expression of Fkbp4 and Nr3c1 in the NAc of HDID-1 mice relative to HS/NPT mice. Finally, HDID-1 mice exhibited reduced Fkbp5 expression in the NAc relative to HS/NPT mice following an injection of 2 g/kg ethanol. Together, these data suggest that selective breeding for high BALs may have altered stress signaling in the HDID-1 mice, which may contribute to the observed selective efficacy of GR antagonism in reducing binge-like ethanol intake in HDID-1, but not HS/NPT mice. These data have important implications for the role that stress signaling plays in the genetic risk for binge drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia M. Savarese
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- *Correspondence: Antonia M. Savarese,
| | - Kolter B. Grigsby
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Bryan E. Jensen
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Marissa B. Borrego
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Deborah A. Finn
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - John C. Crabbe
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Angela R. Ozburn
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
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Egervari G, Siciliano CA, Whiteley EL, Ron D. Alcohol and the brain: from genes to circuits. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:1004-1015. [PMID: 34702580 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use produces wide-ranging and diverse effects on the central nervous system. It influences intracellular signaling mechanisms, leading to changes in gene expression, chromatin remodeling, and translation. As a result of these molecular alterations, alcohol affects the activity of neuronal circuits. Together, these mechanisms produce long-lasting cellular adaptations in the brain that in turn can drive the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorder (AUD). We provide an update on alcohol research, focusing on multiple levels of alcohol-induced adaptations, from intracellular changes to changes in neural circuits. A better understanding of how alcohol affects these diverse and interlinked mechanisms may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and to the development of much-needed novel and efficacious treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabor Egervari
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Cody A Siciliano
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.
| | - Ellanor L Whiteley
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Dorit Ron
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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Jimenez Chavez CL, Bryant CD, Munn-Chernoff MA, Szumlinski KK. Selective Inhibition of PDE4B Reduces Binge Drinking in Two C57BL/6 Substrains. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115443. [PMID: 34064099 PMCID: PMC8196757 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent signaling is highly implicated in the pathophysiology of alcohol use disorder (AUD), with evidence supporting the efficacy of inhibiting the cAMP hydrolyzing enzyme phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) as a therapeutic strategy for drinking reduction. Off-target emetic effects associated with non-selective PDE4 inhibitors has prompted the development of selective PDE4 isozyme inhibitors for treating neuropsychiatric conditions. Herein, we examined the effect of a selective PDE4B inhibitor A33 (0–1.0 mg/kg) on alcohol drinking in both female and male mice from two genetically distinct C57BL/6 substrains. Under two different binge-drinking procedures, A33 pretreatment reduced alcohol intake in male and female mice of both substrains. In both drinking studies, there was no evidence for carry-over effects the next day; however, we did observe some sign of tolerance to A33’s effect on alcohol intake upon repeated, intermittent, treatment (5 injections of 1.0 mg/kg, every other day). Pretreatment with 1.0 mg/kg of A33 augmented sucrose intake by C57BL/6NJ, but not C57BL/6J, mice. In mice with a prior history of A33 pretreatment during alcohol-drinking, A33 (1.0 mg/kg) did not alter spontaneous locomotor activity or basal motor coordination, nor did it alter alcohol’s effects on motor activity, coordination or sedation. In a distinct cohort of alcohol-naïve mice, acute pretreatment with 1.0 mg/kg of A33 did not alter motor performance on a rotarod and reduced sensitivity to the acute intoxicating effects of alcohol. These data provide the first evidence that selective PDE4B inhibition is an effective strategy for reducing excessive alcohol intake in murine models of binge drinking, with minimal off-target effects. Despite reducing sensitivity to acute alcohol intoxication, PDE4B inhibition reduces binge alcohol drinking, without influencing behavioral sensitivity to alcohol in alcohol-experienced mice. Furthermore, A33 is equally effective in males and females and exerts a quantitatively similar reduction in alcohol intake in mice with a genetic predisposition for high versus moderate alcohol preference. Such findings further support the safety and potential clinical utility of targeting PDE4 for treating AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Leonardo Jimenez Chavez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9660, USA;
| | - Camron D. Bryant
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Melissa A. Munn-Chernoff
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
| | - Karen K. Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9660, USA;
- Correspondence:
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8
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Gray JC, Murphy M, Leggio L. Leveraging genetic data to investigate molecular targets and drug repurposing candidates for treating alcohol use disorder and hepatotoxicity. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 214:108155. [PMID: 32652377 PMCID: PMC7423741 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Novel treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) are greatly needed. Genetic information can improve drug discovery rates by facilitating the identification of novel biological targets and potential drugs for repurposing. METHODS The present study utilized a recently developed Bayesian approach, Integrative Risk Gene Selector (iRIGS), to identify additional risk genes for alcohol consumption using SNPs from the largest alcohol consumption GWAS to date (N = 941,280). iRIGS incorporates several genomic features and closeness of these genes in network space to compute a posterior probability for protein coding genes near each SNP. We subsequently used the Target Central Resource Database to search for drug-protein interactions for these newly identified genes and previously identified risk genes for alcohol consumption. RESULTS We identified several genes that are novel contributions to the previously published alcohol consumption GWAS. Namely, ACVR2A, which is critical for liver function and linked to anxiety and cocaine self-administration, and PRKCE, which has been linked to alcohol self-administration. Notably, only a minority of the SNPs (18.4 %) were linked to genes with confidence (>0.75), underscoring the need to apply multiple methods to assign function to loci. Finally, some previously identified risk genes for alcohol consumption code for proteins that are implicated in liver function and are targeted by drugs, some of which are candidates for managing hepatotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the value of incorporating regulatory information and drug-protein interaction data to highlight additional molecular targets and drug repurposing candidates for treating AUD and ALD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua C. Gray
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814,Correspondence to Joshua Charles Gray, PhD; (410) 707-1180, , 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Mikela Murphy
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research and National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Medication Development Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD; Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI
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9
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Koundouros N, Poulogiannis G. Reprogramming of fatty acid metabolism in cancer. Br J Cancer 2020; 122:4-22. [PMID: 31819192 PMCID: PMC6964678 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-019-0650-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 791] [Impact Index Per Article: 197.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A common feature of cancer cells is their ability to rewire their metabolism to sustain the production of ATP and macromolecules needed for cell growth, division and survival. In particular, the importance of altered fatty acid metabolism in cancer has received renewed interest as, aside their principal role as structural components of the membrane matrix, they are important secondary messengers, and can also serve as fuel sources for energy production. In this review, we will examine the mechanisms through which cancer cells rewire their fatty acid metabolism with a focus on four main areas of research. (1) The role of de novo synthesis and exogenous uptake in the cellular pool of fatty acids. (2) The mechanisms through which molecular heterogeneity and oncogenic signal transduction pathways, such as PI3K-AKT-mTOR signalling, regulate fatty acid metabolism. (3) The role of fatty acids as essential mediators of cancer progression and metastasis, through remodelling of the tumour microenvironment. (4) Therapeutic strategies and considerations for successfully targeting fatty acid metabolism in cancer. Further research focusing on the complex interplay between oncogenic signalling and dysregulated fatty acid metabolism holds great promise to uncover novel metabolic vulnerabilities and improve the efficacy of targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikos Koundouros
- Signalling and Cancer Metabolism Team, Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - George Poulogiannis
- Signalling and Cancer Metabolism Team, Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK.
- Division of Computational and Systems Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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10
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Zhao W, Hu Y, Li C, Li N, Zhu S, Tan X, Li M, Zhang Y, Xu Z, Ding Z, Hu L, Liu Z, Sun J. Transplantation of fecal microbiota from patients with alcoholism induces anxiety/depression behaviors and decreases brain mGluR1/PKC ε levels in mouse. Biofactors 2020; 46:38-54. [PMID: 31518024 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that the gut microbiota participates in the psychiatric behavior changes in disorders associated with alcohol. But it still remains unknown whether alcoholism is involved in changes in gut microbiota and its underlying mechanism is also not clear. Here, we tested the gut microbiota of patients with alcoholism and conducted fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from patients with alcoholism to C57BL/6J mice whose gut microbiota had been sharply suppressed with antibiotics (ABX). Then we evaluated their alcohol preference degree, anxiety, and depression-like behaviors and social interaction behaviors, together with molecular changes in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). Our data indicated that the gut microbiota of patients with alcoholism was drastically different from those of the healthy adults. The abundance of p_Firmicutes was significantly increased whereas p_Bacteroidetes was decreased. Compared to mice transplanted with fecal microbiota from healthy male adults, the mice accepting fecal microbiota from patients with alcoholism showed (a) anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors, (b) decreased social interaction behaviors, (c) spontaneous alcohol preference, and (d) decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), alpha 1 subunit of GABA type A receptor (α1GABAA R) in mPFC and decreased metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 (mGluR1), protein kinase C (PKC) ε in NAc. Overall, our results suggest that fecal microbiota from patients with alcoholism did induce a status like alcohol dependence in C57BL/6J mice. The decreased expression of BDNF, α1GABAA R, and mGluR1/ PKC ε may be the underlying mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Zhao
- Department of Anatomy, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Ying Hu
- Department of Pediatrics, Jinan Zhangqiu District Hospital of TCM, Shandong, China
| | - Chuangang Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Second Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Second Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Shaowei Zhu
- Department of Anatomy, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xu Tan
- Department of Anatomy, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Anatomy, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zheng Xu
- Department of Anatomy, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zhaoxi Ding
- Department of Anatomy, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Lingming Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zengxun Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jinhao Sun
- Department of Anatomy, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
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11
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Laat B, Weerasekera A, Leurquin‐Sterk G, Gsell W, Bormans G, Himmelreich U, Casteels C, Van Laere K. Effects of alcohol exposure on the glutamatergic system: a combined longitudinal 18 F-FPEB and 1 H-MRS study in rats. Addict Biol 2019; 24:696-706. [PMID: 29790622 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In a longitudinal rat model of alcohol consumption, we showed that exposure to alcohol decreased the concentration of glutamate in the prefrontal cortex, whereas a normalization occurred during abstinence. 18F-FPEB PET scans revealed that pre-exposure mGluR5 availability in the nucleus accumbens was associated with future alcohol preference. Finally, alcohol exposure induced a decrease in mGluR5 availability in the bilateral hippocampus and amygdala compared with baseline, and in the hippocampus and striatum compared with saccharin (Figure).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Laat
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven, MoSAICMolecular Small Animal Imaging Center Belgium
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven/University Hospital Leuven, Division of Nuclear MedicineDepartment of Imaging and Pathology Belgium
| | - Akila Weerasekera
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven, MoSAICMolecular Small Animal Imaging Center Belgium
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven, Biomedical MRI unitDepartment of Imaging and Pathology Belgium
| | - Gil Leurquin‐Sterk
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven/University Hospital Leuven, Division of Nuclear MedicineDepartment of Imaging and Pathology Belgium
| | - Willy Gsell
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven, MoSAICMolecular Small Animal Imaging Center Belgium
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven, Biomedical MRI unitDepartment of Imaging and Pathology Belgium
| | - Guy Bormans
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven, MoSAICMolecular Small Animal Imaging Center Belgium
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven, Laboratory for RadiopharmacyDepartment of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences Belgium
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven, MoSAICMolecular Small Animal Imaging Center Belgium
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven, Biomedical MRI unitDepartment of Imaging and Pathology Belgium
| | - Cindy Casteels
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven, MoSAICMolecular Small Animal Imaging Center Belgium
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven/University Hospital Leuven, Division of Nuclear MedicineDepartment of Imaging and Pathology Belgium
| | - Koen Van Laere
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven, MoSAICMolecular Small Animal Imaging Center Belgium
- KU Leuven – University of Leuven/University Hospital Leuven, Division of Nuclear MedicineDepartment of Imaging and Pathology Belgium
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12
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Campbell RR, Domingo RD, Williams AR, Wroten MG, McGregor HA, Waltermire RS, Greentree DI, Goulding SP, Thompson AB, Lee KM, Quadir SG, Jimenez Chavez CL, Coelho MA, Gould AT, von Jonquieres G, Klugmann M, Worley PF, Kippin TE, Szumlinski KK. Increased Alcohol-Drinking Induced by Manipulations of mGlu5 Phosphorylation within the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis. J Neurosci 2019; 39:2745-2761. [PMID: 30737312 PMCID: PMC6445984 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1909-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is part of the limbic-hypothalamic system important for behavioral responses to stress, and glutamate transmission within this region has been implicated in the neurobiology of alcoholism. Herein, we used a combination of immunoblotting, neuropharmacological and transgenic procedures to investigate the role for metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) signaling within the BNST in excessive drinking. We discovered that mGlu5 signaling in the BNST is linked to excessive alcohol consumption in a manner distinct from behavioral or neuropharmacological endophenotypes that have been previously implicated as triggers for heavy drinking. Our studies demonstrate that, in male mice, a history of chronic binge alcohol-drinking elevates BNST levels of the mGlu5-scaffolding protein Homer2 and activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in an adaptive response to limit alcohol consumption. Male and female transgenic mice expressing a point mutation of mGlu5 that cannot be phosphorylated by ERK exhibit excessive alcohol-drinking, despite greater behavioral signs of alcohol intoxication and reduced anxiety, and are insensitive to local manipulations of signaling in the BNST. These transgenic mice also show selective insensitivity to alcohol-aversion and increased novelty-seeking, which may be relevant to excessive drinking. Further, the insensitivity to alcohol-aversion exhibited by male mice can be mimicked by the local inhibition of ERK signaling within the BNST. Our findings elucidate a novel mGluR5-linked signaling state within BNST that plays a central and unanticipated role in excessive alcohol consumption.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is part of the limbic-hypothalamic system important for behavioral responses to stress and alcohol, and glutamate transmission within BNST is implicated in the neurobiology of alcoholism. The present study provides evidence that a history of excessive alcohol drinking increases signaling through the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) receptor within the BNST in an adaptive response to limit alcohol consumption. In particular, disruption of mGlu5 phosphorylation by extracellular signal-regulated kinase within this brain region induces excessive alcohol-drinking, which reflects a selective insensitivity to the aversive properties of alcohol intoxication. These data indicate that a specific signaling state of mGlu5 within BNST plays a central and unanticipated role in excessive alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rianne R Campbell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Racquel D Domingo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Amy R Williams
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Melissa G Wroten
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Hadley A McGregor
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Ryan S Waltermire
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Daniel I Greentree
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Scott P Goulding
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Andrew B Thompson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Kaziya M Lee
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Sema G Quadir
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - C Leonardo Jimenez Chavez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Michal A Coelho
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Adam T Gould
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Georg von Jonquieres
- Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, New South Wales 2052, Australia, and
| | - Matthias Klugmann
- Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, New South Wales 2052, Australia, and
| | - Paul F Worley
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Tod E Kippin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660
| | - Karen K Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660,
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13
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Agoglia AE, Herman MA. The center of the emotional universe: Alcohol, stress, and CRF1 amygdala circuitry. Alcohol 2018; 72:61-73. [PMID: 30220589 PMCID: PMC6165695 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The commonalities between different phases of stress and alcohol use as well as the high comorbidity between alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and anxiety disorders suggest common underlying cellular mechanisms governing the rewarding and aversive aspects of these related conditions. As an integrative center that assigns emotional salience to a wide variety of internal and external stimuli, the amygdala complex plays a major role in how alcohol and stress influence cellular physiology to produce disordered behavior. Previous work has illustrated the broad role of the amygdala in alcohol, stress, and anxiety. However, the challenge of current and future studies is to identify the specific dysregulations that occur within distinct amygdala circuits and subpopulations and the commonalities between these alterations in each disorder, with the long-term goal of identifying potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Specific intra-amygdala circuits and cell type-specific subpopulations are emerging as critical targets for stress- and alcohol-induced plasticity, chief among them the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and CRF receptor 1 (CRF1) system. CRF and CRF1 have been implicated in the effects of alcohol in several amygdala nuclei, including the basolateral (BLA) and central amygdala (CeA); however, the precise circuitry involved in these effects and the role of these circuits in stress and anxiety are only beginning to be understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E Agoglia
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Melissa A Herman
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
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14
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Role of glutamatergic system and mesocorticolimbic circuits in alcohol dependence. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 171:32-49. [PMID: 30316901 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Revised: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence demonstrates that alcohol dependence is associated with dysregulation of several neurotransmitters. Alterations in dopamine, glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid release are linked to chronic alcohol exposure. The effects of alcohol on the glutamatergic system in the mesocorticolimbic areas have been investigated extensively. Several studies have demonstrated dysregulation in the glutamatergic systems in animal models exposed to alcohol. Alcohol exposure can lead to an increase in extracellular glutamate concentrations in mesocorticolimbic brain regions. In addition, alcohol exposure affects the expression and functions of several glutamate receptors and glutamate transporters in these brain regions. In this review, we discussed the effects of alcohol exposure on glutamate receptors, glutamate transporters and glutamate homeostasis in each area of the mesocorticolimbic system. In addition, we discussed the genetic aspect of alcohol associated with glutamate and reward circuitry. We also discussed the potential therapeutic role of glutamate receptors and glutamate transporters in each brain region for the treatment of alcohol dependence. Finally, we provided some limitations on targeting the glutamatergic system for potential therapeutic options for the treatment alcohol use disorders.
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15
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Novel Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Protein Kinase C Epsilon Reduce Ethanol Consumption in Mice. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:193-201. [PMID: 29198469 PMCID: PMC5984071 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the high cost and widespread prevalence of alcohol use disorders, treatment options are limited, underscoring the need for new, effective medications. Previous results using protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε) knockout mice, RNA interference against PKCε, and peptide inhibitors of PKCε predict that small-molecule inhibitors of PKCε should reduce alcohol consumption in humans. METHODS We designed a new class of PKCε inhibitors based on the Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y-27632. In vitro kinase and binding assays were used to identify the most potent compounds. Their effects on ethanol-stimulated synaptic transmission; ethanol, sucrose, and quinine consumption; ethanol-induced loss of righting; and ethanol clearance were studied in mice. RESULTS We identified two compounds that inhibited PKCε with Ki <20 nM, showed selectivity for PKCε over other kinases, crossed the blood-brain barrier, achieved effective concentrations in mouse brain, prevented ethanol-stimulated gamma-aminobutyric acid release in the central amygdala, and reduced ethanol consumption when administered intraperitoneally at 40 mg/kg in wild-type but not in Prkce-/- mice. One compound also reduced sucrose and saccharin consumption, while the other was selective for ethanol. Both transiently impaired locomotion through an off-target effect that did not interfere with their ability to reduce ethanol intake. One compound prolonged recovery from ethanol-induced loss of righting but this was also due to an off-target effect since it was present in Prkce-/- mice. Neither altered ethanol clearance. CONCLUSIONS These results identify lead compounds for development of PKCε inhibitors that reduce alcohol consumption.
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16
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Pakri Mohamed RM, Mokhtar MH, Yap E, Hanim A, Abdul Wahab N, Jaffar FHF, Kumar J. Ethanol-Induced Changes in PKCε: From Cell to Behavior. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:244. [PMID: 29706864 PMCID: PMC5907685 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The long-term binge intake of ethanol causes neuroadaptive changes that lead to drinkers requiring higher amounts of ethanol to experience its effects. This neuroadaptation can be partly attributed to the modulation of numerous neurotransmitter receptors by the various protein kinases C (PKCs). PKCs are enzymes that control cellular activities by regulating other proteins via phosphorylation. Among the various isoforms of PKC, PKCε is the most implicated in ethanol-induced biochemical and behavioral changes. Ethanol exposure causes changes to PKCε expression and localization in various brain regions that mediate addiction-favoring plasticity. Ethanol works in conjunction with numerous upstream kinases and second messenger activators to affect cellular PKCε expression. Chauffeur proteins, such as receptors for activated C kinase (RACKs), cause the translocation of PKCε to aberrant sites and mediate ethanol-induced changes. In this article, we aim to review the following: the general structure and function of PKCε, ethanol-induced changes in PKCε expression, the regulation of ethanol-induced PKCε activities in DAG-dependent and DAG-independent environments, the mechanisms underlying PKCε-RACKε translocation in the presence of ethanol, and the existing literature on the role of PKCε in ethanol-induced neurobehavioral changes, with the goal of creating a working model upon which further research can build.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohd H. Mokhtar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Ernie Yap
- Department of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Athirah Hanim
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Norhazlina Abdul Wahab
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Farah H. F. Jaffar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jaya Kumar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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17
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Lee KM, Coelho MA, Sern KR, Szumlinski KK. Homer2 within the central nucleus of the amygdala modulates withdrawal-induced anxiety in a mouse model of binge-drinking. Neuropharmacology 2017; 128:448-459. [PMID: 29109058 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A history of binge-drinking decreases protein expression of the glutamate-related scaffolding protein Homer2 within the central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA), coinciding with behavioral signs of negative affect. To assess the functional relevance of this protein change for withdrawal-induced hyper-anxiety, adult (PND 56) and adolescent (PND 28) male C57BL/6J mice were administered an intra-CEA infusion of an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) carrying either cDNA to express Homer2 (H2-cDNA) or GFP as control. Mice underwent 14 days of binge-drinking under multi-bottle, limited-access conditions and were assayed for behavioral signs of negative affect during withdrawal using the light-dark box, marble burying, and forced swim tests (FST). Following behavioral testing, all animals experienced 5 days of drinking to evaluate the effects of prior alcohol experience and Homer2 manipulation on subsequent alcohol consumption. During protracted (4 weeks) withdrawal, adolescent alcohol-experienced GFP controls showed increased signs of negative affect across all 3 assays, compared to water-drinking GFP animals, and also showed elevated alcohol consumption during the subsequent drinking period. Homer2-cDNA infusion in adolescent-onset alcohol-drinking animals was anxiolytic and reduced subsequent alcohol consumption. Conversely, Homer2-cDNA was anxiogenic and increased drinking in water-drinking adolescents. Unfortunately, the data from adult-onset alcohol-drinking animals were confounded by low alcohol consumption and negligible behavioral signs of anxiety. Nevertheless, the present results provide novel cause-effect evidence supporting a role for CEA Homer2 in the regulation of both basal anxiety and the time-dependent intensification of negative affective states in individuals with a history of binge-drinking during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Lee
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106-9660 CA, USA
| | - M A Coelho
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106-9660 CA, USA
| | - K R Sern
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106-9660 CA, USA
| | - K K Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106-9660 CA, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, The Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, 93106-9625 CA, USA.
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18
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Quadir SG, Guzelian E, Palmer MA, Martin DL, Kim J, Szumlinski KK. Complex interactions between the subject factors of biological sex and prior histories of binge-drinking and unpredictable stress influence behavioral sensitivity to alcohol and alcohol intake. Physiol Behav 2017; 203:100-112. [PMID: 28803118 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorders, affective disorders and their comorbidity are sexually dimorphic in humans. However, it is difficult to disentangle the interactions between subject factors influencing alcohol sensitivity in studies of humans. Herein, we combined murine models of unpredictable, chronic, mild stress (UCMS) and voluntary binge-drinking to examine for sex differences in the interactions between prior histories of excessive ethanol-drinking and stress upon ethanol-induced changes in motor behavior and subsequent drinking. In Experiment 1, female mice were insensitive to the UCMS-induced increase in ethanol-induced locomotion and ethanol intake under continuous alcohol-access. Experiment 2 revealed interactions between ethanol dose and sex (females>males), binge-drinking history (water>ethanol), and UCMS history (UCMS>controls), with no additive effect of a sequential prior history of both binge drinking and UCMS observed. We also observed an interaction between UCMS history and sex for righting recovery. UCMS history potentiated subsequent binge-drinking in water controls of both sexes and in male binge-drinking mice. Conversely, a prior binge-drinking history increased subsequent ethanol intake in females only, irrespective of prior UCMS history. In Experiment 3, a concurrent history of binge-drinking and UCMS did not alter ethanol intake, nor did it influence the ethanol dose-locomotor response function, but it did augment alcohol-induced sedation and reduced subsequent alcohol intake over that produced by binge-drinking alone. Thus, the subject factors of biological sex, prior stressor history and prior binge-drinking history interact in complex ways in mice to impact sensitivity to alcohol's motor-stimulating, -incoordinating and intoxicating effects, as well as to influence subsequent heavy drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sema G Quadir
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Eugenie Guzelian
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Mason A Palmer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Douglas L Martin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer Kim
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Karen K Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA; Department of Molecular, Developmental and Cell Biology, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
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19
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Lee KM, Coehlo MA, Solton NR, Szumlinski KK. Negative Affect and Excessive Alcohol Intake Incubate during Protracted Withdrawal from Binge-Drinking in Adolescent, But Not Adult, Mice. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1128. [PMID: 28729845 PMCID: PMC5499357 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Binge-drinking is common in underage alcohol users, yet we know little regarding the biopsychological impact of binge-drinking during early periods of development. Prior work indicated that adolescent male C57BL6/J mice with a 2-week history of binge-drinking (PND28-41) are resilient to the anxiogenic effects of early alcohol withdrawal. Herein, we employed a comparable Drinking-in-the-Dark model to determine how a prior history of binge-drinking during adolescence (EtOHadolescents) influences emotionality (assayed with the light-dark box, marble burying test, and the forced swim test) and the propensity to consume alcohol in later life, compared to animals without prior drinking experience. For additional comparison, adult mice (EtOHadults) with comparable drinking history (PND56-69) were subdivided into groups tested for anxiety/drinking either on PND70 (24 h withdrawal) or PND98 (28 days withdrawal). Tissue from the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh) and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) was examined by immunoblotting for changes in the expression of glutamate-related proteins. EtOHadults exhibited some signs of hyperanxiety during early withdrawal (PND70), but not during protracted withdrawal (PND98). In contrast, EtOHadolescents exhibited robust signs of anxiety-l and depressive-like behaviors when tested as adults on PND70. While all alcohol-experienced animals subsequently consumed more alcohol than mice drinking for the first time, alcohol intake was greatest in EtOHadolescents. Independent of drinking age, the manifestation of withdrawal-induced hyperanxiety was accompanied by reduced Homer2b expression within the CeA and increased Group1 mGlu receptor expression within the AcbSh. The present data provide novel evidence that binge-drinking during adolescence produces a state characterized by profound negative affect and excessive alcohol consumption that incubates with the passage of time in withdrawal. These data extend our prior studies on the effects of subchronic binge-drinking during adulthood by demonstrating that the increase in alcoholism-related behaviors and glutamate-related proteins observed in early withdrawal dissipate with the passage of time. Our results to date highlight a critical interaction between the age of binge-drinking onset and the duration of alcohol withdrawal in glutamate-related neuroplasticity within the extended amygdala of relevance to the etiology of psychopathology, including pathological drinking, in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaziya M Lee
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Michal A Coehlo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Noah R Solton
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Karen K Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA, United States.,Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and The Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa BarbaraCA, United States
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20
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Dopamine Receptors Differentially Control Binge Alcohol Drinking-Mediated Synaptic Plasticity of the Core Nucleus Accumbens Direct and Indirect Pathways. J Neurosci 2017; 37:5463-5474. [PMID: 28473645 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3845-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Binge alcohol drinking, a behavior characterized by rapid repeated alcohol intake, is most prevalent in young adults and is a risk factor for excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol dependence. Although the alteration of synaptic plasticity is thought to contribute to this behavior, there is currently little evidence that this is the case. We used drinking in the dark (DID) as a model of binge alcohol drinking to assess its effects on spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) in medium spiny neurons (MSNs) of the core nucleus accumbens (NAc) by combining patch-clamp recordings with calcium imaging and optogenetics. After 2 weeks of daily alcohol binges, synaptic plasticity was profoundly altered. STDP in MSNs expressing dopamine D1 receptors shifted from spike-timing-dependent long-term depression (tLTD), the predominant form of plasticity in naive male mice, to spike-timing-dependent long-term potentiation (tLTP) in DID mice, an effect that was totally reversed in the presence of 4 μm SCH23390, a dopamine D1 receptor antagonist. In MSNs presumably expressing dopamine D2 receptors, tLTP, the main form of plasticity in naive mice, was inhibited in DID mice. Interestingly, 1 μm sulpiride, a D2 receptor antagonist, restored tLTP. Although we observed no alterations of AMPA and NMDA receptor properties, we found that the AMPA/NMDA ratio increased at cortical and amygdaloid inputs but not at hippocampal inputs. Also, DID effects on STDP were accompanied by lower dendritic calcium transients. These data suggest that the role of dopamine in mediating the effects of binge alcohol drinking on synaptic plasticity of NAc MSNs differs markedly whether these neurons belong to the direct or indirect pathways.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We examined the relationship between binge alcohol drinking and spike timing-dependent plasticity in nucleus accumbens (NAc) neurons. We found that repeated drinking bouts modulate differently synaptic plasticity in medium spiny neurons of the accumbens direct and indirect pathways. While timing-dependent long-term depression switches to long-term potentiation (LTP) in the former, timing-dependent LTP is inhibited in the latter. These effects are not accompanied by changes in AMPA and NMDA receptor properties at cortical, amygdaloid, and hippocampal synapses. Interestingly, dopamine D1 and D2 receptor antagonists have opposite effects on plasticity. Our data show that whether core NAc medium spiny neurons belong to the direct or indirect pathways determines the form of spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), the manner by which STDP responds to binge alcohol drinking, and its sensitivity to dopamine receptor antagonists.
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21
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Dutton JW, Chen H, You C, Brodie MS, Lasek AW. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase regulates binge-like drinking and dopamine receptor sensitivity in the ventral tegmental area. Addict Biol 2017; 22:665-678. [PMID: 26752591 PMCID: PMC4940304 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Revised: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a receptor tyrosine kinase associated with alcohol dependence in humans and behavioral responses to ethanol in mice. To characterize the ability of ALK to control ethanol consumption, we treated mice with the ALK inhibitors TAE684 or alectinib before testing them for binge-like drinking using the drinking in the dark protocol. Mice treated with ALK inhibitors drank less ethanol than controls. In addition, TAE684 treatment abolished ethanol conditioned place preference, indicating that ALK regulates the rewarding properties of ethanol. Because the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a key brain region involved in the rewarding effects of ethanol, we determined if Alk expression in the VTA is important for binge-like ethanol consumption. Mice expressing a short hairpin ribonucleic acid targeting Alk in the VTA drank less ethanol compared with controls. ALK is expressed on dopamine (DA) neurons in the VTA, suggesting that ALK might regulate their firing properties. Extracellular recordings of putative DA neurons in VTA slices demonstrated that ALK inhibition did not affect the ability of ethanol to stimulate, or DA to inhibit, the firing of DA neurons. However, inhibiting ALK attenuated the time-dependent reversal of inhibition produced by moderate concentrations of DA, suggesting that ALK affects DA D2 autoreceptor (D2R) desensitization. Altered desensitization of the D2R changes the firing of DA neurons and is predicted to affect DA levels and alcohol drinking. These data support the possibility that ALK might be a novel target of pharmacotherapy for reducing excessive alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W. Dutton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at
Chicago, IL 60612 USA
- Biologic Resources Laboratory, University of Illinois at
Chicago, IL 60612 USA
| | - Hu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at
Chicago, IL 60612 USA
| | - Chang You
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of
Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612 USA
| | - Mark S. Brodie
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of
Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612 USA
| | - Amy W. Lasek
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at
Chicago, IL 60612 USA
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22
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Miller BW, Wroten MG, Sacramento AD, Silva HE, Shin CB, Vieira PA, Ben-Shahar O, Kippin TE, Szumlinski KK. Cocaine craving during protracted withdrawal requires PKCε priming within vmPFC. Addict Biol 2017; 22:629-639. [PMID: 26769453 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 11/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In individuals with a history of drug taking, the capacity of drug-associated cues to elicit indices of drug craving intensifies or incubates with the passage of time during drug abstinence. This incubation of cocaine craving, as well as difficulties with learning to suppress drug-seeking behavior during protracted withdrawal, are associated with a time-dependent deregulation of ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) function. As the molecular bases for cocaine-related vmPFC deregulation remain elusive, the present study assayed the consequences of extended access to intravenous cocaine (6 hours/day; 0.25 mg/infusion for 10 day) on the activational state of protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε), an enzyme highly implicated in drug-induced neuroplasticity. The opportunity to engage in cocaine seeking during cocaine abstinence time-dependently altered PKCε phosphorylation within vmPFC, with reduced and increased p-PKCε expression observed in early (3 days) and protracted (30 days) withdrawal, respectively. This effect was more robust within the ventromedial versus dorsomedial PFC, was not observed in comparable cocaine-experienced rats not tested for drug-seeking behavior and was distinct from the rise in phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase observed in cocaine-seeking rats. Further, the impact of inhibiting PKCε translocation within the vmPFC using TAT infusion proteins upon cue-elicited responding was determined and inhibition coinciding with the period of testing attenuated cocaine-seeking behavior, with an effect also apparent the next day. In contrast, inhibitor pretreatment prior to testing during early withdrawal was without effect. Thus, a history of excessive cocaine taking influences the cue reactivity of important intracellular signaling molecules within the vmPFC, with PKCε playing a critical role in the manifestation of cue-elicited cocaine seeking during protracted drug withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey W. Miller
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience Research Institute; University of California Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara CA USA
| | - Melissa G. Wroten
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience Research Institute; University of California Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara CA USA
| | - Arianne D. Sacramento
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience Research Institute; University of California Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara CA USA
| | - Hannah E. Silva
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience Research Institute; University of California Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara CA USA
| | - Christina B. Shin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience Research Institute; University of California Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara CA USA
| | - Philip A. Vieira
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience Research Institute; University of California Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara CA USA
| | - Osnat Ben-Shahar
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience Research Institute; University of California Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara CA USA
| | - Tod E. Kippin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience Research Institute; University of California Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara CA USA
| | - Karen K. Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience Research Institute; University of California Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara CA USA
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Hwa L, Besheer J, Kash T. Glutamate plasticity woven through the progression to alcohol use disorder: a multi-circuit perspective. F1000Res 2017; 6:298. [PMID: 28413623 PMCID: PMC5365217 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.9609.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate signaling in the brain is one of the most studied targets in the alcohol research field. Here, we report the current understanding of how the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, its receptors, and its transporters are involved in low, episodic, and heavy alcohol use. Specific animal behavior protocols can be used to assess these different drinking levels, including two-bottle choice, operant self-administration, drinking in the dark, the alcohol deprivation effect, intermittent access to alcohol, and chronic intermittent ethanol vapor inhalation. Importantly, these methods are not limited to a specific category, since they can be interchanged to assess different states in the development from low to heavy drinking. We encourage a circuit-based perspective beyond the classic mesolimbic-centric view, as multiple structures are dynamically engaged during the transition from positive- to negative-related reinforcement to drive alcohol drinking. During this shift from lower-level alcohol drinking to heavy alcohol use, there appears to be a shift from metabotropic glutamate receptor-dependent behaviors to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-related processes. Despite high efficacy of the glutamate-related pharmaceutical acamprosate in animal models of drinking, it is ineffective as treatment in the clinic. Therefore, research needs to focus on other promising glutamatergic compounds to reduce heavy drinking or mediate withdrawal symptoms or both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Hwa
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Joyce Besheer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Thomas Kash
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
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Castelli V, Brancato A, Cavallaro A, Lavanco G, Cannizzaro C. Homer2 and Alcohol: A Mutual Interaction. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:268. [PMID: 29249995 PMCID: PMC5714871 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The past two decades of data derived from addicted individuals and preclinical animal models of addiction implicate a role for the excitatory glutamatergic transmission within the mesolimbic structures in alcoholism. The cellular localization of the glutamatergic receptor subtypes, as well as their signaling efficiency and function, are highly dependent upon discrete functional constituents of the postsynaptic density, including the Homer family of scaffolding proteins. The consequences of repeated alcohol administration on the expression of the Homer family proteins demonstrate a crucial and active role, particularly for the expression of Homer2 isoform, in regulating alcohol-induced behavioral and cellular neuroplasticity. The interaction between Homer2 and alcohol can be defined as a mutual relation: alcohol consumption enhances the expression of Homer2 protein isoform within the nucleus accumbens and the extended amygdala, cerebral areas where, in turn, Homer2 is able to mediate the development of the "pro-alcoholic" behavioral phenotype, as a consequence of the morpho-functional synaptic adaptations. Such findings are relevant for the detection of the strategic molecular components that prompt alcohol-induced functional and behavioral disarrangement as targets for future innovative treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Castelli
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Anna Brancato
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Angela Cavallaro
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Gianluca Lavanco
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Carla Cannizzaro
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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25
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Lee KM, Coelho MA, McGregor HA, Solton NR, Cohen M, Szumlinski KK. Adolescent Mice Are Resilient to Alcohol Withdrawal-Induced Anxiety and Changes in Indices of Glutamate Function within the Nucleus Accumbens. Front Cell Neurosci 2016; 10:265. [PMID: 27917110 PMCID: PMC5114265 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2016.00265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Binge-drinking is the most prevalent form of alcohol abuse and while an early life history of binge-drinking is a significant risk factor for subsequent alcoholism and co-morbid affective disorders, relatively little is known regarding the biobehavioral impact of binge-drinking during the sensitive neurodevelopmental period of adolescence. In adult mice, a month-long history of binge-drinking elicits a hyper-glutamatergic state within the nucleus accumbens (Acb), coinciding with hyper-anxiety. Herein, we employed a murine model of binge-drinking to determine whether or not: (1) withdrawal-induced changes in brain and behavior differ between adult and adolescent bingers; and (2) increased behavioral signs of negative affect and changes in Acb expression of glutamate-related proteins would be apparent in adult mice with less chronic binge-drinking experience (14 days, approximating the duration of mouse adolescence). Adult and adolescent male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to a 14-day binge-drinking protocol (5, 10, 20 and 40% alcohol (v/v) for 2 h/day), while age-matched controls received water. At 24 h withdrawal, half of the animals from each group were assayed for negative affect, while tissue was sampled from the shell (AcbSh) and core (AcbC) subregions of the remaining mice for immunoblotting analyses. Adult bingers exhibited hyper-anxiety when tested for defensive marble burying. Additionally, adult bingers showed increased mGlu1, mGlu5, and GluN2b expression in the AcbSh and PKCε and CAMKII in the AcbC. Compared to adults, adolescent mice exhibited higher alcohol intake and blood alcohol concentrations (BACs); however, adolescent bingers did not show increased anxiety in the marble-burying test. Furthermore, adolescent bingers also failed to exhibit the same alcohol-induced changes in mGlu and kinase protein expression seen in the adult bingers. Irrespective of age, bingers exhibited behavioral hyperactivity in the forced swim test (FST) compared to water drinkers, which was paralleled by an increase in AcbC levels of GluN2b. Thus, a 2-week period of binge-drinking is sufficient to produce a hyper-anxious state and related increases in protein indices of Acb glutamate function. In contrast, adolescents were resilient to many of the effects of early alcohol withdrawal and this attenuated sensitivity to the negative consequences of binge drinking may facilitate greater alcohol intake in adolescent drinkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaziya M. Lee
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Michal A. Coelho
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Hadley A. McGregor
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Noah R. Solton
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Matan Cohen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Karen K. Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA, USA
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26
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Abstract
The main characteristic of alcohol use disorder is the consumption of large quantities of alcohol despite the negative consequences. The transition from the moderate use of alcohol to excessive, uncontrolled alcohol consumption results from neuroadaptations that cause aberrant motivational learning and memory processes. Here, we examine studies that have combined molecular and behavioural approaches in rodents to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that keep the social intake of alcohol in check, which we term 'stop pathways', and the neuroadaptations that underlie the transition from moderate to uncontrolled, excessive alcohol intake, which we term 'go pathways'. We also discuss post-transcriptional, genetic and epigenetic alterations that underlie both types of pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorit Ron
- Corresponding author: Dorit Ron, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, BOX 0663, San Francisco, CA 94143-0663,
| | - Segev Barak
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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27
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Schwendt M, Olive MF. Protein kinase Cɛ activity regulates mGluR5 surface expression in the rat nucleus accumbens. J Neurosci Res 2016; 95:1079-1090. [PMID: 27546836 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Revised: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Type 5 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR5) activate protein kinase C (PKC) via coupling to Gαq/11 protein signaling. We have previously demonstrated that the epsilon isoform of PKC (PKCɛ) is a critical downstream target of mGluR5 in regulating behavioral and biochemical responses to alcohol. Recent evidence suggests that PKC-mediated phosphorylation of mGluR5 can lead to receptor desensitization and internalization. We therefore sought to examine the specific involvement of PKCɛ in the regulation of mGluR5 surface expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key regulator of alcohol-associated behaviors. Coronal brain sections from male Wistar rats were analyzed for either colocalization of mGluR5 and PKCɛ via immunohistochemistry or changes in mGluR5 surface expression and PKCɛ phosphorylation following local application of PKCɛ translocation activator or inhibitor peptides and/or an orthosteric mGluR5 agonist. We observed colocalization of mGluR5 and PKCɛ in the NAc. We also showed that intra-NAc infusion of the PKCɛ translocation inhibitor ɛV1-2 increased mGluR5 surface expression under baseline conditions. Stimulation of mGluR5 with an orthosteric agonist DHPG, dose dependently increased ERK1/2 and PKCɛ phosphorylation as well as mGluR5 internalization in acute NAc slices. Finally, we observed that activation of PKCɛ translocation with Tat-ΨɛRACK peptide mediates agonist-independent mGluR5 internalization, whereas PKCɛ translocation inhibitor ɛV1-2 prevents agonist-dependent internalization of mGluR5 in NAc slice preparations. These findings suggest that the subcellular localization of mGluR5 in the NAc is regulated by PKCɛ under basal and stimulation conditions, which may influence the role of mGluR5-PKCɛ signaling in alcohol-related behaviors. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Schwendt
- Psychology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - M Foster Olive
- Psychology Department, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
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28
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Szumlinski KK, Wroten MG, Miller BW, Sacramento AD, Cohen M, Ben-Shahar O, Kippin TE. Cocaine Self-Administration Elevates GluN2B within dmPFC Mediating Heightened Cue-Elicited Operant Responding. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 2. [PMID: 27478879 PMCID: PMC4962921 DOI: 10.21767/2471-853x.100022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Cue-elicited drug-craving correlates with hyperactivity within prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is theorized to result from dysregulated excitatory neurotransmission. The NMDA glutamate receptor is highly implicated in addiction-related neuroplasticity. As NMDA receptor function is regulated critically by its GluN2 subunits, herein, we assayed the relation between incubated cue-elicited cocaine-seeking following extended access to intravenous cocaine (6 h/d; 0.25 mg/infusion for 10 d) and the expression of GluN2A/B receptor subunits within PFC sub regions during early versus late withdrawal (respectively, 3 vs. 30 days). Cocaine-seeking rats exhibited elevated GluN2B expression within the dorsomedial aspect of the PFC (dmPFC); this effect was apparent at both 3 and 30 days withdrawal and occurred in cocaine-experienced rats, regardless of experiencing an extinction test or not. Thus, elevated dmPFC GluN2B expression appears to reflect a pharmacodynamic response to excessive cocaine intake that is independent of the duration of drug withdrawal or re-exposure to drug-taking context. The functional relevance of elevated dmPFC GluN2B expression for drug-seeking was assessed by the local infusion of the prototypical GluN2B-selective antagonist ifenprodil (1.0 µg/side). Ifenprodil did not alter cue-elicited responding in animals with a history of saline self-administration. In contrast, ifenprodil lowered cue-elicited cocaine-seeking, while potentiating cue-elicited sucrose-seeking. Thus, the effects of an intra-dmPFC ifenprodil infusion upon cue reactivity are reinforcer-specific, arguing in favor of targeting GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors as a pharmacological strategy for reducing behavioral reactivity to drug-associated cues with the potential benefit of heightening the reinforcing properties of cues associated with non-drug primary rewards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen K Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences & Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Melissa G Wroten
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences & Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Bailey W Miller
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences & Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Arianne D Sacramento
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences & Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Matan Cohen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences & Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Osnat Ben-Shahar
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences & Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Tod E Kippin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences & Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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29
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Blasio A, Messing RO. Binge Drinking With Protein Kinase C Epsilon: A Role for Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Complex 2? Biol Psychiatry 2016; 79:425-6. [PMID: 26893192 PMCID: PMC4909116 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Blasio
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Robert O Messing
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.
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30
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Maiya R, McMahon T, Wang D, Kanter B, Gandhi D, Chapman HL, Miller J, Messing RO. Selective chemical genetic inhibition of protein kinase C epsilon reduces ethanol consumption in mice. Neuropharmacology 2016; 107:40-48. [PMID: 26947945 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.02.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Revised: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Reducing expression or inhibiting translocation of protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε) prolongs ethanol intoxication and decreases ethanol consumption in mice. However, we do not know if this phenotype is due to reduced PKCε kinase activity or to impairment of kinase-independent functions. In this study, we used a chemical-genetic strategy to determine whether a potent and highly selective inhibitor of PKCε catalytic activity reduces ethanol consumption. We generated ATP analog-specific PKCε (AS-PKCε) knock-in mice harboring a point mutation in the ATP binding site of PKCε that renders the mutant kinase highly sensitive to inhibition by 1-tert-butyl-3-naphthalen-1-ylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-amine (1-NA-PP1). Systemically administered 1-NA-PP1 readily crossed the blood brain barrier and inhibited PKCε-mediated phosphorylation. 1-NA-PP1 reversibly reduced ethanol consumption by AS-PKCε mice but not by wild type mice lacking the AS-PKCε mutation. These results support the development of inhibitors of PKCε catalytic activity as a strategy to reduce ethanol consumption, and they demonstrate that the AS- PKCε mouse is a useful tool to study the role of PKCε in behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajani Maiya
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, 78712, USA
| | - Thomas McMahon
- The Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California San Francisco, 5858 Horton Street, Suite 200, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Dan Wang
- The Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California San Francisco, 5858 Horton Street, Suite 200, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Benjamin Kanter
- The Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California San Francisco, 5858 Horton Street, Suite 200, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Dev Gandhi
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, 78712, USA
| | - Holly L Chapman
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, 78712, USA
| | - Jacklyn Miller
- The Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California San Francisco, 5858 Horton Street, Suite 200, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Robert O Messing
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, 78712, USA; The Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California San Francisco, 5858 Horton Street, Suite 200, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA.
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31
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Smothers CT, Szumlinski KK, Worley PF, Woodward JJ. Altered NMDA receptor function in primary cultures of hippocampal neurons from mice lacking the Homer2 gene. Synapse 2015; 70:33-9. [PMID: 26426435 DOI: 10.1002/syn.21869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 07/24/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptors are inhibited during acute exposure to ethanol and are involved in changes in neuronal plasticity following repeated ethanol exposure. The postsynaptic scaffolding protein Homer2 can regulate the cell surface expression of NMDA receptors in vivo, and mice with a null mutation of the Homer2 gene exhibit an alcohol-avoiding and -intolerant phenotype that is accompanied by a lack of ethanol-induced glutamate sensitization. Thus, Homer2 deletion may perturb the function or acute ethanol sensitivity of the NMDA receptor. In this study, the function and ethanol sensitivity of glutamate receptors in cultured hippocampal neurons from wild-type (WT) and Homer2 knock-out (KO) mice were examined at 7 and 14 days in vitro (DIV) using standard whole-cell voltage-clamp electrophysiology. As compared with wild-type controls, NMDA receptor current density was reduced in cultured hippocampal neurons from Homer2 KO mice at 14 DIV, but not at 7 DIV. There were no genotype-dependent changes in whole-cell capacitance or in currents evoked by kainic acid. The GluN2B-selective antagonist ifenprodil inhibited NMDA-evoked currents to a similar extent in both wild-type and Homer2 KO neurons and inhibition was greater at 7 versus 14 DIV. NMDA receptor currents from both WT and KO mice were inhibited by ethanol (10-100 mM) and the degree of inhibition did not differ as a function of genotype. In conclusion, NMDA receptor function, but not ethanol sensitivity, is reduced in hippocampal neurons lacking the Homer2 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Thetford Smothers
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Sciences Division, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, MSC 861, Charleston, South Carolina, 29425
| | - Karen K Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106-9660
| | - Paul F Worley
- Departments of Neuroscience & Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205
| | - John J Woodward
- Departments of Neuroscience & Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205
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32
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Lee KM, Coehlo M, McGregor HA, Waltermire RS, Szumlinski KK. Binge alcohol drinking elicits persistent negative affect in mice. Behav Brain Res 2015; 291:385-398. [PMID: 26048424 PMCID: PMC4513951 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.05.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Cessation from chronic alcohol abuse often produces a dysphoric state that can persist into protracted withdrawal. This dysphoric state is theorized to function as a negative reinforcer that maintains excessive alcohol consumption and/or precipitates relapse in those struggling to abstain from alcohol. However, we know relatively little regarding the impact of cessation from binge drinking on behavioral measures of negative affect and related neurobiology. Male C57BL/6J mice were given access to unsweetened 20% alcohol for 6 weeks under modified Drinking-in-the-dark procedures, followed by behavioral testing beginning either 1 or 21 days into withdrawal. Mice were administered a behavioral test battery consisting of: the elevated plus maze, light/dark box, novel object test, marble burying test, Porsolt forced swim test and sucrose preference test to assess anxiogenic and depressive signs. Egr1 immunostaining was used to quantify cellular activity within the central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA), basolateral amygdala (BLA), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and the nucleus accumbens (Acb) shell (AcbSh) and core (AcbC). Compared to water controls, alcohol-drinking mice exhibited higher indices of emotionality in the majority of behavioral assays. The hyper-emotionality exhibited by binge drinking mice was apparent at both withdrawal time-points and correlated with higher Egr1+ cell counts in the CEA and BNST, compared to controls. These data show that affective symptoms emerge very early after cessation of binge drinking and persist into protracted withdrawal. A history of binge drinking is capable of producing enduring neuroadaptations within brain circuits mediating emotional arousal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaziya M Lee
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Michal Coehlo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Hadley A McGregor
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Ryan S Waltermire
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Karen K Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
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