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Thibeault KC, Leonard MZ, Kondev V, Emerson SD, Bethi R, Lopez AJ, Sens JP, Nabit BP, Elam HB, Winder DG, Patel S, Kiraly DD, Grueter BA, Calipari ES. A cocaine-activated ensemble exerts increased control over behavior while decreasing in size. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01388-X. [PMID: 38901723 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substance use disorder (SUD) is characterized by long-lasting changes in reward-related brain regions, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Previous work has shown that cocaine exposure induces plasticity in broad, genetically-defined cell types in the NAc; however, in response to a stimulus, only a small percent of neurons are transcriptionally active - termed an ensemble. Here, we identify an Arc-expressing neuronal ensemble that has a unique trajectory of recruitment and causally controls drug self-administration after repeated, but not acute, cocaine exposure. METHOD Using Arc-CreERT2 transgenic mice, we expressed transgenes in Arc+ ensembles activated by cocaine exposure [either acute (1 x 10mg/kg IP), or repeated (10 x 10mg/kg IP)]. Using genetic, optical, and physiological recording and manipulation strategies, we assessed the contribution of these ensembles to behaviors associated with SUD. RESULTS Repeated cocaine exposure reduced the size of the ensemble, while simultaneously increasing its control over behavior. Neurons within the repeated cocaine ensemble were hyperexcitable and their optogenetic excitation was sufficient for reinforcement. Finally, lesioning the repeated cocaine, but not acute cocaine, ensemble blunted cocaine self-administration. Thus, repeated cocaine exposure reduced the size of the ensemble while simultaneously increasing its contributions to drug reinforcement. CONCLUSIONS We show that repeated, but not acute, cocaine exposure induces a physiologically distinct ensemble characterized by the expression of the immediate early gene Arc, that is uniquely capable of modulating reinforcement behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly C Thibeault
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Michael Z Leonard
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Veronika Kondev
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Soren D Emerson
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Rishik Bethi
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Alberto J Lopez
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jonathon P Sens
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Brett P Nabit
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Hannah B Elam
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Danny G Winder
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt J. F. Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Sachin Patel
- Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Drew D Kiraly
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Brad A Grueter
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt J. F. Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Ament SA, Campbell RR, Lobo MK, Receveur JP, Agrawal K, Borjabad A, Byrareddy SN, Chang L, Clarke D, Emani P, Gabuzda D, Gaulton KJ, Giglio M, Giorgi FM, Gok B, Guda C, Hadas E, Herb BR, Hu W, Huttner A, Ishmam MR, Jacobs MM, Kelschenbach J, Kim DW, Lee C, Liu S, Liu X, Madras BK, Mahurkar AA, Mash DC, Mukamel EA, Niu M, O'Connor RM, Pagan CM, Pang APS, Pillai P, Repunte-Canonigo V, Ruzicka WB, Stanley J, Tickle T, Tsai SYA, Wang A, Wills L, Wilson AM, Wright SN, Xu S, Yang J, Zand M, Zhang L, Zhang J, Akbarian S, Buch S, Cheng CS, Corley MJ, Fox HS, Gerstein M, Gummuluru S, Heiman M, Ho YC, Kellis M, Kenny PJ, Kluger Y, Milner TA, Moore DJ, Morgello S, Ndhlovu LC, Rana TM, Sanna PP, Satterlee JS, Sestan N, Spector SA, Spudich S, Tilgner HU, Volsky DJ, White OR, Williams DW, Zeng H. The single-cell opioid responses in the context of HIV (SCORCH) consortium. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02620-7. [PMID: 38879719 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02620-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024]
Abstract
Substance use disorders (SUD) and drug addiction are major threats to public health, impacting not only the millions of individuals struggling with SUD, but also surrounding families and communities. One of the seminal challenges in treating and studying addiction in human populations is the high prevalence of co-morbid conditions, including an increased risk of contracting a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Of the ~15 million people who inject drugs globally, 17% are persons with HIV. Conversely, HIV is a risk factor for SUD because chronic pain syndromes, often encountered in persons with HIV, can lead to an increased use of opioid pain medications that in turn can increase the risk for opioid addiction. We hypothesize that SUD and HIV exert shared effects on brain cell types, including adaptations related to neuroplasticity, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation. Basic research is needed to refine our understanding of these affected cell types and adaptations. Studying the effects of SUD in the context of HIV at the single-cell level represents a compelling strategy to understand the reciprocal interactions among both conditions, made feasible by the availability of large, extensively-phenotyped human brain tissue collections that have been amassed by the Neuro-HIV research community. In addition, sophisticated animal models that have been developed for both conditions provide a means to precisely evaluate specific exposures and stages of disease. We propose that single-cell genomics is a uniquely powerful technology to characterize the effects of SUD and HIV in the brain, integrating data from human cohorts and animal models. We have formed the Single-Cell Opioid Responses in the Context of HIV (SCORCH) consortium to carry out this strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth A Ament
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | | | - Mary Kay Lobo
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Linda Chang
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Dana Gabuzda
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Michelle Giglio
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | - Eran Hadas
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brian R Herb
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Wen Hu
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Cheyu Lee
- University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Shuhui Liu
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiaokun Liu
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Anup A Mahurkar
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Meng Niu
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | | | | | - Piya Pillai
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - W Brad Ruzicka
- McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Allen Wang
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Lauren Wills
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Siwei Xu
- University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - Maryam Zand
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Le Zhang
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - Shilpa Buch
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | | | - Howard S Fox
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | | | - Myriam Heiman
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ya-Chi Ho
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Manolis Kellis
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Paul J Kenny
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - David J Moore
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Susan Morgello
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Tariq M Rana
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - David J Volsky
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Owen R White
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Hongkui Zeng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
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3
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Salery M, Godino A, Xu YQ, Fullard JF, Durand-de Cuttoli R, LaBanca AR, Holt LM, Russo SJ, Roussos P, Nestler EJ. Transcriptional correlates of cocaine-associated learning in striatal ARC ensembles. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.13.571585. [PMID: 38168167 PMCID: PMC10760161 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.13.571585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Learned associations between the rewarding effects of drugs and the context in which they are experienced underlie context-induced relapse. Previous work demonstrates the importance of sparse neuronal populations - called neuronal ensembles - in associative learning and cocaine seeking, but it remains unknown whether the encoding vs. retrieval of cocaine-associated memories involves similar or distinct mechanisms of ensemble activation and reactivation in nucleus accumbens (NAc). We use ArcCreER T2 mice to establish that mostly distinct NAc ensembles are recruited by initial vs. repeated exposures to cocaine, which are then differentially reactivated and exert distinct effects during cocaine-related memory retrieval. Single-nuclei RNA-sequencing of these ensembles demonstrates predominant recruitment of D1 medium spiny neurons and identifies transcriptional properties that are selective to cocaine-recruited NAc neurons and could explain distinct excitability features. These findings fundamentally advance our understanding of how cocaine drives pathological memory formation during repeated exposures.
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4
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Kulbe JR, Nguyen L, Le AA, Laird AE, Taffe MA, Nguyen JD, Fields JA. Nicotine, THC, and Dolutegravir Modulate E-Cigarette-Induced Changes in Addiction- and Inflammation-Associated Genes in Rat Brains and Astrocytes. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1556. [PMID: 38002516 PMCID: PMC10670019 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13111556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
E-cigarette use has been marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, as a means of smoking cessation, and are used at a higher rate than the general population in people with HIV (PWH). Early growth receptor 2 (EGR2) and Activity-Regulated Cytoskeleton-Associated Protein (ARC) have a role in addiction, synaptic plasticity, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. This study showed that 10 days of exposure to e-cigarette vapor altered gene expression in the brains of 6-month-old, male, Sprague Dawley rats. Specifically, the e-cigarette solvent vapor propylene glycol (PG) downregulated EGR2 and ARC mRNA expression in frontal cortex, an effect which was reversed by nicotine (NIC) and THC, suggesting that PG could have a protective role against NIC and cannabis dependence. However, in vitro, PG upregulated EGR2 and ARC mRNA expression at 18 h in cultured C6 rat astrocytes suggesting that PG may have neuroinflammatory effects. PG-induced upregulation of EGR2 and ARC mRNA was reversed by NIC but not THC. The HIV antiretroviral DTG reversed the effect NIC had on decreasing PG-induced upregulation of EGR2, which is concerning because EGR2 has been implicated in HIV latency reversal, T-cell apoptosis, and neuroinflammation, a process that underlies the development of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Renee Kulbe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (J.R.K.); (L.N.); (A.A.L.); (A.E.L.); (M.A.T.)
| | - Lauren Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (J.R.K.); (L.N.); (A.A.L.); (A.E.L.); (M.A.T.)
| | - Alexandra Anh Le
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (J.R.K.); (L.N.); (A.A.L.); (A.E.L.); (M.A.T.)
| | - Anna Elizabeth Laird
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (J.R.K.); (L.N.); (A.A.L.); (A.E.L.); (M.A.T.)
| | - Michael A. Taffe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (J.R.K.); (L.N.); (A.A.L.); (A.E.L.); (M.A.T.)
| | - Jacques D. Nguyen
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA;
| | - Jerel Adam Fields
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (J.R.K.); (L.N.); (A.A.L.); (A.E.L.); (M.A.T.)
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5
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Mastwal S, Li X, Stowell R, Manion M, Zhang W, Kim NS, Yoon KJ, Song H, Ming GL, Wang KH. Adolescent neurostimulation of dopamine circuit reverses genetic deficits in frontal cortex function. eLife 2023; 12:RP87414. [PMID: 37830916 PMCID: PMC10575630 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87414] [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] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Dopamine system dysfunction is implicated in adolescent-onset neuropsychiatric disorders. Although psychosis symptoms can be alleviated by antipsychotics, cognitive symptoms remain unresponsive and novel paradigms investigating the circuit substrates underlying cognitive deficits are critically needed. The frontal cortex and its dopaminergic input from the midbrain are implicated in cognitive functions and undergo maturational changes during adolescence. Here, we used mice carrying mutations in Arc or Disc1 to model mesofrontal dopamine circuit deficiencies and test circuit-based neurostimulation strategies to restore cognitive functions. We found that in a memory-guided spatial navigation task, frontal cortical neurons were activated coordinately at the decision-making point in wild-type but not Arc-/- mice. Chemogenetic stimulation of midbrain dopamine neurons or optogenetic stimulation of frontal cortical dopamine axons in a limited adolescent period consistently reversed genetic defects in mesofrontal innervation, task-coordinated neuronal activity, and memory-guided decision-making at adulthood. Furthermore, adolescent stimulation of dopamine neurons also reversed the same cognitive deficits in Disc1+/- mice. Our findings reveal common mesofrontal circuit alterations underlying the cognitive deficits caused by two different genes and demonstrate the feasibility of adolescent neurostimulation to reverse these circuit and behavioral deficits. These results may suggest developmental windows and circuit targets for treating cognitive deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surjeet Mastwal
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Xinjian Li
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Rianne Stowell
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
| | - Matthew Manion
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
| | - Nam-Shik Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Ki-Jun Yoon
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Guo-Li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
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6
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Barry SM, Barry GM, Martinez D, Penrod RD, Cowan CW. The activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein, Arc, functions in the nucleus accumbens shell to limit multiple triggers of cocaine-seeking behaviour. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13335. [PMID: 37753560 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Use of addictive substances like cocaine produces enduring associations between the drug experience and cues in the drug-taking environment. In individuals with a substance use disorder (SUD) and attempting to remain abstinent, these powerful drug-cue associations can trigger a return to active drug use, but the molecular mechanisms regulating drug-cue associations remain poorly understood. The activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) is induced by cocaine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), an important brain reward region, but Arc's NAc function in SUD-related behaviour remains unclear. We show here that cocaine self-administration (SA) in rats produced a significant upregulation of Arc protein in both the core and shell subregions of the NAc. Subregion-specific Arc reduction (shRNA) in the medial NAc Shell enhanced both context-associated and cue-reinstated cocaine seeking, but without altering the motivation to work for cocaine, the sensitivity to the reinforcing effects of cocaine or the ability of cocaine priming to reinstate drug seeking. In contrast, we observed no effects of Arc knockdown in the NAc core on any aspect of cocaine SA, extinction or reinstated cocaine seeking, suggesting that Arc functions within the medial NAc shell, but not NAc core, to limit the strength of drug-context and drug-cue associations that promote cocaine-seeking behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Barry
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Gabriella M Barry
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Dalia Martinez
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Rachel D Penrod
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Christopher W Cowan
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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7
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Bijoch Ł, Klos J, Pękała M, Fiołna K, Kaczmarek L, Beroun A. Diverse processing of pharmacological and natural rewards by the central amygdala. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113036. [PMID: 37616162 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The central amygdala (CeA) with its medial (CeM) and lateral (CeL) nuclei is the brain hub for processing stimuli with emotional context. CeL nucleus gives a strong inhibitory input to the CeM, and this local circuitry assigns values (positive or negative) to incoming stimuli, guiding appropriate behavior (approach or avoid). However, the particular involvement of CeA in processing such emotionally relevant information and adaptations of the CeA circuitry are not yet well understood. In this study, we examined synaptic plasticity in the CeA after exposure to two types of rewards, pharmacological (cocaine) and natural (sugar). We found that both rewards engage CeM, where they generate silent synapses resulting in the strengthening of the network. However, only cocaine triggers plasticity in the CeL, which leads to the weakening of its excitatory inputs. Finally, chemogenetic inhibition of CeM attenuates animal preference for sugar, while activation delays cocaine-induced increase in locomotor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Bijoch
- Nencki-EMBL Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders: BRAINCITY, Laboratory of Neuronal Plasticity, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, L. Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Klos
- Nencki-EMBL Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders: BRAINCITY, Laboratory of Neuronal Plasticity, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, L. Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Martyna Pękała
- Nencki-EMBL Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders: BRAINCITY, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, L. Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Kristina Fiołna
- Nencki-EMBL Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders: BRAINCITY, Laboratory of Neuronal Plasticity, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, L. Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; Nencki-EMBL Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders: BRAINCITY, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, L. Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Leszek Kaczmarek
- Nencki-EMBL Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders: BRAINCITY, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, L. Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Beroun
- Nencki-EMBL Center of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders: BRAINCITY, Laboratory of Neuronal Plasticity, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, L. Pasteura 3, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland.
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8
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Ubhayarathna M, Langmead CJ, Diepenhorst NA, Stewart GD. Molecular and structural insights into the 5-HT 2C receptor as a therapeutic target for substance use disorders. Br J Pharmacol 2023. [PMID: 37679998 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic condition, with maintained abuse of a substance leading to physiological and psychological alterations and often changes in cognitive and social behaviours. Current therapies include psychotherapy coupled with medication; however, high relapse rates reveal the shortcomings of these therapies. The signalling, expression profile, and neurological function of the serotonin 2C receptor (5-HT2C receptor) make it a candidate of interest for the treatment of SUD. Recently, psychedelics, which broadly act at 5-HT2 receptors, have indicated potential for the treatment of SUD, implicating the 5-HT2C receptor. The modern psychedelic movement has rekindled interest in the 5-HT2C receptor, resulting in many new studies, especially structural analyses. This review explores the structural, molecular and cellular mechanisms governing 5-HT2C receptor function in the context of SUD. This provides the basis of the preclinical and clinical evidence for their role in SUD and highlights the potential for future exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maleesha Ubhayarathna
- Drug Discovery Biology and Neuroscience & Mental Health Therapeutic Program Area, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Christopher J Langmead
- Drug Discovery Biology and Neuroscience & Mental Health Therapeutic Program Area, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- Neuromedicines Discovery Centre, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Natalie A Diepenhorst
- Drug Discovery Biology and Neuroscience & Mental Health Therapeutic Program Area, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Gregory D Stewart
- Drug Discovery Biology and Neuroscience & Mental Health Therapeutic Program Area, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
- Neuromedicines Discovery Centre, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
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9
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Mastwal S, Li X, Stowell R, Manion M, Zhang W, Kim NS, Yoon KJ, Song H, Ming GL, Wang KH. Adolescent neurostimulation of dopamine circuit reverses genetic deficits in frontal cortex function. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.03.526987. [PMID: 36778456 PMCID: PMC9915739 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.03.526987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine system dysfunction is commonly implicated in adolescent-onset neuropsychiatric disorders. Although psychosis symptoms can be alleviated by antipsychotics, cognitive symptoms remain unresponsive to such pharmacological treatments and novel research paradigms investigating the circuit substrates underlying cognitive deficits are critically needed. The frontal cortex and its dopaminergic input from the midbrain are implicated in cognitive functions and undergo maturational changes during adolescence. Here, we used mice carrying mutations in the Arc or DISC1 genes to model mesofrontal dopamine circuit deficiencies and test circuit-based neurostimulation strategies to restore cognitive functions. We found that in a memory-guided spatial navigation task, frontal cortical neurons were activated coordinately at the decision-making point in wild-type but not Arc mutant mice. Chemogenetic stimulation of midbrain dopamine neurons or optogenetic stimulation of frontal cortical dopamine axons in a limited adolescent period consistently reversed genetic defects in mesofrontal innervation, task-coordinated neuronal activity, and memory-guided decision-making at adulthood. Furthermore, adolescent stimulation of dopamine neurons also reversed the same cognitive deficits in DISC1 mutant mice. Our findings reveal common mesofrontal circuit alterations underlying the cognitive deficits caused by two different genes and demonstrate the feasibility of adolescent neurostimulation to reverse these circuit and behavioral deficits. These results may suggest developmental windows and circuit targets for treating cognitive deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surjeet Mastwal
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Xinjian Li
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Rianne Stowell
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Matthew Manion
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Nam-Shik Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Ki-jun Yoon
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Guo-li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642
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10
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Mergiya TF, Gundersen JET, Kanhema T, Brighter G, Ishizuka Y, Bramham CR. Detection of Arc/Arg3.1 oligomers in rat brain: constitutive and synaptic activity-evoked dimer expression in vivo. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1142361. [PMID: 37363319 PMCID: PMC10289200 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1142361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The immediate early gene product activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc or Arg3.1) is a major regulator of long-term synaptic plasticity with critical roles in postnatal cortical development and memory formation. However, the molecular basis of Arc function is undefined. Arc is a hub protein with interaction partners in the postsynaptic neuronal compartment and nucleus. Previous in vitro biochemical and biophysical analysis of purified recombinant Arc showed formation of low-order oligomers and larger particles including retrovirus-like capsids. Here, we provide evidence for naturally occurring Arc oligomers in the mammalian brain. Using in situ protein crosslinking to trap weak Arc-Arc interactions, we identified in various preparations a prominent Arc immunoreactive band on SDS-PAGE of molecular mass corresponding to a dimer. While putative trimers, tetramers and heavier Arc species were detected, they were of lower abundance. Stimulus-evoked induction of Arc expression and dimer formation was first demonstrated in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells treated with the muscarinic cholinergic agonist, carbachol, and in primary cortical neuronal cultures treated with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In the dentate gyrus (DG) of adult anesthetized rats, induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) by high-frequency stimulation (HFS) of medial perforant synapses or by brief intrahippocampal infusion of BDNF led to a massive increase in Arc dimer expression. Arc immunoprecipitation of crosslinked DG tissue showed enhanced dimer expression during 4 h of LTP maintenance. Mass spectrometric proteomic analysis of immunoprecipitated, gel-excised bands corroborated detection of Arc dimer. Furthermore, Arc dimer was constitutively expressed in naïve cortical, hippocampal and DG tissue, with the lowest levels in the DG. Taken together the results implicate Arc dimer as the predominant low-oligomeric form in mammalian brain, exhibiting regional differences in its constitutive expression and enhanced synaptic activity-evoked expression in LTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadiwos F. Mergiya
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Mohn Research Center for the Brain, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jens Edvard Trygstad Gundersen
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Mohn Research Center for the Brain, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tambudzai Kanhema
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Mohn Research Center for the Brain, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Grant Brighter
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Yuta Ishizuka
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Clive R. Bramham
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Mohn Research Center for the Brain, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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11
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Eriksen MS, Bramham CR. Molecular physiology of Arc/Arg3.1: The oligomeric state hypothesis of synaptic plasticity. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2022; 236:e13886. [PMID: 36073248 PMCID: PMC9787330 DOI: 10.1111/apha.13886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The immediate early gene, Arc, is a pivotal regulator of synaptic plasticity, memory, and cognitive flexibility. But what is Arc protein? How does it work? Inside the neuron, Arc is a protein interaction hub and dynamic regulator of intra-cellular signaling in synaptic plasticity. In remarkable contrast, Arc can also self-assemble into retrovirus-like capsids that are released in extracellular vesicles and capable of intercellular transfer of RNA. Elucidation of the molecular basis of Arc hub and capsid functions, and the relationship between them, is vital for progress. Here, we discuss recent findings on Arc structure-function and regulation of oligomerization that are giving insight into the molecular physiology of Arc. The unique features of mammalian Arc are emphasized, while drawing comparisons with Drosophila Arc and retroviral Gag. The Arc N-terminal domain, found only in mammals, is proposed to play a key role in regulating Arc hub signaling, oligomerization, and formation of capsids. Bringing together several lines of evidence, we hypothesize that Arc function in synaptic plasticity-long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD)-are dictated by different oligomeric forms of Arc. Specifically, monomer/dimer function in LTP, tetramer function in basic LTD, and 32-unit oligomer function in enhanced LTD. The role of mammalian Arc capsids is unclear but likely depends on the cross-section of captured neuronal activity-induced RNAs. As the functional states of Arc are revealed, it may be possible to selectively manipulate specific forms of Arc-dependent plasticity and intercellular communication involved in brain function and dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Clive R. Bramham
- Department of BiomedicineUniversity of BergenBergenNorway,Mohn Research Center for the BrainUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
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12
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Leung HW, Foo G, VanDongen A. Arc Regulates Transcription of Genes for Plasticity, Excitability and Alzheimer’s Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081946. [PMID: 36009494 PMCID: PMC9405677 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The immediate early gene Arc is a master regulator of synaptic function and a critical determinant of memory consolidation. Here, we show that Arc interacts with dynamic chromatin and closely associates with histone markers for active enhancers and transcription in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Both these histone modifications, H3K27Ac and H3K9Ac, have recently been shown to be upregulated in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). When Arc induction by pharmacological network activation was prevented using a short hairpin RNA, the expression profile was altered for over 1900 genes, which included genes associated with synaptic function, neuronal plasticity, intrinsic excitability, and signalling pathways. Interestingly, about 100 Arc-dependent genes are associated with the pathophysiology of AD. When endogenous Arc expression was induced in HEK293T cells, the transcription of many neuronal genes was increased, suggesting that Arc can control expression in the absence of activated signalling pathways. Taken together, these data establish Arc as a master regulator of neuronal activity-dependent gene expression and suggest that it plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriel Foo
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Antonius VanDongen
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Correspondence:
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13
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SWI/SNF chromatin remodeler complex within the reward pathway is required for behavioral adaptations to stress. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1807. [PMID: 35379786 PMCID: PMC8980038 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29380-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Enduring behavioral changes upon stress exposure involve changes in gene expression sustained by epigenetic modifications in brain circuits, including the mesocorticolimbic pathway. Brahma (BRM) and Brahma Related Gene 1 (BRG1) are ATPase subunits of the SWI/SNF complexes involved in chromatin remodeling, a process essential to enduring plastic changes in gene expression. Here, we show that in mice, social defeat induces changes in BRG1 nuclear distribution. The inactivation of the Brg1/Smarca4 gene within dopamine-innervated regions or the constitutive inactivation of the Brm/Smarca2 gene leads to resilience to repeated social defeat and decreases the behavioral responses to cocaine without impacting midbrain dopamine neurons activity. Within striatal medium spiny neurons, Brg1 gene inactivation reduces the expression of stress- and cocaine-induced immediate early genes, increases levels of heterochromatin and at a global scale decreases chromatin accessibility. Altogether these data demonstrate the pivotal function of SWI/SNF complexes in behavioral and transcriptional adaptations to salient environmental challenges. Repeated exposure to social stressors in rodents results in behavioural changes. Here the authors show that behavioural adaptations to stress are associated with nuclear organization changes through SWI/SNF chromatin remodeler in specific neuronal populations of the mesolimbic system.
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14
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Singh MB, Babigian CJ, Sartor GC. Domain-selective BET inhibition attenuates transcriptional and behavioral responses to cocaine. Neuropharmacology 2022; 210:109040. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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15
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Physical exercise rescues cocaine-evoked synaptic deficits in motor cortex. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:6187-6197. [PMID: 34686765 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01336-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Drug exposure impairs cortical plasticity and motor learning, which underlies the reduced behavioral flexibility in drug addiction. Physical exercise has been used to prevent relapse in drug rehabilitation program. However, the potential benefits and molecular mechanisms of physical exercise on drug-evoked motor-cortical dysfunctions are unknown. Here we report that 1-week treadmill training restores cocaine-induced synaptic deficits, in the form of improved in vivo spine formation, synaptic transmission, and spontaneous activities of cortical pyramidal neurons, as well as motor-learning ability. The synaptic and behavioral benefits relied on de novo protein synthesis, which are directed by the activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR)-ribosomal protein S6 pathway. These findings establish synaptic functional restoration and mTOR signaling as the critical mechanism supporting physical exercise training in rehabilitating the addicted brain.
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16
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Huebschman JL, Davis MC, Tovar Pensa C, Guo Y, Smith LN. The fragile X mental retardation protein promotes adjustments in cocaine self-administration that preserve reinforcement level. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:4920-4933. [PMID: 34133054 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), an RNA-binding protein, regulates cocaine-induced neuronal plasticity and is critical for the normal development of drug-induced locomotor sensitization, as well as reward-related learning in the conditioned place preference assay. However, it is unknown whether FMRP impacts behaviors that are used to more closely model substance use disorders. Utilizing a cocaine intravenous self-administration (IVSA) assay in Fmr1 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) littermate mice, we find that, despite normal acquisition and extinction learning, Fmr1 KO mice fail to make a normal upward shift in responding during dose-response testing. Later, when given access to the original acquisition dose under increasing fixed ratio (FR) schedules of reinforcement (FR1, FR3, and FR5), Fmr1 KO mice earn significantly fewer cocaine infusions than WT mice. Importantly, similar deficits are not present in operant conditioning using a palatable food reinforcer, indicating that our results do not represent broad learning or reward-related deficits in Fmr1 KO mice. Additionally, we find an FMRP target, the activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc), to be significantly reduced in synaptic cellular fractions prepared from the nucleus accumbens of Fmr1 KO, compared with WT, mice following operant tasks reinforced with cocaine but not food. Overall, our findings suggest that FMRP facilitates adjustments in drug self-administration behavior that generally serve to preserve reinforcement level, and combined with our similar IVSA findings in Arc KO mice may implicate Arc, along with FMRP, in behavioral shifts that occur in drug taking when drug availability is altered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Huebschman
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas, USA.,Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Megan C Davis
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Catherina Tovar Pensa
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Yuhong Guo
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Laura N Smith
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas, USA.,Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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17
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4R Tau Modulates Cocaine-Associated Memory through Adult Dorsal Hippocampal Neurogenesis. J Neurosci 2021; 41:6753-6774. [PMID: 34099513 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2848-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The development, persistence and relapse of drug addiction require drug memory that generally develops with drug administration-paired contextual stimuli. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) contributes to cocaine memory formation; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Male mice hippocampal expression of Tau was significantly decreased during the cocaine-associated memory formation. Genetic overexpression of four microtubule-binding repeats Tau (4R Tau) in the mice hippocampus disrupted cocaine memory by suppressing AHN. Furthermore, 4R Tau directly interacted with phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-p85 and impaired its nuclear translocation and PI3K-AKT signaling, processes required for hippocampal neuron proliferation. Collectively, 4R Tau modulates cocaine memory formation by disrupting AHN, suggesting a novel mechanism underlying cocaine memory formation and provide a new strategy for the treatment of cocaine addiction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Drug memory that generally develops with drug-paired contextual stimuli and drug administration is critical for the development, persistence and relapse of drug addiction. Previous studies have suggested that adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) plays a role in cocaine memory formation. Here, we showed that Tau was significantly downregulated in the hippocampus in the cocaine memory formation. Tau knock-out (KO) promoted AHN in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), resulting in the enhanced memory formation evoked by cocaine-cue stimuli. In contrast, genetically overexpressed 4R Tau in the hippocampus disrupted cocaine-cue memory by suppressing AHN. In addition, 4R Tau interacted directly with phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-p85 and hindered its nuclear translocation, eventually repressing PI3K-AKT signaling, which is essential for hippocampal neuronal proliferation.
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18
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Crystal and solution structures reveal oligomerization of individual capsid homology domains of Drosophila Arc. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251459. [PMID: 33989344 PMCID: PMC8121366 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity is vital for brain function and memory formation. One of the key proteins in long-term synaptic plasticity and memory is the activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc). Mammalian Arc forms virus-like capsid structures in a process requiring the N-terminal domain and contains two C-terminal lobes that are structural homologues to retroviral capsids. Drosophila has two isoforms of Arc, dArc1 and dArc2, with low sequence similarity to mammalian Arc, but lacking a large N-terminal domain. Both dArc isoforms are related to the Ty3/gypsy retrotransposon capsid, consisting of N- and C-terminal lobes. Structures of dArc1, as well as capsids formed by both dArc isoforms, have been recently determined. We carried out structural characterization of the four individual dArc lobe domains. As opposed to the corresponding mammalian Arc lobe domains, which are monomeric, the dArc lobes were all oligomeric in solution, indicating a strong propensity for homophilic interactions. A truncated N-lobe from dArc2 formed a domain-swapped dimer in the crystal structure, resulting in a novel dimer interaction that could be relevant for capsid assembly or other dArc functions. This domain-swapped structure resembles the dimeric protein C of flavivirus capsids, as well as the structure of histones dimers, domain-swapped transcription factors, and membrane-interacting BAK domains. The strong oligomerization properties of the isolated dArc lobe domains explain the ability of dArc to form capsids in the absence of any large N-terminal domain, in contrast to the mammalian protein.
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19
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Rigo F, Filošević A, Petrović M, Jović K, Andretić Waldowski R. Locomotor sensitization modulates voluntary self-administration of methamphetamine in Drosophila melanogaster. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12963. [PMID: 32833318 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
As complexities of addictive behaviors cannot be fully captured in laboratory studies, scientists use simple addiction-associated phenotypes and measure them in laboratory animals. Locomotor sensitization, characterized by an increased behavioral response to the same dose of the drug, has been extensively used to elucidate the genetic basis and molecular mechanisms of neuronal plasticity. However, to what extent it contributes to the development of addiction is not completely clear. We tested if the development of locomotor sensitization to methamphetamine affects voluntary self-administration, and vice versa, in order to investigate how two drug-associated phenotypes influence one another. In our study, we used the genetically tractable model organism, Drosophila melanogaster, and quantified locomotor sensitization and voluntary self-administration to methamphetamine using behavioral tests that were developed and adapted in our laboratory. We show that flies express robust locomotor sensitization to the second dose of volatilized methamphetamine, which significantly lowers preferential self-administration of methamphetamine. Naive flies preferentially self-administer food with methamphetamine over plain food. Exposing flies to volatilized methamphetamine after voluntary self-administration abolishes locomotor sensitization. We tested period null (per01 ) mutant flies and showed that they do not develop locomotor sensitization, nor do they show preferential self-administration of methamphetamine. Our results suggest that there may be partially overlapping neural circuitry that regulates the expression of locomotor sensitization and preferential self-administration to methamphetamine and that this circuitry requires a functional per gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franka Rigo
- Department of Biotechnology University of Rijeka Rijeka Croatia
| | - Ana Filošević
- Department of Biotechnology University of Rijeka Rijeka Croatia
| | - Milan Petrović
- Department of Informatics University of Rijeka Rijeka Croatia
| | - Katarina Jović
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Surrey Guildford UK
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20
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Salery M, Godino A, Nestler EJ. Drug-activated cells: From immediate early genes to neuronal ensembles in addiction. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2021; 90:173-216. [PMID: 33706932 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Beyond their rapid rewarding effects, drugs of abuse can durably alter an individual's response to their environment as illustrated by the compulsive drug seeking and risk of relapse triggered by drug-associated stimuli. The persistence of these associations even long after cessation of drug use demonstrates the enduring mark left by drugs on brain reward circuits. However, within these circuits, neuronal populations are differently affected by drug exposure and growing evidence indicates that relatively small subsets of neurons might be involved in the encoding and expression of drug-mediated associations. The identification of sparse neuronal populations recruited in response to drug exposure has benefited greatly from the study of immediate early genes (IEGs) whose induction is critical in initiating plasticity programs in recently activated neurons. In particular, the development of technologies to manipulate IEG-expressing cells has been fundamental to implicate broadly distributed neuronal ensembles coincidently activated by either drugs or drug-associated stimuli and to then causally establish their involvement in drug responses. In this review, we summarize the literature regarding IEG regulation in different learning paradigms and addiction models to highlight their role as a marker of activity and plasticity. As the exploration of neuronal ensembles in addiction improves our understanding of drug-associated memory encoding, it also raises several questions regarding the cellular and molecular characteristics of these discrete neuronal populations as they become incorporated in drug-associated neuronal ensembles. We review recent efforts towards this goal and discuss how they will offer a more comprehensive understanding of addiction pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Salery
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Arthur Godino
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.
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21
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Huggett SB, Stallings MC. Genetic Architecture and Molecular Neuropathology of Human Cocaine Addiction. J Neurosci 2020; 40:5300-5313. [PMID: 32457073 PMCID: PMC7329314 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2879-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
We integrated genomic and bioinformatic analyses, using data from the largest genome-wide association study of cocaine dependence (CD; n = 6546; 82.37% with CD; 57.39% male) and the largest postmortem gene-expression sample of individuals with cocaine use disorder (CUD; n = 36; 51.35% with CUD; 100% male). Our genome-wide analyses identified one novel gene (NDUFB9) associated with the genetic predisposition to CD in African-Americans. The genetic architecture of CD was similar across ancestries. Individual genes associated with CD demonstrated modest overlap across European-Americans and African-Americans, but the genetic liability for CD converged on many similar tissue types (brain, heart, blood, liver) across ancestries. In a separate sample, we investigated the neuronal gene expression associated with CUD by using RNA sequencing of dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex neurons. We identified 133 genes differentially expressed between CUD case patients and cocaine-free control subjects, including previously implicated candidates for cocaine use/addiction (FOSB, ARC, KCNJ9/GIRK3, NR4A2, JUNB, and MECP2). Differential expression analyses significantly correlated across European-Americans and African-Americans. While genes significantly associated with CD via genome-wide methods were not differentially expressed, two of these genes (NDUFB9 and C1qL2) were part of a robust gene coexpression network associated with CUD involved in neurotransmission (GABA, acetylcholine, serotonin, and dopamine) and drug addiction. We then used a "guilt-by-association" approach to unravel the biological relevance of NDUFB9 and C1qL2 in the context of CD. In sum, our study furthers the understanding of the genetic architecture and molecular neuropathology of human cocaine addiction and provides a framework for translating biological meaning into otherwise obscure genome-wide associations.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Our study further clarifies the genetic and neurobiological contributions to cocaine addiction, provides a rapid approach for generating testable hypotheses for specific candidates identified by genome-wide research, and investigates the cross-ancestral biological contributions to cocaine use disorder/dependence for individuals of European-American and African-American ancestries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer B Huggett
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0345
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0447
| | - Michael C Stallings
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0345
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0447
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22
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Salery M, Trifilieff P, Caboche J, Vanhoutte P. From Signaling Molecules to Circuits and Behaviors: Cell-Type-Specific Adaptations to Psychostimulant Exposure in the Striatum. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 87:944-953. [PMID: 31928716 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Addiction is characterized by a compulsive pattern of drug seeking and consumption and a high risk of relapse after withdrawal that are thought to result from persistent adaptations within brain reward circuits. Drugs of abuse increase dopamine (DA) concentration in these brain areas, including the striatum, which shapes an abnormal memory trace of drug consumption that virtually highjacks reward processing. Long-term neuronal adaptations of gamma-aminobutyric acidergic striatal projection neurons (SPNs) evoked by drugs of abuse are critical for the development of addiction. These neurons form two mostly segregated populations, depending on the DA receptor they express and their output projections, constituting the so-called direct (D1 receptor) and indirect (D2 receptor) SPN pathways. Both SPN subtypes receive converging glutamate inputs from limbic and cortical regions, encoding contextual and emotional information, together with DA, which mediates reward prediction and incentive values. DA differentially modulates the efficacy of glutamate synapses onto direct and indirect SPN pathways by recruiting distinct striatal signaling pathways, epigenetic and genetic responses likely involved in the transition from casual drug use to addiction. Herein we focus on recent studies that have assessed psychostimulant-induced alterations in a cell-type-specific manner, from remodeling of input projections to the characterization of specific molecular events in each SPN subtype and their impact on long-lasting behavioral adaptations. We discuss recent evidence revealing the complex and concerted action of both SPN populations on drug-induced behavioral responses, as these studies can contribute to the design of future strategies to alleviate specific behavioral components of addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Salery
- Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Pierre Trifilieff
- NutriNeuro, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 1286, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Bordeaux Institut Polytechnique, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Jocelyne Caboche
- Neuroscience Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Sorbonne Université, Faculty of Sciences, Paris, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR8246, Paris, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U1130, Paris France.
| | - Peter Vanhoutte
- Neuroscience Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Sorbonne Université, Faculty of Sciences, Paris, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR8246, Paris, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U1130, Paris France
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23
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Penrod RD, Thomsen M, Taniguchi M, Guo Y, Cowan CW, Smith LN. The activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein, Arc/Arg3.1, influences mouse cocaine self-administration. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2019; 188:172818. [PMID: 31682894 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2019.172818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc, also known as Arg3.1), an immediate early gene and synaptic regulator, is upregulated following a single cocaine exposure. However, there is not much known regarding Arc/Arg3.1's potential contribution to addiction-relevant behaviors. Despite known learning and memory deficits in contextual fear and water-maze reversal learning tasks, we find that mice lacking Arc/Arg3.1 perform conditioned place preference and operant conditioning involving positive reinforcers (food and cocaine) with little-to-no impairment. However, following normal saline-extinction, wild type (WT) mice show a classic inverted-U dose-response function, while Arc/Arg3.1 knockout (KO) mice fail to adjust their intake across multiple doses. Importantly, Arc/Arg3.1 KO and WT mice behave comparably on an increasing cost task (FR1-FR3; acquisition dose), providing evidence that both groups find cocaine reinforcing. Differences in individuals that drive variations in use patterns and particularly, drug intake levels, are critical as they influence the likelihood of developing dependence. Our data suggest that Arc/Arg3.1 may contribute to addiction as a regulator of drug-taking vulnerability under different drug availability conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D Penrod
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, United States of America
| | - Morgane Thomsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, United States of America
| | - Makoto Taniguchi
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, United States of America
| | - Yuhong Guo
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, United States of America
| | - Christopher W Cowan
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, United States of America
| | - Laura N Smith
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, United States of America.
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Chitaman JM, Fraser P, Feng J. Three-dimensional chromosome architecture and drug addiction. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2019; 59:137-145. [PMID: 31276935 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 05/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant gene expression underlies drug addiction. Therefore, studying the regulation of gene expression in drug addiction may provide mechanistic insights into this disease, for which there are still only limited treatments. Recently, the three-dimensional (3D) organization of linear DNA in the nucleus has been recognized as having a major influence on gene transcription. Here, we review its roles in both basic brain function and neuropsychiatric disorders, while also highlighting its emerging implications in drug addiction. Unraveling the 3D architecture of chromosomes in drug addiction is adding to our understanding of this disease and has the potential to trigger novel approaches for better diagnosis and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javed M Chitaman
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Peter Fraser
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Jian Feng
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.
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25
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Penrod RD, Kumar J, Smith LN, McCalley D, Nentwig TB, Hughes BW, Barry GM, Glover K, Taniguchi M, Cowan CW. Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc/Arg3.1) regulates anxiety- and novelty-related behaviors. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2019; 18:e12561. [PMID: 30761730 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc, also known as Arg3.1) regulates glutamatergic synapse plasticity and has been linked to neuropsychiatric illness; however, its role in behaviors associated with mood and anxiety disorders remains unclear. We find that stress upregulates Arc expression in the adult mouse nucleus accumbens (NAc)-a brain region implicated in mood and anxiety behaviors. Global Arc knockout mice have altered AMPAR-subunit surface levels in the adult NAc, and the Arc-deficient mice show reductions in anxiety-like behavior, deficits in social novelty preference, and antidepressive-like behavior. Viral-mediated expression of Arc in the adult NAc of male, global Arc KO mice restores normal levels of anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze (EPM). Consistent with this finding, viral-mediated reduction of Arc in the adult NAc reduces anxiety-like behavior in male, but not female, mice in the EPM. NAc-specific reduction of Arc also produced significant deficits in both object and social novelty preference tasks. Together our findings indicate that Arc is essential for regulating normal mood- and anxiety-related behaviors and novelty discrimination, and that Arc's function within the adult NAc contributes to these behavioral effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D Penrod
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Jaswinder Kumar
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Laura N Smith
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Daniel McCalley
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Todd B Nentwig
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Brandon W Hughes
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Gabriella M Barry
- Department of Science and Mathematics, Honors College, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Kelsey Glover
- Department of Science and Mathematics, Honors College, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Makoto Taniguchi
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Christopher W Cowan
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
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26
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López AJ, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES. Activity-Dependent Epigenetic Remodeling in Cocaine Use Disorder. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2019; 258:231-263. [PMID: 31628597 DOI: 10.1007/164_2019_257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a behavioral disorder characterized by cycles of abstinence, drug seeking, and relapse. SUD is characterized by aberrant learning processes which develop after repeated exposure to drugs of abuse. At the core of this phenotype is the persistence of symptoms, such as craving and relapse to drug seeking, long after the cessation of drug use. The neural basis of these behavioral changes has been linked to dysfunction in neural circuits across the brain; however, the molecular drivers that allow for these changes to persist beyond the lifespan of any individual protein remain opaque. Epigenetic adaptations - where DNA is modified to increase or decrease the probability of gene expression at key genes - have been identified as a mechanism underlying the long-lasting nature of drug-seeking behavior. Thus, to understand SUD, it is critical to define the interplay between neuronal activation and longer-term changes in transcription and epigenetic remodeling and define their role in addictive behaviors. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of drug-induced changes to circuit function, recent discoveries in epigenetic mechanisms that mediate these changes, and, ultimately, how these adaptations drive the persistent nature of relapse, with emphasis on adaptations in models of cocaine use disorder. Understanding the complex interplay between epigenetic gene regulation and circuit activity will be critical in elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying SUD. This, with the advent of novel genetic-based techniques, will allow for the generation of novel therapeutic avenues to improve treatment outcomes in SUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto J López
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Cody A Siciliano
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Infection, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Infection, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
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27
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Epstein I, Finkbeiner S. The Arc of cognition: Signaling cascades regulating Arc and implications for cognitive function and disease. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 77:63-72. [PMID: 29559111 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The activity-regulated cytoskeletal (Arc) gene is implicated in numerous synaptic plasticity paradigms, including long-term potentiation and depression and homeostatic plasticity, and is critical for consolidating memory. How Arc facilitates these forms of plasticity is not fully understood. Unlike other neuronal immediate-early genes, Arc encodes a protein that shuttles between the somatodendritic and nuclear compartments to regulate synaptic plasticity. Little attention has been paid to Arc's role in the nucleus. Here, we highlight the regulatory elements and signaling cascades required to induce Arc transcription and discuss the significance of Arc nuclear localization for synaptic plasticity and scaling. We integrate these findings into the context of cognitive function and disease and propose a model in which Arc mediates an effect on memory as a "chaser" of synaptic activity through homeostatic scaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Epstein
- Gladstone Institutes,1650 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Gladstone Institutes,1650 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Departments of Neurology and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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28
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Li C, White AC, Schochet T, McGinty JF, Frantz KJ. ARC and BDNF expression after cocaine self-administration or cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking in adolescent and adult male rats. Addict Biol 2018; 23:1233-1241. [PMID: 30421552 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Recreational drug use peaks during adolescence. Our research with adolescent vs adult male rats, however, shows that rats taking cocaine as adolescents have lower levels of cue-induced reinstatement of drug-seeking than adults, despite similar levels of intravenous (i.v.) cocaine self-administration. Lower rates of reinstatement in younger rats could be explained by higher levels of brain plasticity. Two neuroplasticity-related genes, activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated gene (Arc) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf), influence cocaine self-administration and cue-induced reinstatement. We tested whether reinstatement of cocaine seeking correlates with expression of these genes in reinforcement-related brain regions. Adolescent and adult male rats (postnatal day 35 or 83-95 at start) were allowed to acquire lever-pressing maintained by i.v. infusions of cocaine in daily 2-h sessions over 13 days. At one of three experimental time points, rats were sacrificed and tissue collected to analyze Arc and Bdnf mRNA by in situ hybridization in the entire medial prefrontal cortex and entire nucleus accumbens, as well as relevant subregions: prelimbic cortex, infralimbic cortex, and nucleus accumbens core and shell. Despite taking similar amounts of cocaine, adolescents reinstated less than adults. Gene expression was most notable in the prelimbic cortex, was generally higher in adolescent-onset groups, and was higher with longer abstinence. These data partially support the hypothesis that higher levels of Arc and/or Bdnf gene expression in reinforcement-related brain regions of younger animals contribute to lower rates of extinction responding and/or reinstatement. Future studies should include mechanistic analysis of Arc, Bdnf, and their signaling pathways in age-dependent effects of cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Li
- Neuroscience Institute; Georgia State University; Atlanta GA USA
| | | | - Terri Schochet
- Department of Neuroscience; Medical University of South Carolina; Charleston SC USA
| | | | - Kyle J. Frantz
- Neuroscience Institute; Georgia State University; Atlanta GA USA
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29
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Epigenetic mechanisms associated with addiction-related behavioural effects of nicotine and/or cocaine: implication of the endocannabinoid system. Behav Pharmacol 2018; 28:493-511. [PMID: 28704272 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The addictive use of nicotine (NC) and cocaine (COC) continues to be a major public health problem, and their combined use has been reported, particularly during adolescence. In neural plasticity, commonly induced by NC and COC, as well as behavioural plasticity related to the use of these two drugs, the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms, in which the reversible regulation of gene expression occurs independently of the DNA sequence, has recently been reported. Furthermore, on the basis of intense interactions with the target neurotransmitter systems, the endocannabinoid (ECB) system has been considered pivotal for eliciting the effects of NC or COC. The combined use of marijuana with NC and/or COC has also been reported. This article presents the addiction-related behavioural effects of NC and/or COC, based on the common behavioural/neural plasticity and combined use of NC/COC, and reviews the interacting role of the ECB system. The epigenetic processes inseparable from the effects of NC and/or COC (i.e. DNA methylation, histone modifications and alterations in microRNAs) and the putative therapeutic involvement of the ECB system at the epigenetic level are also discussed.
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30
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Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor controls neural and behavioral plasticity in response to cocaine. Nat Commun 2018; 9:9. [PMID: 29339724 PMCID: PMC5770429 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01881-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cocaine addiction is characterized by dysfunction in reward-related brain circuits, leading to maladaptive motivation to seek and take the drug. There are currently no clinically available pharmacotherapies to treat cocaine addiction. Through a broad screen of innate immune mediators, we identify granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) as a potent mediator of cocaine-induced adaptations. Here we report that G-CSF potentiates cocaine-induced increases in neural activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and prefrontal cortex. In addition, G-CSF injections potentiate cocaine place preference and enhance motivation to self-administer cocaine, while not affecting responses to natural rewards. Infusion of G-CSF neutralizing antibody into NAc blocks the ability of G-CSF to modulate cocaine's behavioral effects, providing a direct link between central G-CSF action in NAc and cocaine reward. These results demonstrate that manipulating G-CSF is sufficient to alter the motivation for cocaine, but not natural rewards, providing a pharmacotherapeutic avenue to manipulate addictive behaviors without abuse potential.
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31
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Dos Santos M, Salery M, Forget B, Garcia Perez MA, Betuing S, Boudier T, Vanhoutte P, Caboche J, Heck N. Rapid Synaptogenesis in the Nucleus Accumbens Is Induced by a Single Cocaine Administration and Stabilized by Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Interacting Kinase-1 Activity. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 82:806-818. [PMID: 28545678 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Revised: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Repeated cocaine exposure produces new spine formation in striatal projection neurons (SPNs) of the nucleus accumbens. However, an acute exposure to cocaine can trigger long-lasting synaptic plasticity in SPNs leading to behavioral alterations. This raises the intriguing question as to whether a single administration of cocaine could enduringly modify striatal connectivity. METHODS A three-dimensional morphometric analysis of presynaptic glutamatergic boutons and dendritic spines was performed on SPNs 1 hour and 1 week after a single cocaine administration. Time-lapse two-photon microscopy in adult slices was used to determine the precise molecular-events sequence responsible for the rapid spine formation. RESULTS A single injection triggered a rapid synaptogenesis and persistent increase in glutamatergic connectivity in SPNs from the shell part of the nucleus accumbens, specifically. Synapse formation occurred through clustered growth of active spines contacting pre-existing axonal boutons. Spine growth required extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation, while spine stabilization involved transcription-independent protein synthesis driven by mitogen-activated protein kinase interacting kinase-1, downstream from extracellular signal-regulated kinase. The maintenance of new spines driven by mitogen-activated protein kinase interacting kinase-1 was essential for long-term connectivity changes induced by cocaine in vivo. CONCLUSIONS Our study originally demonstrates that a single administration of cocaine is able to induce stable synaptic rewiring in the nucleus accumbens, which will likely influence responses to subsequent drug exposure. It also unravels a new functional role for cocaine-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway independently of nuclear targets. Finally, it reveals that mitogen-activated protein kinase interacting kinase-1 has a pivotal role in cocaine-induced connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Dos Santos
- Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, University Pierre and Marie Curie University of Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France
| | - Marine Salery
- Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, University Pierre and Marie Curie University of Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France
| | - Benoit Forget
- Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, University Pierre and Marie Curie University of Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France
| | - Maria Alexandra Garcia Perez
- Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, University Pierre and Marie Curie University of Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Betuing
- Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, University Pierre and Marie Curie University of Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Boudier
- Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, University Pierre and Marie Curie University of Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France; Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore
| | - Peter Vanhoutte
- Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, University Pierre and Marie Curie University of Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France
| | - Jocelyne Caboche
- Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, University Pierre and Marie Curie University of Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.
| | - Nicolas Heck
- Neurosciences Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, University Pierre and Marie Curie University of Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France
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Lalonde J, Reis SA, Sivakumaran S, Holland CS, Wesseling H, Sauld JF, Alural B, Zhao WN, Steen JA, Haggarty SJ. Chemogenomic analysis reveals key role for lysine acetylation in regulating Arc stability. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1659. [PMID: 29162813 PMCID: PMC5698418 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01750-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of Arc in synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation has been investigated for many years with recent evidence that defects in the expression or activity of this immediate-early gene may also contribute to the pathophysiology of brain disorders including schizophrenia and fragile X syndrome. These results bring forward the concept that reversing Arc abnormalities could provide an avenue to improve cognitive or neurological impairments in different disease contexts, but how to achieve this therapeutic objective has remained elusive. Here, we present results from a chemogenomic screen that probed a mechanistically diverse library of small molecules for modulators of BDNF-induced Arc expression in primary cortical neurons. This effort identified compounds with a range of influences on Arc, including promoting its acetylation-a previously uncharacterized post-translational modification of this protein. Together, our data provide insights into the control of Arc that could be targeted to harness neuroplasticity for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Lalonde
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1.
| | - Surya A Reis
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Sudhir Sivakumaran
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Carl S Holland
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Hendrik Wesseling
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - John F Sauld
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Begum Alural
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Health Sciences, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, 35210, Turkey
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, 35210, Turkey
| | - Wen-Ning Zhao
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Judith A Steen
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Stephen J Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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33
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Hypothermia induced by anesthesia regulates various signals expressions in the hippocampus of animals. Biomed Pharmacother 2017; 95:1321-1330. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.09.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 09/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
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Shao X, Tang Y, Long H, Gu H, Zhang J, Deng P, Zhao Y, Cen X. HMG-CoA synthase 2 drives brain metabolic reprogramming in cocaine exposure. Neuropharmacology 2017; 148:377-393. [PMID: 28987936 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The brain is a high energy-consuming organ that typically utilizes glucose as the main energy source for cerebral activity. When glucose becomes scarce under conditions of stress, ketone bodies, such as β-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate and acetone, become extremely important. Alterations in brain energy metabolism have been observed in psychostimulant abusers; however, the mode of brain metabolic programming in cocaine dependence remains largely unknown. Here, we profiled the metabolites and metabolic enzymes from brain nucleus accumbens (NAc) of mice exposed to cocaine. We found that cocaine modified energy metabolism and markedly activated ketogenesis pathway in the NAc. The expression of HMG-CoA synthase 2 (HMGCS2), a critical rate-limiting ketogenesis enzyme, was markedly up-regulated. After switching metabolic pathways from ketogenesis to glycolysis through activation of glucokinase, cocaine-evoked metabolic reprogramming regained homeostasis, and the cocaine effect was attenuated. Importantly, both the pharmacological and genetic inhibition of HMGCS2 significantly suppressed cocaine-induced ketogenesis and behavior. In conclusion, cocaine induces a remarkable energy reprogramming in the NAc, which is characterized by HMGCS2-driven ketogenesis. Such effect may facilitate adaptations to cocaine-induced energy stress in the brain. Our findings establish an important link between drug-induced energy reprogramming and cocaine effect, and may have implication in the treatment of cocaine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Shao
- National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Yunxuan Tang
- National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Hailei Long
- National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Hui Gu
- National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Pengchi Deng
- Analytical &Testing Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yinglan Zhao
- National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Xiaobo Cen
- National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, PR China.
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Managò F, Papaleo F. Schizophrenia: What's Arc Got to Do with It? Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:181. [PMID: 28979198 PMCID: PMC5611489 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Human studies of schizophrenia are now reporting a previously unidentified genetic convergence on postsynaptic signaling complexes such as the activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated (Arc) gene. However, because this evidence is still very recent, the neurobiological implication of Arc in schizophrenia is still scattered and unrecognized. Here, we first review current and developing findings connecting Arc in schizophrenia. We then highlight recent and previous findings from preclinical mouse models that elucidate how Arc genetic modifications might recapitulate schizophrenia-relevant behavioral phenotypes following the novel Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework. Building on this, we finally compare and evaluate several lines of evidence demonstrating that Arc genetics can alter both glutamatergic and dopaminergic systems in a very selective way, again consistent with molecular alterations characteristic of schizophrenia. Despite being only initial, accumulating and compelling data are showing that Arc might be one of the primary biological players in schizophrenia. Synaptic plasticity alterations in the genetic architecture of psychiatric disorders might be a rule, not an exception. Thus, we anticipate that additional evidence will soon emerge to clarify the Arc-dependent mechanisms involved in the psychiatric-related dysfunctional behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Managò
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenova, Italy
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenova, Italy
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Arc ubiquitination in synaptic plasticity. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 77:10-16. [PMID: 28890418 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.09.009] [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: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) is a neuron-expressed activity regulated immediate early gene (IEG) product that is essential for memory consolidation and serves as a direct readout for neural activation during learning. Arc contributes to diverse forms of synaptic plasticity mediated by the trafficking of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors. Notably, Arc protein expression abruptly increases and then rapidly decreases following augmented network activity. A large body of work has focused on Arc transcription and translation. Far fewer studies have explored the relevance of Arc protein stability and turnover. Here, we review recent findings on the mechanisms controlling Arc degradation and discuss its contributions to AMPA receptor trafficking and synaptic plasticity.
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Nikolaienko O, Patil S, Eriksen MS, Bramham CR. Arc protein: a flexible hub for synaptic plasticity and cognition. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 77:33-42. [PMID: 28890419 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian excitatory synapses express diverse types of synaptic plasticity. A major challenge in neuroscience is to understand how a neuron utilizes different types of plasticity to sculpt brain development, function, and behavior. Neuronal activity-induced expression of the immediate early protein, Arc, is critical for long-term potentiation and depression of synaptic transmission, homeostatic synaptic scaling, and adaptive functions such as long-term memory formation. However, the molecular basis of Arc protein function as a regulator of synaptic plasticity and cognition remains a puzzle. Recent work on the biophysical and structural properties of Arc, its protein-protein interactions and post-translational modifications have shed light on the issue. Here, we present Arc protein as a flexible, multifunctional and interactive hub. Arc interacts with specific effector proteins in neuronal compartments (dendritic spines, nuclear domains) to bidirectionally regulate synaptic strength by distinct molecular mechanisms. Arc stability, subcellular localization, and interactions are dictated by synaptic activity and post-translational modification of Arc. This functional versatility and context-dependent signaling supports a view of Arc as a highly specialized master organizer of long-term synaptic plasticity, critical for information storage and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleksii Nikolaienko
- Department of Biomedicine and KG Jebsen Center for Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, N-5009, Bergen, Norway
| | - Sudarshan Patil
- Department of Biomedicine and KG Jebsen Center for Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, N-5009, Bergen, Norway
| | - Maria Steene Eriksen
- Department of Biomedicine and KG Jebsen Center for Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, N-5009, Bergen, Norway
| | - Clive R Bramham
- Department of Biomedicine and KG Jebsen Center for Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, N-5009, Bergen, Norway.
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Effects of chronic cocaine, morphine and methamphetamine on the mobility, immobility and stereotyped behaviors in crayfish. Behav Brain Res 2017; 332:120-125. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.05.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Chandra R, Lobo MK. Beyond Neuronal Activity Markers: Select Immediate Early Genes in Striatal Neuron Subtypes Functionally Mediate Psychostimulant Addiction. Front Behav Neurosci 2017. [PMID: 28642692 PMCID: PMC5462953 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Immediate early genes (IEGs) were traditionally used as markers of neuronal activity in striatum in response to stimuli including drugs of abuse such as psychostimulants. Early studies using these neuronal activity markers led to important insights in striatal neuron subtype responsiveness to psychostimulants. Such studies have helped identify striatum as a critical brain center for motivational, reinforcement and habitual behaviors in psychostimulant addiction. While the use of IEGs as neuronal activity markers in response to psychostimulants and other stimuli persists today, the functional role and implications of these IEGs has often been neglected. Nonetheless, there is a subset of research that investigates the functional role of IEGs in molecular, cellular and behavioral alterations by psychostimulants through striatal medium spiny neuron (MSN) subtypes, the two projection neuron subtypes in striatum. This review article will address and highlight the studies that provide a functional mechanism by which IEGs mediate psychostimulant molecular, cellular and behavioral plasticity through MSN subtypes. Insight into the functional role of IEGs in striatal MSN subtypes could provide improved understanding into addiction and neuropsychiatric diseases affecting striatum, such as affective disorders and compulsive disorders characterized by dysfunctional motivation and habitual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Chandra
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of MedicineBaltimore, MD, United States
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of MedicineBaltimore, MD, United States
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Lobo MK. Nuclear Arc Puts a Brake on Cocaine-Induced Chromatin Remodeling and Behaviors. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 81:550-551. [PMID: 28283053 PMCID: PMC6662570 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
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Biever A, Boubaker-Vitre J, Cutando L, Gracia-Rubio I, Costa-Mattioli M, Puighermanal E, Valjent E. Repeated Exposure to D-Amphetamine Decreases Global Protein Synthesis and Regulates the Translation of a Subset of mRNAs in the Striatum. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 9:165. [PMID: 28119566 PMCID: PMC5223439 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2016.00165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Repeated psychostimulant exposure induces persistent gene expression modifications that contribute to enduring changes in striatal GABAergic spiny projecting neurons (SPNs). However, it remains unclear whether changes in the control of mRNA translation are required for the establishment of these durable modifications. Here we report that repeated exposure to D-amphetamine decreases global striatal mRNA translation. This effect is paralleled by an enhanced phosphorylation of the translation factors, eIF2α and eEF2, and by the concomitant increased translation of a subset of mRNAs, among which the mRNA encoding for the activity regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein, also known as activity regulated gene 3.1 (Arc/Arg3.1). The enrichment of Arc/Arg3.1 mRNA in the polysomal fraction is accompanied by a robust increase of Arc/Arg3.1 protein levels within the striatum. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that this increase occurred preferentially in D1R-expressing SPNs localized in striosome compartments. Our results suggest that the decreased global protein synthesis following repeated exposure to D-amphetamine favors the translation of a specific subset of mRNAs in the striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Biever
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR-5203, Institut de Génomique FonctionnelleMontpellier, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U1191Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, UMR-5203Montpellier, France
| | - Jihane Boubaker-Vitre
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR-5203, Institut de Génomique FonctionnelleMontpellier, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U1191Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, UMR-5203Montpellier, France
| | - Laura Cutando
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR-5203, Institut de Génomique FonctionnelleMontpellier, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U1191Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, UMR-5203Montpellier, France
| | - Irene Gracia-Rubio
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR-5203, Institut de Génomique FonctionnelleMontpellier, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U1191Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, UMR-5203Montpellier, France
| | - Mauro Costa-Mattioli
- Department of Neuroscience, Memory and Brain Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX, USA
| | - Emma Puighermanal
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR-5203, Institut de Génomique FonctionnelleMontpellier, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U1191Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, UMR-5203Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuel Valjent
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR-5203, Institut de Génomique FonctionnelleMontpellier, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), U1191Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, UMR-5203Montpellier, France
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