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Kim YJ, Kim K, Lee Y, Min HW, Ko YH, Lee BR, Hur KH, Kim SK, Lee SY, Jang CG. The mutated cytoplasmic fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1)-interacting protein 2 (CYFIP2 S968F) regulates cocaine-induced reward behaviour and plasticity in the nucleus accumbens. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:3327-3345. [PMID: 38751203 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cytoplasmic fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1)-interacting protein 2 (CYFIP2), as a component of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein family verprolin-homologous protein (WAVE) regulatory complex, is involved in actin polymerization, contributing to neuronal development and structural plasticity. Mutating serine-968 to phenylalanine (S968F) in CYFIP2 causes an altered cocaine response in mice. The neuronal mechanisms underlying this response remain unknown. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We performed cocaine reward-related behavioural tests and examined changes in synaptic protein phenotypes and neuronal morphology in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), using CYFIP2 S968F knock-in mice to investigate the role of CYFIP2 in regulating cocaine reward. KEY RESULTS CYFIP2 S968F mutation attenuated cocaine-induced behavioural sensitization and conditioned place preference. Cocaine-induced c-Fos was not observed in the NAc of CYFIP2 S968F knock-in mice. However, c-Fos induction was still evident in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). CYFIP2 S968F mutation altered cocaine-associated CYFIP2 signalling, glutamatergic protein expression and synaptic density in the NAc following cocaine exposure. To further determine the role of CYFIP2 in NAc neuronal activity and the mPFC projecting to the NAc activity-mediating reward response, we used optogenetic tools to stimulate the NAc or mPFC-NAc pathway and observed that optogenetic activation of the NAc or mPFC-NAc pathway induced reward-related behaviours. This effect was not observed in the S968F mutation in CYFIP2. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS These results suggest that CYFIP2 plays a role in controlling cocaine-mediated neuronal function and structural plasticity in the NAc, and that CYFIP2 could serve as a target for regulating cocaine reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Jung Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungin Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Youyoung Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Won Min
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Hyun Ko
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo-Ram Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Hyun Hur
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon-Kyung Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Yong Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Choon-Gon Jang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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Hoisington ZW, Salvi A, Laguesse S, Ehinger Y, Shukla C, Phamluong K, Ron D. The Small G-Protein Rac1 in the Dorsomedial Striatum Promotes Alcohol-Dependent Structural Plasticity and Goal-Directed Learning in Mice. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1644232024. [PMID: 38886056 PMCID: PMC11255432 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1644-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The small G-protein Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) promotes the formation of filamentous actin (F-actin). Actin is a major component of dendritic spines, and we previously found that alcohol alters actin composition and dendritic spine structure in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the dorsomedial striatum (DMS). To examine if Rac1 contributes to these alcohol-mediated adaptations, we measured the level of GTP-bound active Rac1 in the striatum of mice following 7 weeks of intermittent access to 20% alcohol. We found that chronic alcohol intake activates Rac1 in the DMS of male mice. In contrast, Rac1 is not activated by alcohol in the NAc and DLS of male mice or in the DMS of female mice. Similarly, closely related small G-proteins are not activated by alcohol in the DMS, and Rac1 activity is not increased in the DMS by moderate alcohol or natural reward. To determine the consequences of alcohol-dependent Rac1 activation in the DMS of male mice, we inhibited endogenous Rac1 by infecting the DMS of mice with an adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing a dominant negative form of the small G-protein (Rac1-DN). We found that overexpression of AAV-Rac1-DN in the DMS inhibits alcohol-mediated Rac1 signaling and attenuates alcohol-mediated F-actin polymerization, which corresponded with a decrease in dendritic arborization and spine maturation. Finally, we provide evidence to suggest that Rac1 in the DMS plays a role in alcohol-associated goal-directed learning. Together, our data suggest that Rac1 in the DMS plays an important role in alcohol-dependent structural plasticity and aberrant learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary W Hoisington
- Alcohol and Addiction Research Group, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94107
| | - Alexandra Salvi
- Alcohol and Addiction Research Group, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94107
| | - Sophie Laguesse
- GIGA-Stem Cells and GIGA-Neurosciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA-R), University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | - Yann Ehinger
- Alcohol and Addiction Research Group, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94107
| | - Chhavi Shukla
- Alcohol and Addiction Research Group, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94107
| | - Khanhky Phamluong
- Alcohol and Addiction Research Group, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94107
| | - Dorit Ron
- Alcohol and Addiction Research Group, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94107
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Hoisington ZW, Salvi A, Laguesse S, Ehinger Y, Shukla C, Phamluong K, Ron D. The small G-protein Rac1 in the dorsomedial striatum promotes alcohol-dependent structural plasticity and goal-directed learning in mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.30.555562. [PMID: 37693512 PMCID: PMC10491244 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.30.555562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
The small G-protein Rac1 promotes the formation of filamentous actin (F-Actin). Actin is a major component of dendritic spines, and we previously found that alcohol alters actin composition and dendritic spine structure in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the dorsomedial striatum (DMS). To examine if Rac1 contributes to these alcohol-mediated adaptations, we measured the level of GTP-bound active Rac1 in the striatum of mice following 7 weeks of intermittent access to 20% alcohol. We found that chronic alcohol intake activates Rac1 in the DMS of male mice. In contrast, Rac1 is not activated by alcohol in the NAc and DLS of male mice, or in the DMS of female mice. Similarly, closely related small G-proteins are not activated by alcohol in the DMS, and Rac1 activity is not increased in the DMS by moderate alcohol or natural reward. To determine the consequences of alcohol-dependent Rac1 activation in the DMS of male mice, we inhibited endogenous Rac1 by infecting the DMS of mice with an AAV expressing a dominant negative form of the small G-protein (Rac1-DN). We found that overexpression of AAV-Rac1-DN in the DMS inhibits alcohol-mediated Rac1 signaling and attenuates alcohol-mediated F-actin polymerization, which corresponded with a decrease in dendritic arborization and spine maturation. Finally, we provide evidence to suggest that Rac1 in the DMS plays a role in alcohol-associated goal-directed learning. Together, our data suggest that Rac1 in the DMS plays an important role in alcohol-dependent structural plasticity and aberrant learning. Significance Statement Addiction, including alcohol use disorder, is characterized by molecular and cellular adaptations that promote maladaptive behaviors. We found that Rac1 was activated by alcohol in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) of male mice. We show that alcohol-mediated Rac1 signaling is responsible for alterations in actin dynamics and neuronal morphology. We also present data to suggest that Rac1 is important for alcohol-associated learning processes. These results suggest that Rac1 in the DMS is an important contributor to adaptations that promote alcohol use disorder.
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Zhu M, Xiao B, Xue T, Qin S, Ding J, Wu Y, Tang Q, Huang M, Zhao N, Ye Y, Zhang Y, Zhang B, Li J, Guo F, Jiang Y, Zhang L, Zhang L. Cdc42GAP deficiency contributes to the Alzheimer's disease phenotype. Brain 2023; 146:4350-4365. [PMID: 37254741 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia, is a chronic degenerative disease with typical pathological features of extracellular senile plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles and a significant decrease in the density of neuronal dendritic spines. Cdc42 is a member of the small G protein family that plays an important role in regulating synaptic plasticity and is regulated by Cdc42GAP, which switches Cdc42 from active GTP-bound to inactive GDP-bound states regulating downstream pathways via effector proteins. However, few studies have focused on Cdc42 in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. In a heterozygous Cdc42GAP mouse model that exhibited elevated Cdc42-GTPase activity accompanied by increased Cdc42-PAK1-cofilin signalling, we found impairments in cognitive behaviours, neuron senescence, synaptic loss with depolymerization of F-actin and the pathological phenotypes of Alzheimer's disease, including phosphorylated tau (p-T231, AT8), along with increased soluble and insoluble Aβ1-42 and Aβ1-40, which are consistent with typical Alzheimer's disease mice. Interestingly, these impairments increased significantly with age. Furthermore, the results of quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis of the hippocampus of 11-month-old GAP mice suggested that Cdc42GAP deficiency induces and accelerates Alzheimer's disease-like phenotypes through activation of GSK-3β by dephosphorylation at Ser9, Ser389 and/or phosphorylation at Tyr216. In addition, overexpression of dominant-negative Cdc42 in the primary hippocampal and cortical neurons of heterozygous Cdc42GAP mice reversed synaptic loss and tau hyperphosphorylation. Importantly, the Cdc42 signalling pathway, Aβ1-42, Aβ1-40 and GSK-3β activity were increased in the cortical sections of Alzheimer's disease patients compared with those in healthy controls. Together, these data indicated that Cdc42GAP is involved in regulating Alzheimer's disease-like phenotypes such as cognitive deficits, dendritic spine loss, phosphorylated tau (p-T231, AT8) and increased soluble and insoluble Aβ1-42 and Aβ1-40, possibly through the activation of GSK-3β, and these impairments increased significantly with age. Thus, we provide the first evidence that Cdc42 is involved in the progression of Alzheimer's disease-like phenotypes, which may provide new targets for Alzheimer's disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjuan Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Bin Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Tao Xue
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Sifei Qin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jiuyang Ding
- School of Forensic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Qingqiu Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Mengfan Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Na Zhao
- School of Forensic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, China
| | - Yingshan Ye
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yuning Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Boya Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Safety Evaluation of Cosmetics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Center for Orthopedic Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Fukun Guo
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3026, USA
| | - Yong Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Safety Evaluation of Cosmetics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Center for Orthopedic Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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Miao B, Xing X, Bazylianska V, Madden P, Moszczynska A, Zhang B. Methamphetamine-induced region-specific transcriptomic and epigenetic changes in the brain of male rats. Commun Biol 2023; 6:991. [PMID: 37758941 PMCID: PMC10533900 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05355-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychostimulant methamphetamine (METH) is neurotoxic to the brain and, therefore, its misuse leads to neurological and psychiatric disorders. The gene regulatory network (GRN) response to neurotoxic METH binge remains unclear in most brain regions. Here we examined the effects of binge METH on the GRN in the nucleus accumbens, dentate gyrus, Ammon's horn, and subventricular zone in male rats. At 24 h after METH, ~16% of genes displayed altered expression and over a quarter of previously open chromatin regions - parts of the genome where genes are typically active - showed shifts in their accessibility. Intriguingly, most changes were unique to each area studied, and independent regulation between transcriptome and chromatin accessibility was observed. Unexpectedly, METH differentially impacted gene activity and chromatin accessibility within the dentate gyrus and Ammon's horn. Around 70% of the affected chromatin-accessible regions in the rat brain have conserved DNA sequences in the human genome. These regions frequently act as enhancers, ramping up the activity of nearby genes, and contain mutations linked to various neurological conditions. By sketching out the gene regulatory networks associated with binge METH in specific brain regions, our study offers fresh insights into how METH can trigger profound, region-specific molecular shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benpeng Miao
- Department of Developmental Biology, Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Center for Genomic Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Xiaoyun Xing
- Department of Genetics, Center for Genomic Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Viktoriia Bazylianska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Pamela Madden
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Anna Moszczynska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Developmental Biology, Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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Li J, Wu Y, Xue T, He J, Zhang L, Liu Y, Zhao J, Chen Z, Xie M, Xiao B, Ye Y, Qin S, Tang Q, Huang M, Zhu H, Liu N, Guo F, Zhang L, Zhang L. Cdc42 signaling regulated by dopamine D2 receptor correlatively links specific brain regions of hippocampus to cocaine addiction. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2023; 1869:166569. [PMID: 36243293 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hippocampus plays critical roles in drug addiction. Cocaine-induced modifications in dopamine receptor function and the downstream signaling are important regulation mechanisms in cocaine addiction. Rac regulates actin filament accumulation while Cdc42 stimulates the formation of filopodia and neurite outgrowth. Based on the region specific roles of small GTPases in brain, we focused on the hippocampal subregions to detect the regulation of Cdc42 signaling in long-term morphological and behavioral adaptations to cocaine. METHODS Genetically modified mouse models of Cdc42, dopamine receptor D1 (D1R) and D2 (D2R) and expressed Cdc42 point mutants that are defective in binding to and activation of its downstream effector molecules PAK and N-WASP were generated, respectively, in CA1 or dentate gyrus (DG) subregion. RESULTS Cocaine induced upregulation of Cdc42 signaling activity. Cdc42 knockout or mutants blocked cocaine-induced increase in spine plasticity in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, leading to a decreased conditional place preference (CPP)-associated memories and spatial learning and memory in water maze. Cdc42 knockout or mutants promoted cocaine-induced loss of neurogenesis in DG, leading to a decreased CPP-associated memories and spatial learning and memory in water maze. Furthermore, by using D1R knockout, D2R knockout, and D2R/Cdc42 double knockout mice, we found that D2R, but not D1R, regulated Cdc42 signaling in cocaine-induced neural plasticity and behavioral changes. CONCLUSIONS Cdc42 acts downstream of D2R in the hippocampus and plays an important role in cocaine-induced neural plasticity through N-WASP and PAK-LIMK-Cofilin, and Cdc42 signaling pathway correlatively links specific brain regions (CA1, dentate gyrus) to cocaine-induced CPP behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Department of Histology and Embryology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Safety Evaluation of Cosmetics, Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering of Guangdong Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Center for Orthopaedic Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yue Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Tao Xue
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jing He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yutong Liu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Safety Evaluation of Cosmetics, Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering of Guangdong Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Center for Orthopaedic Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jinlan Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Zhenzhong Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Minjuan Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Bin Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yingshan Ye
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Sifei Qin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Qingqiu Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Mengfan Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Hangfei Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - N Liu
- Institute of Comparative Medicine & Laboratory Animal Center, Elderly Health Services Research Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Fukun Guo
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Lin Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Safety Evaluation of Cosmetics, Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering of Guangdong Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Center for Orthopaedic Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
| | - Lu Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Pediatric Center of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
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Ding J, Huang J, Tang X, Shen L, Hu S, He J, Liu T, Yu Z, Liu Y, Wang Q, Wang J, Zhao N, Qi X, Huang J. Low and high dose methamphetamine differentially regulate synaptic structural plasticity in cortex and hippocampus. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1003617. [PMID: 36406748 PMCID: PMC9666390 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1003617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 03/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Psychostimulants, such as methamphetamine (METH) can induce structural remodeling of synapses by remodeling presynaptic and postsynaptic morphology. Escalating or long-lasting high dose METH accounts for neurodegeneration by targeting multiple neurotransmitters. However, the effects of low dose METH on synaptic structure and the modulation mechanism remain elusive. This study aims to assess the effects of low dose (2 mg/kg) and high dose (10 mg/kg) of METH on synaptic structure alternation in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) and to reveal the underlying mechanism involved in the process. Low dose METH promoted spine formation, synaptic number increase, post-synaptic density length elongation, and memory function. High dose of METH induced synaptic degeneration, neuronal number loss and memory impairment. Moreover, high dose, but not low dose, of METH caused gliosis in PFC and hippocampus. Mechanism-wise, low dose METH inactivated ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) and activated cell division control protein 42 homolog (Cdc42); whereas high dose METH inactivated Cdc42 and activated Rac1. We provided evidence that low and high doses of METH differentially regulate synaptic plasticity in cortex and hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiuyang Ding
- School of Forensic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jian Huang
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Forensic Multi-Omics for Precision Identification, School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Tang
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lingyi Shen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Shanshan Hu
- Good Clinical Practice Center, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Jiaojiao He
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhixing Yu
- School of Forensic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yubo Liu
- School of Forensic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Qiyan Wang
- School of Forensic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jiawen Wang
- School of Forensic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Na Zhao
- School of Forensic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xiaolan Qi
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jiang Huang
- School of Forensic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
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ABCC1 regulates cocaine-associated memory, spine plasticity and GluA1 and GluA2 surface expression. Neuroreport 2021; 32:833-839. [PMID: 34029289 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
ATP-binding cassettes C1 (ABCC1s) are expressed in the neurons of the brain, but their function in neurological diseases is far from clear. In this study, we investigated the role of ABCC1 in the hippocampus in cocaine-associated memory and spine plasticity. We also investigated the role of ABCC1 in AMPA receptors (AMPARs) surface expression in primary prefrontal cortex (PFC) neurons following dopamine treatment, which was used to mimic exposure to cocaine. We found that cocaine increased ABCC1 expression in the hippocampus, and ABCC1-siRNA blocked cocaine-induced place preference. Furthermore, a morphological study showed that ABCC1-siRNA reduced the total spine density, including thin, stubby and mushroom spines in both cocaine and basal treatments compared with controls. Meanwhile, in vitro tests showed that ABCC1-siRNA decreased GluA1 and GluA2 surface expression induced by dopamine, while a decreased number of synapses in primary PFC neurons was observed following dopamine treatment. The data show that ABCC1 in the hippocampus is critically involved in cocaine-associated memory and spine plasticity and that dopamine induces AMPARs surface expression in primary PFC neurons. ABCC1 is thus presented as a new signaling molecule involved in cocaine addiction, which may provide a new target for the treatment of cocaine addiction.
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Ube2b-dependent degradation of DNMT3a relieves a transcriptional brake on opiate-induced synaptic and behavioral plasticity. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:1162-1177. [PMID: 31576007 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0533-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Compelling evidence suggests that synaptic structural plasticity, driven by remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton, underlies addictive drugs-induced long-lasting behavioral plasticity. However, the signaling mechanisms leading to actin cytoskeleton remodeling remain poorly defined. DNA methylation is a critical mechanism used to control activity-dependent gene expression essential for long-lasting synaptic plasticity. Here, we provide evidence that DNA methyltransferase DNMT3a is degraded by the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Ube2b-mediated ubiquitination in dorsal hippocampus (DH) of rats that repeatedly self-administrated heroin. DNMT3a degradation leads to demethylation in CaMKK1 gene promotor, thereby facilitating CaMKK1 expression and consequent activation of its downstream target CaMKIα, an essential regulator of spinogenesis. CaMKK1/CaMKIα signaling regulates actin cytoskeleton remodeling in the DH and behavioral plasticity by activation of Rac1 via acting Rac guanine-nucleotide-exchange factor βPIX. These data suggest that Ube2b-dependent degradation of DNMT3a relieves a transcriptional brake on CaMKK1 gene and thus activates CaMKK1/CaMKIα/βPIX/Rac1 cascade, leading to drug use-induced actin polymerization and behavior plasticity.
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Wang S, Zeng M, Ren Y, Han S, Li J, Cui W. In vivo reduction of hippocampal Caveolin-1 by RNA interference alters morphine addiction and neuroplasticity changes in male mice. Neurosci Lett 2021; 749:135742. [PMID: 33607203 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Prescription opioids are powerful pain-controlling medications that have both benefits and potentially serious risks. Morphine is one of the preferred analgesics that are widely used to treat chronic pain. However, chronic morphine exposure has been found to cause both functional and structural changes in several brain regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and hippocampus (HPC), which lead to addictive behavior. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), a scaffolding protein of membrane lipid rafts (MLRs), has been shown to organize GPCRs and multiple synaptic signaling proteins within the MLRs to regulate synaptic signaling and neuroplasticity. Previously, we showed that in vitro morphine treatment significantly elevates Cav-1 expression and causes neuroplasticity changes. In this study, we confirmed that chronic morphine exposure can significantly increase Cav-1 expression (P < 0.05) and microtubule-associated protein (MAP-2)-positive neuronal dendritic growth in the hippocampus. Moreover, the rewarding effect and dendritic growth in the HPC induced by chronic morphine exposure were significantly inhibited by hippocampal Cav-1 knockdown. Together, these data suggest that Cav-1 in the hippocampus plays an essential role in the neuroplasticity changes that underlie morphine addiction behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University, #119 Nan Si Huan Xi Lu, Beijing, 100050, PR China; Department of Anesthesiology, University of California San Diego, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr., San Diego, CA, 92161, USA
| | - Min Zeng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University, #119 Nan Si Huan Xi Lu, Beijing, 100050, PR China
| | - Yi Ren
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, #56 Nan Li Shi Lu, Beijing, 100045, PR China
| | - Song Han
- Department of Neurobiology and Beijing Institute for Neuroscience, Capital Medical University, #10 You An Men Wai Xi TouTiao, Beijing, 100069, PR China
| | - Junfa Li
- Department of Neurobiology and Beijing Institute for Neuroscience, Capital Medical University, #10 You An Men Wai Xi TouTiao, Beijing, 100069, PR China
| | - Weihua Cui
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University, #119 Nan Si Huan Xi Lu, Beijing, 100050, PR China.
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Assari S, Boyce S. Resting-State Functional Connectivity between Putamen and Salience Network and Childhood Body Mass Index. Neurol Int 2021; 13:85-101. [PMID: 33806587 PMCID: PMC8006001 DOI: 10.3390/neurolint13010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although the putamen has a significant role in reward-seeking and motivated behaviors, including eating and food-seeking, minorities' diminished returns (MDRs) suggest that individual-level risk and protective factors have weaker effects for Non-Hispanic Black than Non-Hispanic White individuals. However, limited research is available on the relevance of MDRs in terms of the role of putamen functional connectivity on body mass index (BMI). PURPOSE Building on the MDRs framework and conceptualizing race and socioeconomic status (SES) indicators as social constructs, we explored racial and SES differences in the associations between putamen functional connectivity to the salience network and children's BMI. METHODS For this cross-sectional study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data of 6473 9-10-year-old Non-Hispanic Black and Non-Hispanic White children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The primary independent variable was putamen functional connectivity to the salience network, measured by fMRI. The primary outcome was the children's BMI. Age, sex, neighborhood income, and family structure were the covariates. Race, family structure, parental education, and household income were potential moderators. For data analysis, we used mixed-effect models in the overall sample and by race. RESULTS Higher right putamen functional connectivity to the salience network was associated with higher BMI in Non-Hispanic White children. The same association was missing for Non-Hispanic Black children. While there was no overall association in the pooled sample, a significant interaction was found, suggesting that the association between right putamen functional connectivity to the salience network and children's BMI was modified by race. Compared to Non-Hispanic White children, Non-Hispanic Black children showed a weaker association between right putamen functional connectivity to the salience network and BMI. While parental education and household income did not moderate our association of interest, marital status altered the associations between putamen functional connectivity to the salience network and children's BMI. These patterns were observed for right but not left putamen. Other/Mixed Race children also showed a pattern similar to Non-Hispanic Black children. CONCLUSIONS The association between right putamen functional connectivity to the salience network and children's BMI may depend on race and marital status but not parental education and household income. While right putamen functional connectivity to the salience network is associated with Non-Hispanic White children's BMI, Non-Hispanic Black children' BMI remains high regardless of their putamen functional connectivity to the salience network. This finding is in line with MDRs, which attributes diminished effects of individual-risk and protective factors for Non-Hispanic Black children to racism, stratification, and segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shervin Assari
- Department of Family Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA
- Department of Urban Public Health, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA
| | - Shanika Boyce
- Department of Pediatrics, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA;
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Lathen DR, Merrill CB, Rothenfluh A. Flying Together: Drosophila as a Tool to Understand the Genetics of Human Alcoholism. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6649. [PMID: 32932795 PMCID: PMC7555299 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) exacts an immense toll on individuals, families, and society. Genetic factors determine up to 60% of an individual's risk of developing problematic alcohol habits. Effective AUD prevention and treatment requires knowledge of the genes that predispose people to alcoholism, play a role in alcohol responses, and/or contribute to the development of addiction. As a highly tractable and translatable genetic and behavioral model organism, Drosophila melanogaster has proven valuable to uncover important genes and mechanistic pathways that have obvious orthologs in humans and that help explain the complexities of addiction. Vinegar flies exhibit remarkably strong face and mechanistic validity as a model for AUDs, permitting many advancements in the quest to understand human genetic involvement in this disease. These advancements occur via approaches that essentially fall into one of two categories: (1) discovering candidate genes via human genome-wide association studies (GWAS), transcriptomics on post-mortem tissue from AUD patients, or relevant physiological connections, then using reverse genetics in flies to validate candidate genes' roles and investigate their molecular function in the context of alcohol. (2) Utilizing flies to discover candidate genes through unbiased screens, GWAS, quantitative trait locus analyses, transcriptomics, or single-gene studies, then validating their translational role in human genetic surveys. In this review, we highlight the utility of Drosophila as a model for alcoholism by surveying recent advances in our understanding of human AUDs that resulted from these various approaches. We summarize the genes that are conserved in alcohol-related function between humans and flies. We also provide insight into some advantages and limitations of these approaches. Overall, this review demonstrates how Drosophila have and can be used to answer important genetic questions about alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R. Lathen
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Ph.D. Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA;
| | - Collin B. Merrill
- Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA;
| | - Adrian Rothenfluh
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Ph.D. Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA;
- Molecular Medicine Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA;
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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Dopamine D 1 and D 2 Receptors Differentially Regulate Rac1 and Cdc42 Signaling in the Nucleus Accumbens to Modulate Behavioral and Structural Plasticity After Repeated Methamphetamine Treatment. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 86:820-835. [PMID: 31060803 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.03.966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly addictive psychostimulant that strongly activates dopamine receptor signaling in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). However, how dopamine D1 and D2 receptors (D1Rs and D2Rs, respectively) as well as downstream signaling pathways, such as those involving Rac1 and Cdc42, modulate METH-induced behavioral and structural plasticity is largely unknown. METHODS Using NAc conditional D1R and D2R deletion mice, Rac1 and Cdc42 mutant viruses, and a series of behavioral and morphological methods, we assessed the effects of D1Rs and D2Rs on Rac1 and Cdc42 in modulating METH-induced behavioral and structural plasticity in the NAc. RESULTS D1Rs and D2Rs in the NAc consistently regulated METH-induced conditioned place preference, locomotor activation, and dendritic and spine remodeling of medium spiny neurons but differentially regulated METH withdrawal-induced spatial learning and memory impairment and anxiety. Interestingly, Rac1 and Cdc42 signaling were oppositely modulated by METH, and suppression of Rac1 signaling and activation of Cdc42 signaling were crucial to METH-induced conditioned place preference and structural plasticity but not to locomotor activation. D1Rs activated Rac1 and Cdc42 signaling, while D2Rs inhibited Rac1 signaling but activated Cdc42 signaling to mediate METH-induced conditioned place preference and structural plasticity but not locomotor activation. In addition, NAc D1R deletion aggravated METH withdrawal-induced spatial learning and memory impairment by suppressing Rac1 signaling but not Cdc42 signaling, while NAc D2R deletion aggravated METH withdrawal-induced anxiety without affecting Rac1 or Cdc42 signaling. CONCLUSIONS D1Rs and D2Rs differentially regulate Rac1 and Cdc42 signaling to modulate METH-induced behavioral plasticity and the structural remodeling of medium spiny neurons in the NAc.
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Zhao J, Ying L, Liu Y, Liu N, Tu G, Zhu M, Wu Y, Xiao B, Ye L, Li J, Guo F, Zhang L, Wang H, Zhang L. Different roles of Rac1 in the acquisition and extinction of methamphetamine-associated contextual memory in the nucleus accumbens. Am J Cancer Res 2019; 9:7051-7071. [PMID: 31660086 PMCID: PMC6815963 DOI: 10.7150/thno.34655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Repeated methamphetamine (METH) exposure induces long-term cognitive deficits and pathological drug-associated memory that can be disrupted by manipulating memory reconsolidation and extinction. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is the key region of the brain reward system and predominantly consists of two subtypes of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) based on the expression of D1 or D2 dopamine receptors (D1-MSNs or D2-MSNs). Spine structural plasticity in the NAc is critical for the acquisition, reconsolidation and extinction of drug-associated memory. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying METH-associated memory and spine remodelling in each type of MSNs in the NAc remain unknown. Here, we explored whether Rac1 in the NAc mediates METH-associated contextual memory and spine remodelling. Methods: Pharmacological and genetic manipulations of Rac1 were used to investigate its role during the acquisition, reconsolidation and extinction of METH-associated contextual memory. Recombinant adeno-associated viruses expressing mCherry under the control of the dopamine D1 receptor gene promoter (Drd1-mCherry) or dopamine D2 receptor gene promoter (Drd2-mCherry) were used to specifically label D1-MSNs or D2-MSNs. Results: Using viral-mediated gene transfer, we demonstrated that decreased Rac1 activity was required for the acquisition of METH-associated contextual memory and the METH-induced increase in thin spine density, whereas increased Rac1 signalling was important for the extinction of METH-associated contextual memory and the related elimination of thin spines. Moreover, the increase of dendritic spines was both found in D1-MSNs and D2-MSNs during the acquisition process, but extinction training selectively decreased the spine density in D1-MSNs. Interestingly, Rac1 was responsible for METH-induced spine plasticity in D1-MSNs but not in D2-MSNs. Additionally, we found that microinjection of a Rac1 inhibitor or activator into the NAc was not sufficient to disrupt reconsolidation, and the pharmacological activation of Rac1 in the NAc facilitated the extinction of METH-associated contextual memory. Regarding cognitive memory, decreased Rac1 activity improved the METH-induced impairment in object recognition memory. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that Rac1 plays opposing roles in the acquisition and extinction of METH-associated contextual memory and reveal the cell-specific role of Rac1 in METH-associated spine remodelling, suggesting that Rac1 is a potential therapeutic target for reducing relapse in METH addiction and remediating METH-induced recognition memory impairment.
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Zhang L, Huang L, Lu K, Liu Y, Tu G, Zhu M, Ying L, Zhao J, Liu N, Guo F, Zhang L, Zhang L. Cocaine-induced synaptic structural modification is differentially regulated by dopamine D1 and D3 receptors-mediated signaling pathways. Addict Biol 2017; 22:1842-1855. [PMID: 27734601 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Revised: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity plays a critical role in cocaine addiction. The dopamine D1 and D3 receptors differentially regulate the cocaine-induced gene expression, structural remodeling and behavioral response. However, how these two receptors coordinately mediate the ultra-structural changes of synapses after cocaine exposure and whether these changes are behaviorally relevant are still not clear. Here, using quantitative electron microscopy, we show that D1 and D3 receptors have distinct roles in regulating cocaine-induced ultra-structural changes of synapses in the nucleus accumbens and caudoputamen. Pre-treatment of cocaine-treated mice with D3 receptor antagonist NGB2904 resulted in an increase in the ratio of total and asymmetric synapse to neuron and in the length of postsynaptic densities, compared with cocaine treatment alone. In contrast, pre-treatment of cocaine-treated mice with D1 receptor antagonist SCH23390 caused a reduction in synapse-to-neuron ratio and in postsynaptic densities length. Similarly, NGB2904 and SCH23390 showed opposite/differential effects on cocaine-induced structural plasticity, conditioned place preference and locomotor activity and signaling activation, including the activation of ERK, CREB and NR1 and the expression of c-fos and Cdk5. Therefore, we provide direct electron microscopy evidence that dopamine D1 and D3 receptors reciprocally regulate the ultra-structural changes of synapses following chronic exposure to cocaine. In addition, our data suggest that D1 and D3 receptors may regulate cocaine-induced ultra-structural changes and behavior responses by impact on structural plasticity and signaling transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Southern Medical University; China
- Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering of Guangdong Province, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Southern Medical University; China
| | - Lu Huang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Southern Medical University; China
| | - Kangrong Lu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Southern Medical University; China
| | - Yutong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Southern Medical University; China
| | - Genghong Tu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Southern Medical University; China
| | - Mengjuan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Southern Medical University; China
| | - Li Ying
- Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Southern Medical University; China
| | - Jinlan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Southern Medical University; China
| | - N. Liu
- Elderly Health Services Research Center; Southern Medical University; China
| | - Fukun Guo
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology; Children's Hospital Research Foundation; Cincinnati OH USA
| | - Lin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering of Guangdong Province, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Southern Medical University; China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Southern Medical University; China
- Elderly Health Services Research Center; Southern Medical University; China
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Zhu Y, Xing B, Dang W, Ji Y, Yan P, Li Y, Qiao X, Lai J. AUTS2 in the nucleus accumbens is essential for heroin-induced behavioral sensitization. Neuroscience 2016; 333:35-43. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 07/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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