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Yang BZ, Xiang B, Wang T, Ma S, Li CSR. Neurogenetic underpinnings of nicotine use severity: Integrating the brain transcriptomes and GWAS variants via network approaches. Psychiatry Res 2024; 334:115815. [PMID: 38422867 PMCID: PMC11017751 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Our study focused on human brain transcriptomes and the genetic risks of cigarettes per day (CPD) to investigate the neurogenetic mechanisms of individual variation in nicotine use severity. We constructed whole-brain and intramodular region-specific coexpression networks using BrainSpan's transcriptomes, and the genomewide association studies identified risk variants of CPD, confirmed the associations between CPD and each gene set in the region-specific subnetworks using an independent dataset, and conducted bioinformatic analyses. Eight brain-region-specific coexpression subnetworks were identified in association with CPD: amygdala, hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OPFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, striatum, mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus (MDTHAL), and primary motor cortex (M1C). Each gene set in the eight subnetworks was associated with CPD. We also identified three hub proteins encoded by GRIN2A in the amygdala, PMCA2 in the hippocampus, MPFC, OPFC, striatum, and MDTHAL, and SV2B in M1C. Intriguingly, the pancreatic secretion pathway appeared in all the significant protein interaction subnetworks, suggesting pleiotropic effects between cigarette smoking and pancreatic diseases. The three hub proteins and genes are implicated in stress response, drug memory, calcium homeostasis, and inhibitory control. These findings provide novel evidence of the neurogenetic underpinnings of smoking severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Zhu Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Bo Xiang
- Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China.
| | - Tingting Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Shuangge Ma
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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2
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Hirschfeldova K, Cerny J, Bozikova P, Kuchtiak V, Rausch T, Benes V, Spaniel F, Gregus D, Horacek J, Vyklicky L, Balik A. Evidence for the Association between the Intronic Haplotypes of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors and First-Episode Schizophrenia. J Pers Med 2021; 11:1250. [PMID: 34945722 PMCID: PMC8708351 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11121250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The heritable component of schizophrenia (SCH) as a polygenic trait is represented by numerous variants from a heterogeneous group of genes each contributing a relatively small effect. Various SNPs have already been found and analyzed in genes encoding the NMDAR subunits. However, less is known about genetic variations of genes encoding the AMPA and kainate receptor subunits. We analyzed sixteen iGluR genes in full length to determine the sequence variability of iGluR genes. Our aim was to describe the rate of genetic variability, its distribution, and the co-occurrence of variants and to identify new candidate risk variants or haplotypes. The cumulative effect of genetic risk was then estimated using a simple scoring model. GRIN2A-B, GRIN3A-B, and GRIK4 genes showed significantly increased genetic variation in SCH patients. The fixation index statistic revealed eight intronic haplotypes and an additional four intronic SNPs within the sequences of iGluR genes associated with SCH (p < 0.05). The haplotypes were used in the proposed simple scoring model and moreover as a test for genetic predisposition to schizophrenia. The positive likelihood ratio for the scoring model test reached 7.11. We also observed 41 protein-altering variants (38 missense variants, four frameshifts, and one nonsense variant) that were not significantly associated with SCH. Our data suggest that some intronic regulatory regions of iGluR genes and their common variability are among the components from which the genetic predisposition to SCH is composed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Hirschfeldova
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 12800 Prague, Czech Republic;
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic; (J.C.); (V.K.); (L.V.)
| | - Jiri Cerny
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic; (J.C.); (V.K.); (L.V.)
- Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic;
| | - Paulina Bozikova
- Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic;
| | - Viktor Kuchtiak
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic; (J.C.); (V.K.); (L.V.)
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12800 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tobias Rausch
- Genomics Core Facility, EMBL, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany; (T.R.); (V.B.)
| | - Vladimir Benes
- Genomics Core Facility, EMBL, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany; (T.R.); (V.B.)
| | - Filip Spaniel
- The National Institute of Mental Health, 25067 Klecany, Czech Republic; (F.S.); (D.G.); (J.H.)
| | - David Gregus
- The National Institute of Mental Health, 25067 Klecany, Czech Republic; (F.S.); (D.G.); (J.H.)
| | - Jiri Horacek
- The National Institute of Mental Health, 25067 Klecany, Czech Republic; (F.S.); (D.G.); (J.H.)
| | - Ladislav Vyklicky
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic; (J.C.); (V.K.); (L.V.)
| | - Ales Balik
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic; (J.C.); (V.K.); (L.V.)
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
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3
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Jovasevic V, Radulovic J. High ethanol preference and dissociated memory are co-occurring phenotypes associated with hippocampal GABA AR-δ receptor levels. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 183:107459. [PMID: 34015441 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) frequently co-occurs with dissociative disorders and disorders with dissociative symptoms, suggesting a common neurobiological basis. It has been proposed that facilitated information processing under the influence of alcohol, resulting in the formation of dissociated memories, might be an important factor controlling alcohol use. Access to such memories is facilitated under the effect of alcohol, thus further reinforcing alcohol use. To interrogate possible mechanisms associated with these phenotypes, we used a mouse model of dissociative amnesia, combined with a high-alcohol preferring (HAP) model of AUD. Dissociated memory was induced by activation of hippocampal extrasynaptic GABA type A receptor delta subunits (GABAAR-δ), which control tonic inhibition and to which ethanol binds with high affinity. Increased ethanol preference was associated with increased propensity to form dissociated memories dependent on GABAAR-δ in the dorsal hippocampus (DH). Furthermore, the DH level of GABAAR-δ protein, but not mRNA, was increased in HAP mice, and was inversely correlated to the level of miR-365-3p, suggesting an miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional mechanism contributing to elevated GABAAR-δ. The observed changes of DH GABAAR-δ were associated with a severe reduction of excitatory projections stemming from GABAAR-δ-containing pyramidal neurons in the subiculum and terminating in the mammillary body. These results suggest that both molecular and circuit dysfunction involving hippocampal GABAAR-δ receptors might contribute to the co-occurrence of ethanol preference and dissociated information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jelena Radulovic
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
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Bach EC, Morgan JW, Ewin SE, Barth SH, Raab-Graham KF, Weiner JL. Chronic Ethanol Exposures Leads to a Negative Affective State in Female Rats That Is Accompanied by a Paradoxical Decrease in Ventral Hippocampus Excitability. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:669075. [PMID: 33994940 PMCID: PMC8119765 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.669075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) differentially impacts men and women and a growing body of evidence points to sex-dependent adaptations in a number of brain regions. In a prior study, we explored the effect of a chronic intermittent ethanol exposure (CIE) model of AUD on neuronal and molecular adaptations in the dorsal and ventral domains of the hippocampus (dHC and vHC, respectively) in male rats. We found the vHC to be particularly sensitive to CIE, showing an increase in neuronal excitability and synaptic proteins associated with augmented excitation. These findings were accompanied by a CIE-dependent increase in anxiety-like behaviors. To explore sex-dependent adaptations in the hippocampus, we conducted a similar study in female rats. CIE-treated female rats showed a relatively modest increase in anxiety-like behaviors along with a robust increase in depressive-like measures. Despite both sexes showing clear evidence of a negative affective state following CIE, the vHC of females showed a decrease, rather than an increase, in neuronal excitability. In line with the reduced sensitivity to neural adaptations in the dHC of male rats, we were unable to identify any functional changes in the dHC of females. The functional changes of the vHC in female rats could not be explained by altered expression levels of a number of proteins typically associated with changes in neuronal excitability. Taken together, these findings point to sex as a major factor in CIE-dependent hippocampal adaptations that should be explored further to better understand possible gender differences in the etiology and treatment of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva C Bach
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - James W Morgan
- Department of Anesthesia, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Sarah E Ewin
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Samuel H Barth
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Kimberly F Raab-Graham
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Jeffrey L Weiner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
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5
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The escalation in ethanol consumption following chronic intermittent ethanol exposure is blunted in mice expressing ethanol-resistant GluN1 or GluN2A NMDA receptor subunits. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:271-279. [PMID: 33052417 PMCID: PMC7796987 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05680-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated ion channels essential for glutamatergic transmission and plasticity. NMDARs are inhibited by acute ethanol and undergo brain region-specific adaptations after chronic alcohol exposure. In previous studies, we reported that knock-in mice expressing ethanol-insensitive GluN1 or GluN2A NMDAR subunits display altered behavioral responses to acute ethanol and genotype-dependent changes in drinking using protocols that do not produce dependence. A key unanswered question is whether the intrinsic ethanol sensitivity of NMDARs also plays a role in determining behavioral adaptations that accompany the development of dependence. To test this, we exposed mice to repeated cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor known to produce a robust escalation in ethanol consumption and preference. As expected, wild-type mice showed a significant increase from baseline in ethanol consumption and preference after each of the four weekly CIE cycles. In contrast, ethanol consumption in male GluN2A(A825W) mice was unchanged following cycles 1, 2, and 4 of CIE with a modest increase appearing after cycle 3. Wild-type and GluN2A(A825W) female mice did not show a clear or consistent escalation in ethanol consumption or preference following CIE treatment. In male GluN1(F639A) mice, the increase in ethanol consumption observed with their wild-type littermates was delayed until later cycles of exposure. These results suggest that the acute ethanol sensitivity of NMDARs especially those containing the GluN2A subunit may be a critical factor in the escalation of ethanol intake in alcohol dependence.
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6
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Nudmamud-Thanoi S, Iamjan SA, Kerdsan-Phusan W, Thanoi S. Pharmacogenetics of drug dependence: Polymorphisms of genes involved in glutamate neurotransmission. Neurosci Lett 2020; 726:134128. [PMID: 30836121 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.02.046] [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: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Multiple studies provide evidence to support dysfunction of glutamate neurotransmission in the pathogenesis of drug dependence. Pharmacogenetic investigation of glutamate-related genes has provided further support for the involvement of this neurotransmitter in the risk of, and consequences of, drug abuse and dependence. This paper aims to provide a brief review of these association studies. Findings involving single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in glutamate receptor genes (GRIN, GRIA) and glutamate transporter genes (SLC1A, SLC17A) are reviewed as potential risk factors. As yet a clear perspective of the functional consequences and interactions of the various reported findings is lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sutisa Nudmamud-Thanoi
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand; Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand.
| | - Sri-Arun Iamjan
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand; Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
| | - Walailuk Kerdsan-Phusan
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Samur Thanoi
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand; Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
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7
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Neasta J, Darcq E, Jeanblanc J, Carnicella S, Ben Hamida S. GPCR and Alcohol-Related Behaviors in Genetically Modified Mice. Neurotherapeutics 2020; 17:17-42. [PMID: 31919661 PMCID: PMC7007453 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00828-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest class of cell surface signaling receptors and regulate major neurobiological processes. Accordingly, GPCRs represent primary targets for the treatment of brain disorders. Several human genetic polymorphisms affecting GPCRs have been associated to different components of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Moreover, GPCRs have been reported to contribute to several features of alcohol-related behaviors in animal models. Besides traditional pharmacological tools, genetic-based approaches mostly aimed at deleting GPCR genes provided substantial information on how key GPCRs drive alcohol-related behaviors. In this review, we summarize the alcohol phenotypes that ensue from genetic manipulation, in particular gene deletion, of key GPCRs in rodents. We focused on GPCRs that belong to fundamental neuronal systems that have been shown as potential targets for the development of AUD treatment. Data are reviewed with particular emphasis on alcohol reward, seeking, and consumption which are behaviors that capture essential aspects of AUD. Literature survey indicates that in most cases, there is still a gap in defining the intracellular transducers and the functional crosstalk of GPCRs as well as the neuronal populations in which their signaling regulates alcohol actions. Further, the implication of only a few orphan GPCRs has been so far investigated in animal models. Combining advanced pharmacological technologies with more specific genetically modified animals and behavioral preclinical models is likely necessary to deepen our understanding in how GPCR signaling contributes to AUD and for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémie Neasta
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, University of Montpellier, 34093, Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuel Darcq
- Douglas Hospital Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 Boulevard LaSalle, Montreal, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Jérôme Jeanblanc
- Research Group on Alcohol and Pharmacodependences-INSERM U1247, University of Picardie Jules Verne, 80025, Amiens, France
| | - Sebastien Carnicella
- INSERM U1216, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences (GIN), University of Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Sami Ben Hamida
- Douglas Hospital Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 Boulevard LaSalle, Montreal, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Canada.
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8
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Jury NJ, Radke AK, Pati D, Kocharian A, Mishina M, Kash TL, Holmes A. NMDA receptor GluN2A subunit deletion protects against dependence-like ethanol drinking. Behav Brain Res 2018; 353:124-128. [PMID: 29953905 PMCID: PMC6092743 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is mechanistically involved in the behavioral and neurophysiological effects of alcohol, but the specific role of the GluN2A subunit remains unclear. Here, we exposed mice with constitutive GluN2A gene knockout (KO) to chronic intermittent ethanol vapor (CIE) and tested for EtOH consumption/preference using a two-bottle choice paradigm, as well as NMDAR-mediated transmission at basolateral amygdala synapses via ex vivo slice electrophysiology. Results showed that GluN2A KO mice attained comparable blood EtOH levels in response to CIE exposure, but did not exhibit the significant increase in EtOH drinking that was observed in CIE-exposed wildtypes. GluN2A KO mice also showed no alterations in BLA NMDAR-mediated synaptic transmission after CIE, relative to air-exposed, whereas C57BL/6 J mice showed an attenuated synaptic response to GluN2B antagonism. Taken together, these data add to mounting evidence supporting GluN2A-containing NMDARs as a mechanism underlying relative risk for developing EtOH dependence after repeated EtOH exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Jury
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Anna K Radke
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dipanwita Pati
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Adrina Kocharian
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Masayoshi Mishina
- Brain Science Laboratory, The Research Organization of Science and Technology, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Role of glutamatergic system and mesocorticolimbic circuits in alcohol dependence. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 171:32-49. [PMID: 30316901 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Revised: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence demonstrates that alcohol dependence is associated with dysregulation of several neurotransmitters. Alterations in dopamine, glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid release are linked to chronic alcohol exposure. The effects of alcohol on the glutamatergic system in the mesocorticolimbic areas have been investigated extensively. Several studies have demonstrated dysregulation in the glutamatergic systems in animal models exposed to alcohol. Alcohol exposure can lead to an increase in extracellular glutamate concentrations in mesocorticolimbic brain regions. In addition, alcohol exposure affects the expression and functions of several glutamate receptors and glutamate transporters in these brain regions. In this review, we discussed the effects of alcohol exposure on glutamate receptors, glutamate transporters and glutamate homeostasis in each area of the mesocorticolimbic system. In addition, we discussed the genetic aspect of alcohol associated with glutamate and reward circuitry. We also discussed the potential therapeutic role of glutamate receptors and glutamate transporters in each brain region for the treatment of alcohol dependence. Finally, we provided some limitations on targeting the glutamatergic system for potential therapeutic options for the treatment alcohol use disorders.
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10
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Jha S, Read S, Hurd P, Crespi B. Segregating polymorphism in the NMDA receptor gene GRIN2A, schizotypy, and mental rotation among healthy individuals. Neuropsychologia 2018; 117:347-351. [PMID: 29958946 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Common alleles associated with psychiatric disorders are often regarded as deleterious genes that influence vulnerability to disease, but they may also be considered as mediators of variation in adaptively structured cognitive phenotypes among healthy individuals. The schizophrenia-associated gene GRIN2A (glutamate ionotropic receptor NMDA type subunit 2a) codes for a protein subunit of the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor that underlies central aspects of human cognition. Pharmacological NMDA blockage recapitulates the major features of schizophrenia in human subjects, and represents a key model for the neurological basis of this disorder. We genotyped two functional GRIN2A polymorphisms in a large population of healthy individuals who were scored for schizotypy and mental imagery/manipulation (the mental rotation test). Rare-allele homozygosity of the promoter microsatellite rs3219790 was associated with high total schizotypy (after adjustment for multiple comparisons) and with enhanced mental rotation ability (nominally, but not after adjustment for multiple comparisons), among males. These findings provide preliminary evidence regarding a genetic basis to previous reports of enhanced mental imagery in schizophrenia and schizotypy. The results also suggest that some schizophrenia-related alleles may be subject to cognitive tradeoffs involving both positive and negative effects on psychological phenotypes, which may help to explain the maintenance of psychiatric-disorder risk alleles in human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddharth Jha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Silven Read
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Peter Hurd
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Neuroscience, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Bernard Crespi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
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11
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Yeung EW, Craggs JG, Gizer IR. Comorbidity of Alcohol Use Disorder and Chronic Pain: Genetic Influences on Brain Reward and Stress Systems. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:1831-1848. [PMID: 29048744 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is highly comorbid with chronic pain (CP). Evidence has suggested that neuroadaptive processes characterized by reward deficit and stress surfeit are involved in the development of AUD and pain chronification. Neurological data suggest that shared genetic architecture associated with the reward and stress systems may contribute to the comorbidity of AUD and CP. This monograph first delineates the prevailing theories of the development of AUD and pain chronification focusing on the reward and stress systems. It then provides a brief summary of relevant neurological findings followed by an evaluation of evidence documented by molecular genetic studies. Candidate gene association studies have provided some initial support for the genetic overlap between AUD and CP; however, these results must be interpreted with caution until studies with sufficient statistical power are conducted and replications obtained. Genomewide association studies have suggested a number of genes (e.g., TBX19, HTR7, and ADRA1A) that are either directly or indirectly related to the reward and stress systems in the AUD and CP literature. Evidence reviewed in this monograph suggests that shared genetic liability underlying the comorbidity between AUD and CP, if present, is likely to be complex. As the advancement in molecular genetic methods continues, future studies may show broader central nervous system involvement in AUD-CP comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen W Yeung
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Jason G Craggs
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.,School of Health Professions, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Ian R Gizer
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
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12
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Yin H, Pantazatos SP, Galfalvy H, Huang YY, Rosoklija GB, Dwork AJ, Burke A, Arango V, Oquendo MA, Mann JJ. A pilot integrative genomics study of GABA and glutamate neurotransmitter systems in suicide, suicidal behavior, and major depressive disorder. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171B:414-426. [PMID: 26892569 PMCID: PMC4851346 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and glutamate are the major inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters in the mammalian central nervous system, respectively, and have been associated with suicidal behavior and major depressive disorder (MDD). We examined the relationship between genotype, brain transcriptome, and MDD/suicide for 24 genes involved in GABAergic and glutamatergic signaling. In part 1 of the study, 119 candidate SNPs in 24 genes (4 transporters, 4 enzymes, and 16 receptors) were tested for associations with MDD and suicidal behavior in 276 live participants (86 nonfatal suicide attempters with MDD and 190 non-attempters of whom 70% had MDD) and 209 postmortem cases (121 suicide deaths of whom 62% had MDD and 88 sudden death from other causes of whom 11% had MDD) using logistic regression adjusting for sex and age. In part 2, RNA-seq was used to assay isoform-level expression in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of 59 postmortem samples (21 with MDD and suicide, 9 MDD without suicide, and 29 sudden death non-suicides and no psychiatric illness) using robust regression adjusting for sex, age, and RIN score. In part 3, SNPs with subthreshold (uncorrected) significance levels below 0.05 for an association with suicidal behavior and/or MDD in part 1 were tested for eQTL effects in prefrontal cortex using the Brain eQTL Almanac (www.braineac.org). No SNPs or transcripts were significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. However, a protein coding transcript (ENST00000414552) of the GABA A receptor, gamma 2 (GABRG2) had lower brain expression postmortem in suicide (P = 0.01) and evidence for association with suicide death (P = 0.03) in a SNP that may be an eQTL in prefrontal cortex (rs424740, P = 0.02). These preliminary results implicate GABRG2 in suicide and warrant further investigation and replication in larger samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honglei Yin
- Department of Psychiatry, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York,Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | | | - Hanga Galfalvy
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York,Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Yung-yu Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York,Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Gorazd B. Rosoklija
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York,Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Andrew J. Dwork
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Ainsley Burke
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Victoria Arango
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York,Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Maria A. Oquendo
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York,Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - John J. Mann
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York,Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, Correspondence to: John J. Mann, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY.
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13
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Bell RL, Hauser S, Rodd ZA, Liang T, Sari Y, McClintick J, Rahman S, Engleman EA. A Genetic Animal Model of Alcoholism for Screening Medications to Treat Addiction. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2016; 126:179-261. [PMID: 27055615 PMCID: PMC4851471 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2016.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to present up-to-date pharmacological, genetic, and behavioral findings from the alcohol-preferring P rat and summarize similar past work. Behaviorally, the focus will be on how the P rat meets criteria put forth for a valid animal model of alcoholism with a highlight on its use as an animal model of polysubstance abuse, including alcohol, nicotine, and psychostimulants. Pharmacologically and genetically, the focus will be on the neurotransmitter and neuropeptide systems that have received the most attention: cholinergic, dopaminergic, GABAergic, glutamatergic, serotonergic, noradrenergic, corticotrophin releasing hormone, opioid, and neuropeptide Y. Herein, we sought to place the P rat's behavioral and neurochemical phenotypes, and to some extent its genotype, in the context of the clinical literature. After reviewing the findings thus far, this chapter discusses future directions for expanding the use of this genetic animal model of alcoholism to identify molecular targets for treating drug addiction in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- R L Bell
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.
| | - S Hauser
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Z A Rodd
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - T Liang
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Y Sari
- University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - J McClintick
- Center for Medical Genomics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - S Rahman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States
| | - E A Engleman
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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14
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Bell RL, Hauser SR, McClintick J, Rahman S, Edenberg HJ, Szumlinski KK, McBride WJ. Ethanol-Associated Changes in Glutamate Reward Neurocircuitry: A Minireview of Clinical and Preclinical Genetic Findings. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2015; 137:41-85. [PMID: 26809998 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we have reviewed the role of glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, in a number of neurochemical, -physiological, and -behavioral processes mediating the development of alcohol dependence. The findings discussed include results from both preclinical as well as neuroimaging and postmortem clinical studies. Expression levels for a number of glutamate-associated genes and/or proteins are modulated by alcohol abuse and dependence. These changes in expression include metabotropic receptors and ionotropic receptor subunits as well as different glutamate transporters. Moreover, these changes in gene expression parallel the pharmacologic manipulation of these same receptors and transporters. Some of these gene expression changes may have predated alcohol abuse and dependence because a number of glutamate-associated polymorphisms are related to a genetic predisposition to develop alcohol dependence. Other glutamate-associated polymorphisms are linked to age at the onset of alcohol-dependence and initial level of response/sensitivity to alcohol. Finally, findings of innate and/or ethanol-induced glutamate-associated gene expression differences/changes observed in a genetic animal model of alcoholism, the P rat, are summarized. Overall, the existing literature indicates that changes in glutamate receptors, transporters, enzymes, and scaffolding proteins are crucial for the development of alcohol dependence and there is a substantial genetic component to these effects. This indicates that continued research into the genetic underpinnings of these glutamate-associated effects will provide important novel molecular targets for treating alcohol abuse and dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
| | - Sheketha R Hauser
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Jeanette McClintick
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana , USA
| | - Shafiqur Rahman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, USA
| | - Howard J Edenberg
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana , USA
| | - Karen K Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - William J McBride
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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15
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Miczek KA, DeBold JF, Hwa LS, Newman EL, de Almeida RMM. Alcohol and violence: neuropeptidergic modulation of monoamine systems. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2015; 1349:96-118. [PMID: 26285061 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Neurobiological processes underlying the epidemiologically established link between alcohol and several types of social, aggressive, and violent behavior remain poorly understood. Acute low doses of alcohol, as well as withdrawal from long-term alcohol use, may lead to escalated aggressive behavior in a subset of individuals. An urgent task will be to disentangle the host of interacting genetic and environmental risk factors in individuals who are predisposed to engage in escalated aggressive behavior. The modulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine impulse flow by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, acting via distinct ionotropic and metabotropic receptor subtypes in the dorsal raphe nucleus during alcohol consumption, is of critical significance in the suppression and escalation of aggressive behavior. In anticipation and reaction to aggressive behavior, neuropeptides such as corticotropin-releasing factor, neuropeptide Y, opioid peptides, and vasopressin interact with monoamines, GABA, and glutamate to attenuate and amplify aggressive behavior in alcohol-consuming individuals. These neuromodulators represent novel molecular targets for intervention that await clinical validation. Intermittent episodes of brief social defeat during aggressive confrontations are sufficient to cause long-lasting neuroadaptations that can lead to the escalation of alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus A Miczek
- Departments of Pharmacology, Psychiatry, and Neuroscience, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - Joseph F DeBold
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - Lara S Hwa
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - Emily L Newman
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - Rosa M M de Almeida
- Department of Psychology, LPNeC, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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16
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Daut RA, Busch EF, Ihne J, Fisher D, Mishina M, Grant SGN, Camp M, Holmes A. Tolerance to ethanol intoxication after chronic ethanol: role of GluN2A and PSD-95. Addict Biol 2015; 20:259-62. [PMID: 24397780 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The neural and genetic factors underlying chronic tolerance to alcohol are currently unclear. The GluN2A N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) subunit and the NMDAR-anchoring protein PSD-95 mediate acute alcohol intoxication and represent putative mechanisms mediating tolerance. We found that chronic intermittent ethanol exposure (CIE) did not produce tolerance [loss of righting reflex (LORR)] or withdrawal-anxiety in C57BL/6J, GluN2A or PSD-95 knockout mice assayed 2-3 days later. However, significant tolerance to LORR was evident 1 day after CIE in C57BL/6J and PSD-95 knockouts, but absent in GluN2A knockouts. These data suggest a role for GluN2A in tolerance, extending evidence that human GluN2A gene variation is involved in alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Daut
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Erica F. Busch
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Jessica Ihne
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Daniel Fisher
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Masayoshi Mishina
- Brain Science Laboratory; The Research Organization of Science and Technology; Ritsumeikan University; Kusatsu Japan
| | - Seth G. N. Grant
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Centre for Neuroregeneration; The University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh UK
| | - Marguerite Camp
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
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17
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Bhandage AK, Jin Z, Bazov I, Kononenko O, Bakalkin G, Korpi ER, Birnir B. GABA-A and NMDA receptor subunit mRNA expression is altered in the caudate but not the putamen of the postmortem brains of alcoholics. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:415. [PMID: 25538565 PMCID: PMC4257153 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic consumption of alcohol by humans has been shown to lead to impairment of executive and cognitive functions. Here, we have studied the mRNA expression of ion channel receptors for glutamate and GABA in the dorsal striatum of post-mortem brains from alcoholics (n = 29) and normal controls (n = 29), with the focus on the caudate nucleus that is associated with the frontal cortex executive functions and automatic thinking and on the putamen area that is linked to motor cortices and automatic movements. The results obtained by qPCR assay revealed significant changes in the expression of specific excitatory ionotropic glutamate and inhibitory GABA-A receptor subunit genes in the caudate but not the putamen. Thus, in the caudate we found reduced levels of mRNAs encoding the GluN2A glutamate receptor and the δ, ε, and ρ2 GABA-A receptor subunits, and increased levels of the mRNAs encoding GluD1, GluD2, and GABA-A γ1 subunits in the alcoholics as compared to controls. Interestingly in the controls, 11 glutamate and 5 GABA-A receptor genes were more prominently expressed in the caudate than the putamen (fold-increase varied from 1.24 to 2.91). Differences in gene expression patterns between the striatal regions may underlie differences in associated behavioral outputs. Our results suggest an altered balance between caudate-mediated voluntarily controlled and automatic behaviors in alcoholics, including diminished executive control on goal-directed alcohol-seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amol K Bhandage
- Molecular Physiology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Center, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Zhe Jin
- Molecular Physiology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Center, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Igor Bazov
- Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Helsinki Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olga Kononenko
- Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Helsinki Helsinki, Finland
| | - Georgy Bakalkin
- Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Helsinki Helsinki, Finland
| | - Esa R Korpi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Bioscience (Biological Research on Drug Dependence), Biomedical Center, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Bryndis Birnir
- Molecular Physiology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Center, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
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18
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Xu K, Lipsky RH. Repeated ketamine administration alters N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor subunit gene expression: implication of genetic vulnerability for ketamine abuse and ketamine psychosis in humans. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2014; 240:145-55. [PMID: 25245072 DOI: 10.1177/1535370214549531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
For more than 40 years following its approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an anesthetic, ketamine, a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist, has been used as a tool of psychiatric research. As a psychedelic drug, ketamine induces psychotic symptoms, cognitive impairment, and mood elevation, which resemble some symptoms of schizophrenia. Recreational use of ketamine has been increasing in recent years. However, little is known of the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for ketamine-associated psychosis. Recent animal studies have shown that repeated ketamine administration significantly increases NMDA receptor subunit gene expression, in particular subunit 1 (NR1 or GluN1) levels. This results in neurodegeneration, supporting a potential mechanism where up-regulation of NMDA receptors could produce cognitive deficits in chronic ketamine abuse patients. In other studies, NMDA receptor gene variants are associated with addictive behavior. Here, we focus on the roles of NMDA receptor gene subunits in ketamine abuse and ketamine psychosis and propose that full sequencing of NMDA receptor genes may help explain individual vulnerability to ketamine abuse and ketamine-associated psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Robert H Lipsky
- Inova Neuroscience Institute, Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA 22042, USA Department of Molecular Neuroscience, the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
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19
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Banerjee N. Neurotransmitters in alcoholism: A review of neurobiological and genetic studies. INDIAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS 2014; 20:20-31. [PMID: 24959010 PMCID: PMC4065474 DOI: 10.4103/0971-6866.132750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in the study of alcoholism have thrown light on the involvement of various neurotransmitters in the phenomenon of alcohol addiction. Various neurotransmitters have been implicated in alcohol addiction due to their imbalance in the brain, which could be either due to their excess activity or inhibition. This review paper aims to consolidate and to summarize some of the recent papers which have been published in this regard. The review paper will give an overview of the neurobiology of alcohol addiction, followed by detailed reviews of some of the recent papers published in the context of the genetics of alcohol addiction. Furthermore, the author hopes that the present text will be found useful to novices and experts alike in the field of neurotransmitters in alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niladri Banerjee
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
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20
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Jin Z, Bhandage AK, Bazov I, Kononenko O, Bakalkin G, Korpi ER, Birnir B. Selective increases of AMPA, NMDA, and kainate receptor subunit mRNAs in the hippocampus and orbitofrontal cortex but not in prefrontal cortex of human alcoholics. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:11. [PMID: 24523671 PMCID: PMC3905203 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate is the main excitatory transmitter in the human brain. Drugs that affect the glutamatergic signaling will alter neuronal excitability. Ethanol inhibits glutamate receptors. We examined the expression level of glutamate receptor subunit mRNAs in human post-mortem samples from alcoholics and compared the results to brain samples from control subjects. RNA from hippocampal dentate gyrus (HP-DG), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (DL-PFC) samples from 21 controls and 19 individuals with chronic alcohol dependence were included in the study. Total RNA was assayed using quantitative RT-PCR. Out of the 16 glutamate receptor subunits, mRNAs encoding two AMPA [2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazol-4-yl)propanoic acid] receptor subunits GluA2 and GluA3; three kainate receptor subunits GluK2, GluK3 and GluK5 and five NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor subunits GluN1, GluN2A, GluN2C, GluN2D, and GluN3A were significantly increased in the HP-DG region in alcoholics. In the OFC, mRNA encoding the NMDA receptor subunit GluN3A was increased, whereas in the DL-PFC, no differences in mRNA levels were observed. Our laboratory has previously shown that the expression of genes encoding inhibitory GABA-A receptors is altered in the HP-DG and OFC of alcoholics (Jin et al., 2011). Whether the changes in one neurotransmitter system drives changes in the other or if they change independently is currently not known. The results demonstrate that excessive long-term alcohol consumption is associated with altered expression of genes encoding glutamate receptors in a brain region-specific manner. It is an intriguing possibility that genetic predisposition to alcoholism may contribute to these gene expression changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Jin
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Amol K Bhandage
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Igor Bazov
- Division of Biological Research on Drug Dependence, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Olga Kononenko
- Division of Biological Research on Drug Dependence, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Georgy Bakalkin
- Division of Biological Research on Drug Dependence, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Esa R Korpi
- Institute of Biomedicine, Pharmacology, University of Helsinki Helsinki, Finland
| | - Bryndis Birnir
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
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21
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Abstract
RATIONALE An increasingly compelling literature points to a major role for the glutamate system in mediating the effects of alcohol on behavior and the pathophysiology of alcoholism. Preclinical studies indicate that glutamate signaling mediates certain aspects of ethanol's intoxicating and rewarding effects, and undergoes adaptations following chronic alcohol exposure that may contribute to the withdrawal, craving and compulsive drug-seeking that drive alcohol abuse and alcoholism. OBJECTIVES We discuss the potential for targeting the glutamate system as a novel pharmacotherapeutic approach to treating alcohol use disorders, focusing on five major components of the glutamate system: the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and specific NMDA subunits, the glycineB site on the NMDA receptors (NMDAR), L-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionic acid ionotropic (AMPA) and kainate (KAR) receptors, metabotropic receptors (mGluR), and glutamate transporters. RESULTS Chronic alcohol abuse produces a hyperglutamatergic state, characterized by elevated extracellular glutamate and altered glutamate receptors and transporters. Pharmacologically manipulating glutamatergic neurotransmission alters alcohol-related behaviors including intoxication, withdrawal, and alcohol-seeking, in rodents and human subjects. Blocking NMDA and AMPA receptors reduces alcohol consumption in rodents, but side-effects may limit this as a therapeutic approach. Selectively targeting NMDA and AMPA receptor subunits (e.g., GluN2B, GluA3), or the NMDAR glycineB site offers an alternative approach. Blocking mGluR5 potently affects various alcohol-related behaviors in rodents, and mGluR2/3 agonism also suppresses alcohol consumption. Finally, glutamate transporter upregulation may mitigate behavioral and neurotoxic sequelae of excess glutamate caused by alcohol. CONCLUSIONS Despite the many challenges that remain, targeting the glutamate system offers genuine promise for developing new treatments for alcoholism.
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22
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Zhao B, Zhu Y, Wang W, Cui HM, Wang YP, Lai JH. Analysis of variations in the glutamate receptor, N-methyl D-aspartate 2A (GRIN2A) gene reveals their relative importance as genetic susceptibility factors for heroin addiction. PLoS One 2013; 8:e70817. [PMID: 23940648 PMCID: PMC3733659 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2013] [Accepted: 06/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The glutamate receptor, N-methyl D-aspartate 2A (GRIN2A) gene that encodes the 2A subunit of the N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor was recently shown to be involved in the development of opiate addiction. Genetic polymorphisms in GRIN2A have a plausible role in modulating the risk of heroin addiction. An association of GRIN2A single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with heroin addiction was found earlier in African Americans. To identify markers that contribute to the genetic susceptibility to heroin addiction, we examined the potential association between heroin addiction and forty polymorphisms of the GRIN2A gene using the MassARRAY system and GeneScan in this study. The frequency of the (GT)26 repeats (rs3219790) in the heroin addiction group was significantly higher than that in the control group (χ2 = 5.360, P = 0.021). The allele frequencies of three polymorphisms (rs1102972, rs1650420, and rs3104703 in intron 3) were strongly associated with heroin addiction (P<0.001, 0.0002, and <0.001, after Bonferroni correction). Three additional SNPs from the same intron (rs1071502, rs6497730, and rs1070487) had nominally significant P values for association (P<0.05), but did not pass the threshold value. Haplotype analysis revealed that the G-C-T-C-C-T-A (block 6) and T-T (block 10) haplotypes of the GRIN2A gene displayed a protective effect (P = <0.001 and 0.003). These findings point to a role for GRIN2A polymorphisms in heroin addiction among the Han Chinese from Shaanxi province, and may be informative for future genetic or neurobiological studies on heroin addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhao
- College of Forensic Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Public Health for Forensic Science, Xi’an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yongsheng Zhu
- College of Forensic Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Public Health for Forensic Science, Xi’an, Shaanxi, PR China
- Department of Medical Genetics and Cell Biology, Ningxia Medical University, Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance, Ningxia Medical University, Ministry of Education, Ningxia, Yinchuan, PR China
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Forensic Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Public Health for Forensic Science, Xi’an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Hai-min Cui
- College of Forensic Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Public Health for Forensic Science, Xi’an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yun-peng Wang
- College of Forensic Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Public Health for Forensic Science, Xi’an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Jiang-hua Lai
- College of Forensic Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Public Health for Forensic Science, Xi’an, Shaanxi, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Ministry of Education, Xi’an, Shaanxi, PR China
- * E-mail:
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23
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Fliegel S, Brand I, Spanagel R, Noori HR. Ethanol-induced alterations of amino acids measured by in vivo microdialysis in rats: a meta-analysis. In Silico Pharmacol 2013; 1:7. [PMID: 25505652 PMCID: PMC4230485 DOI: 10.1186/2193-9616-1-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 05/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE In recent years in vivo microdialysis has become an important method in research studies investigating the alterations of neurotransmitters in the extracellular fluid of the brain. Based on the major involvement of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in mediating a variety of alcohol effects in the mammalian brain, numerous microdialysis studies have focused on the dynamical behavior of these systems in response to alcohol. METHODS Here we performed multiple meta-analyses on published datasets from the rat brain: (i) we studied basal extracellular concentrations of glutamate and GABA in brain regions that belong to a neurocircuitry involved in neuropsychiatric diseases, especially in alcoholism (Noori et al., Addict Biol 17:827-864, 2012); (ii) we examined the effect of acute ethanol administration on glutamate and GABA levels within this network and (iii) we studied alcohol withdrawal-induced alterations in glutamate and GABA levels within this neurocircuitry. RESULTS For extraction of basal concentrations of these neurotransmitters, datasets of 6932 rats were analyzed and the absolute basal glutamate and GABA levels were estimated for 18 different brain sites. In response to different doses of acute ethanol administration, datasets of 529 rats were analyzed and a non-linear dose response (glutamate and GABA release) relationship was observed in several brain sites. Specifically, glutamate in the nucleus accumbens shows a decreasing logarithmic dose response curve. Finally, regression analysis of 11 published reports employing brain microdialysis experiments in 104 alcohol-dependent rats reveals very consistent augmented extracellular glutamate and GABA levels in various brain sites that correlate with the intensity of the withdrawal response were identified. CONCLUSIONS In summary, our results provide standardized basal values for future experimental and in silico studies on neurotransmitter release in the rat brain and may be helpful to understand the effect of ethanol on neurotransmitter release. Furthermore, this study illustrates the benefit of meta-analyses using the generalization of a wide range of preclinical data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Fliegel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ines Brand
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rainer Spanagel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Hamid R Noori
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
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24
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Michaelides M, Miller ML, Subrize M, Kim R, Robison L, Hurd YL, Wang GJ, Volkow ND, Thanos PK. Limbic activation to novel versus familiar food cues predicts food preference and alcohol intake. Brain Res 2013; 1512:37-44. [PMID: 23506787 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2012] [Revised: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 03/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Expectation of salient rewards and novelty seeking are processes implicated in substance use disorders but the neurobiological substrates underlying these associations are not well understood. To better understand the regional circuitry of novelty and reward preference, rats were conditioned to pair unique cues with bacon, an initially novel food, or chow, a familiar food. In the same animals, after training, cue-induced brain activity was measured, and the relationships between activity and preference for three rewards, the conditioned foods and ethanol (EtOH), were separately determined. Activity in response to the food paired cues was measured using brain glucose metabolism (BGluM). Rats favoring bacon-paired (BAP) cues had increased BGluM in mesocorticolimbic brain regions after exposure to these cues, while rats favoring chow-paired (CHP) cues showed relative deactivation in these regions. Rats exhibiting BAP cue-induced activation in prefrontal cortex (PFC) also consumed more EtOH while rats with cortical activation in response to CHP cues showed lower EtOH consumption. Additionally, long-term stable expression levels of PFC Grin2a, a subunit of the NMDA receptor, correlated with individual differences in EtOH preference insomuch that rats with high EtOH preference had enduringly low PFC Grin2a mRNA expression. No other glutamatergic, dopaminergic or endocannabinoid genes studied showed this relationship. Overall, these results suggest that natural variation in mesocorticolimbic sensitivity to reward-paired cues underlies behavioral preferences for and vulnerability to alcohol abuse, and support the notion of common neuronal circuits involved in food- and drug-seeking behavior. The findings also provide evidence that PFC NMDA-mediated glutamate signaling may modulate these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Michaelides
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
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Sawaya S, Bagshaw A, Buschiazzo E, Kumar P, Chowdhury S, Black MA, Gemmell N. Microsatellite tandem repeats are abundant in human promoters and are associated with regulatory elements. PLoS One 2013; 8:e54710. [PMID: 23405090 PMCID: PMC3566118 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2012] [Accepted: 12/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tandem repeats are genomic elements that are prone to changes in repeat number and are thus often polymorphic. These sequences are found at a high density at the start of human genes, in the gene’s promoter. Increasing empirical evidence suggests that length variation in these tandem repeats can affect gene regulation. One class of tandem repeats, known as microsatellites, rapidly alter in repeat number. Some of the genetic variation induced by microsatellites is known to result in phenotypic variation. Recently, our group developed a novel method for measuring the evolutionary conservation of microsatellites, and with it we discovered that human microsatellites near transcription start sites are often highly conserved. In this study, we examined the properties of microsatellites found in promoters. We found a high density of microsatellites at the start of genes. We showed that microsatellites are statistically associated with promoters using a wavelet analysis, which allowed us to test for associations on multiple scales and to control for other promoter related elements. Because promoter microsatellites tend to be G/C rich, we hypothesized that G/C rich regulatory elements may drive the association between microsatellites and promoters. Our results indicate that CpG islands, G-quadruplexes (G4) and untranslated regulatory regions have highly significant associations with microsatellites, but controlling for these elements in the analysis does not remove the association between microsatellites and promoters. Due to their intrinsic lability and their overlap with predicted functional elements, these results suggest that many promoter microsatellites have the potential to affect human phenotypes by generating mutations in regulatory elements, which may ultimately result in disease. We discuss the potential functions of human promoter microsatellites in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sterling Sawaya
- Centre for Reproduction and Genomics, Department of Anatomy, and Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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