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Costa G, Serra M, Marongiu J, Morelli M, Simola N. Influence of dopamine transmission in the medial prefrontal cortex and dorsal striatum on the emission of 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in rats treated with amphetamine: Effects on drug-stimulated and conditioned calls. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 97:109797. [PMID: 31669508 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Rat ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) of 50 kHz are increasingly being evaluated as a behavioral marker of the affective properties of drugs. Studies in amphetamine-treated rats have shown that activation of dopamine transmission in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) initiates the emission of 50-kHz USVs, but little is known on how dopamine transmission in other brain regions modulates the effects of drugs on calling behavior. To clarify this issue, we evaluated 50-kHz USV emissions in rats subjected to dopaminergic denervation of either the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) or the dorsal striatum (DS) and treated with amphetamine. Rats received amphetamine (1 mg/kg, i.p. × 5) on alternate days in a test cage; 7 days later, they were re-exposed to the test cage, to measure calling behavior that may reflect drug conditioning, and then challenged with amphetamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.). The numbers of total and categorized 50-kHz USVs emitted were evaluated, along with immunofluorescence for Zif-268 in the NAc. Dopamine-denervated and sham-operated rats displayed comparable patterns of calling behavior during amphetamine treatment and after amphetamine challenge. Conversely, rats that were dopamine-denervated in the mPFC, but not DS, emitted low numbers of 50-kHz USVs on test cage re-exposure. Finally, dopamine-denervated rats displayed a less marked increase in Zif-268-positive neurons in the NAc shell after amphetamine challenge, compared with sham-operated rats. These results may be relevant to identify the neuronal circuits that modulate 50-kHz USV emissions in rats treated with amphetamine, as well as the interplay between calling behavior and affective properties of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Costa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marcello Serra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Jacopo Marongiu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Micaela Morelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; CNR, National Research Council of Italy, Neuroscience Institute, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Nicola Simola
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
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Kołosowska K, Gawryluk A, Wisłowska-Stanek A, Liguz-Lęcznar M, Hetmańczyk K, Ługowska A, Sobolewska A, Skórzewska A, Gryz M, Lehner M. Stress changes amphetamine response, D2 receptor expression and epigenetic regulation in low-anxiety rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 93:256-268. [PMID: 31022425 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the influence of chronic restraint stress on amphetamine (AMPH)-related appetitive 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalisations (USVs) in rats differing in freezing duration in a contextual fear test (CFT), i.e. HR (high-anxiety responsive) and LR (low-anxiety responsive) rats. The LR and the HR rats, previously exposed to an AMPH binge experience, differed in sensitivity to AMPH's rewarding effects, measured as appetitive vocalisations. Moreover, chronic restraint stress attenuated AMPH-related appetitive vocalisations in the LR rats but had no influence on the HR rats' behaviour. To specify, the restraint LR rats vocalised appetitively less in the AMPH-associated context and after an AMPH challenge than the control LR rats. This phenomenon was associated with a decrease in the mRNA level for D2 dopamine receptor in the amygdala and its protein expression in the basal amygdala (BA) and opposite changes in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) - an increase in the mRNA level for D2 dopamine receptor and its protein expression in the NAc shell, compared to control conditions. Moreover, we observed that chronic restraint stress influenced epigenetic regulation in the LR and the HR rats differently. The contrasting changes were observed in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus - the LR rats presented a decrease, but the HR rats showed an increase in H3K9 trimethylation. The restraint LR rats also showed higher miR-494 and miR-34c levels in the NAc than the control LR group. Our study provides behavioural and biochemical data concerning the role of differences in fear-conditioned response in stress vulnerability and AMPH-associated appetitive behaviour. The LR rats were less sensitive to the rewarding effects of AMPH when previously exposed to chronic stress that was accompanied by changes in D2 dopamine receptor expression and epigenetic regulation in mesolimbic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Kołosowska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Aleksandra Gawryluk
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Wisłowska-Stanek
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Centre For Preclinical Research and Technology (CePT), 1B Banacha Street, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Monika Liguz-Lęcznar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Hetmańczyk
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Ługowska
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alicja Sobolewska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Skórzewska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marek Gryz
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Lehner
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
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Wisłowska-Stanek A, Płaźnik A, Kołosowska K, Skórzewska A, Turzyńska D, Liguz-Lęcznar M, Krząścik P, Gryz M, Szyndler J, Sobolewska A, Lehner M. Differences in the dopaminergic reward system in rats that passively and actively behave in the Porsolt test. Behav Brain Res 2018; 359:181-189. [PMID: 30366032 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to assess appetitive responses and central dopaminergic neurotransmission in passive and active rats divided according to their immobility time in the Porsolt swim test and exposed to restraint stress. Passive rats had more episodes of appetitive 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalization (USV) during rat encounter after social isolation and spent significantly more time in the amphetamine-associated context in conditioned place preference test, compared to active rats. Restraint stress decreased sucrose preference, but increased appetitive vocalization and reinforced the conditioned place preference only in passive animals that was associated with increased dopamine concentration in the amygdala. Restraint stress increased also the level of Cocaine- and Amphetamine Regulated Transcript (CART) peptide, a neuromodulator linked to dopamine neurotransmission, in the central nucleus of amygdala, while decreasing it the nucleus accumbens shell in passive rats. In the parvocellular region of paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus passive animals had a higher expression of CART compared to passive restraint rats and active control rats. The obtained results show that active and passive rats in the Porsolt test differ significantly in response to appetitive stimuli, which can be additionally changed under stress conditions. The underlying mechanisms are probably associated with differences in dopaminergic activity and CART signaling in reward system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Wisłowska-Stanek
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Centre For Preclinical Research and Technology (CEPT), 1B Banacha Street, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Adam Płaźnik
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Centre For Preclinical Research and Technology (CEPT), 1B Banacha Street, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland; Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Kołosowska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Skórzewska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Danuta Turzyńska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Monika Liguz-Lęcznar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paweł Krząścik
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Centre For Preclinical Research and Technology (CEPT), 1B Banacha Street, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marek Gryz
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Janusz Szyndler
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Centre For Preclinical Research and Technology (CEPT), 1B Banacha Street, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alicja Sobolewska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Lehner
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland
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Simola N, Brudzynski SM. Rat 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations as a tool in studying neurochemical mechanisms that regulate positive emotional states. J Neurosci Methods 2018; 310:33-44. [PMID: 29959002 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2018.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescent and adult rats emit 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) to communicate the appetitive arousal and the presence of positive emotional states to conspecifics. NEW METHOD Based on its communicative function, emission of 50-kHz USVs is increasingly being evaluated in preclinical studies of affective behavior, motivation and social behavior. RESULTS Emission of 50-kHz USVs is initiated by the activation of dopamine receptors in the shell subregion of the nucleus accumbens. However, several lines of evidence show that non-dopaminergic receptors may influence the numbers of 50-kHz USVs that are emitted, as well as the acoustic parameters of calls. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS Emission of 50-kHz USVs is a non-invasive method that may be used to study reward and motivation without the need for extensive training and complex animal manipulations. Moreover, emission of 50-kHz USVs can be used alone or combined with other well-standardized behavioral paradigms (e.g., conditioned place preference, self-administration). CONCLUSIONS This review summarizes the current evidence concerning molecular mechanisms that regulate the emission of 50-kHz USVs. Moreover, the review discusses the usefulness of 50-kHz USVs as an experimental tool to investigate how different neurotransmitter systems regulate the manifestations of positive emotional states, and also use of this tool in preclinical modeling of psychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Simola
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuropsychopharmacology Division, University of Cagliari, Italy; National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Stefan M Brudzynski
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, L3 3A1 Canada
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Chu SC, Chen PN, Chen JR, Yu CH, Hsieh YS, Kuo DY. Role of hypothalamic leptin-LepRb signaling in NPY-CART-mediated appetite suppression in amphetamine-treated rats. Horm Behav 2018; 98:173-182. [PMID: 29307696 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Leptin is an adipose tissue hormone which plays an important role in regulating energy homeostasis. Amphetamine (AMPH) is a drug of appetite suppressant, which exerts its effect by decreasing the expression of hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY) and increasing that of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART). This study investigated whether leptin, the leptin receptor (LepRb) and the signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) were involved in NPY/CART-mediated appetite suppression in AMPH-treated rats. Rats were given AMPH daily for four days, and changes in the levels of blood leptin and hypothalamic NPY, CART, LepRb, Janus kinases 2 (JAK2), and STAT3 were assessed and compared. During the AMPH treatment, blood leptin levels and hypothalamic NPY expression decreased, with the largest reduction observed on Day 2. By contrast, the expression of hypothalamic CART, LepRb, JAK2, and STAT3 increased, with the maximum response on Day 2. Furthermore, the binding activity of pSTAT3/DNA increased and was expressed in similar pattern to that of CART, LepRb, and JAK2. An intracerebroventricular infusion of NPY antisense 60min prior to AMPH treatment increased the levels of leptin, as well as the expression in LepRb, JAK2, and CART, whereas an infusion of STAT3 antisense decreased these levels and the expression of these parameters. The results suggest that blood leptin and hypothalamic LepRb-JAK2-STAT3 signaling involved in NPY-CART-regulated appetite suppression in AMPH-treated rats. The findings may aid understanding the role of leptin-LepRb during the treatment of anorectic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Chen Chu
- Department of Food Science, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung City 406, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ni Chen
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan
| | - Jeng-Rung Chen
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Han Yu
- Department of Physiology, Chung Shan Medical University, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan
| | - Yih-Shou Hsieh
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan
| | - Dong-Yih Kuo
- Department of Physiology, Chung Shan Medical University, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan.
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Lehner M, Gryz M, Wisłowska-Stanek A, Turzyńska D, Sobolewska A, Skórzewska A, Płaźnik A. The amphetamine-associated context exerts a stronger motivational effect in low-anxiety rats than in high-anxiety rats. Behav Brain Res 2017; 330:97-107. [PMID: 28479265 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study used the conditioned place preference test to explore the effects of subchronic amphetamine administration on drug-associated cues in rats with different emotional reactivity. We also examined the changes in markers of dopaminergic activity in brain regions in response to the amphetamine-paired context, after a withdrawal period preceded by subchronic amphetamine treatment. We used low-anxiety (LR) and high-anxiety (HR) rats, which are known to exhibit distinct levels of susceptibility to amphetamine. Compared to HR rats, LR rats spent significantly more time in the amphetamine-paired compartment after the withdrawal period preceded by subchronic amphetamine treatment. Compared to HR control rats, LR control rats showed higher expression of the D1 receptor in the nucleus accumbens core (NAC core) and basolateral amygdala and higher expression of the D2 receptor in the NAC core. After the amphetamine treatment and withdrawal period, the LR rats showed higher D1 receptor expression in the NAC core, an increased level of homovanilic acid (HVA) in the prefrontal cortex, the NAC and the central amygdala than HR rats, as well as lower D2 receptor expression in the NAC core and the amygdala than LR control rats. These results indicate that the differences in the activity of the dopaminergic mesolimbic system in the HR and LR rats are maintained and even enhanced after a multi-day break in the use of the drug, indicating the occurrence of sensitisation. These findings show that the innate reactivity of the limbic dopaminergic innervations, dependent on the level of emotional reactivity, may significantly and chronically modify the development and maintenance of sensitisation to amphetamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Lehner
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Marek Gryz
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Wisłowska-Stanek
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology CEPT, 1B Banacha Streeet, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Danuta Turzyńska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alicja Sobolewska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Skórzewska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Adam Płaźnik
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology CEPT, 1B Banacha Streeet, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
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