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Vlkolinsky R, Khom S, Vozella V, Bajo M, Roberto M. Withdrawal from chronic alcohol impairs the serotonin-mediated modulation of GABAergic transmission in the infralimbic cortex in male rats. Neurobiol Dis 2024:106590. [PMID: 38996987 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106590] [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: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The infralimbic cortex (IL) is part of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), exerting top-down control over structures that are critically involved in the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Activity of the IL is tightly controlled by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transmission, which is susceptible to chronic alcohol exposure and withdrawal. This inhibitory control is regulated by various neuromodulators, including 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin). We used chronic intermittent ethanol vapor inhalation exposure, a model of AUD, in male Sprague-Dawley rats to induce alcohol dependence (Dep) followed by protracted withdrawal (WD; 2 weeks) and performed ex vivo electrophysiology using whole-cell patch clamp to study GABAergic transmission in layer V of IL pyramidal neurons. We found that WD increased frequencies of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs), whereas miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs; recorded in the presence of tetrodotoxin) were unaffected by either Dep or WD. The application of 5-HT (50 μM) increased sIPSC frequencies and amplitudes in naive and Dep rats but reduced sIPSC frequencies in WD rats. Additionally, 5-HT2A receptor antagonist M100907 and 5-HT2C receptor antagonist SB242084 reduced basal GABA release in all groups to a similar extent. The blockage of either 5-HT2A or 5-HT2C receptors in WD rats restored the impaired response to 5-HT, which then resembled responses in naive rats. Our findings expand our understanding of synaptic inhibition in the IL in AUD, indicating that antagonism of 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors may restore GABAergic control over IL pyramidal neurons. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Impairment in the serotonergic modulation of GABAergic inhibition in the medial prefrontal cortex contributes to alcohol use disorder (AUD). We used a well-established rat model of AUD and ex vivo whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology to characterize the serotonin modulation of GABAergic transmission in layer V infralimbic (IL) pyramidal neurons in ethanol-naive, ethanol-dependent (Dep), and ethanol-withdrawn (WD) male rats. We found increased basal inhibition following WD from chronic alcohol and altered serotonin modulation. Exogenous serotonin enhanced GABAergic transmission in naive and Dep rats but reduced it in WD rats. 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor blockage in WD rats restored the typical serotonin-mediated enhancement of GABAergic inhibition. Our findings expand our understanding of synaptic inhibition in the infralimbic neurons in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Vlkolinsky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, 1090, Austria.
| | - Valentina Vozella
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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Anversa RG, Barron ML, Walker LC, Lawrence AJ. Emerging GPCR targets for AUD: Insights from preclinical studies. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 87:102896. [PMID: 38971113 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest group of membrane receptors in the central nervous system and one of the key proteins for signal transduction between cells. Currently, many drugs available on the market act via GPCRs and these receptors remain attractive targets for the treatment of brain disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). Here, we describe the most recent literature, with a primary focus on the past 5 years, on GPCR targets with the potential for reducing behaviours associated with excessive alcohol intake. Specifically, we focus on preclinical evidence of compounds with attractive pharmacological profiles and potential for future clinical investigation for the treatment of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Goncalves Anversa
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia
| | - Maiya L Barron
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne 3052, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Leigh C Walker
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne 3052, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia.
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Nentwig TB, Obray JD, Kruyer A, Wilkes ET, Vaughan DT, Scofield MD, Chandler LJ. Central Amygdala Astrocyte Plasticity Underlies GABAergic Dysregulation in Ethanol Dependence. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.11.598470. [PMID: 38915577 PMCID: PMC11195260 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.11.598470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Dependence is a hallmark of alcohol use disorder characterized by excessive alcohol intake and withdrawal symptoms. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is a key brain structure underlying the synaptic and behavioral consequences of ethanol dependence. While accumulating evidence suggests that astrocytes regulate synaptic transmission and behavior, there is a limited understanding of the role astrocytes play in ethanol dependence. The present study used a combination of viral labeling, super resolution confocal microscopy, 3D image analysis, and slice electrophysiology to determine the effects of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure on astrocyte plasticity in the CeA. During withdrawal from CIE exposure, we observed increased GABA transmission, an upregulation in astrocytic GAT3 levels, and an increased proximity of astrocyte processes near CeA synapses. Furthermore, GAT3 levels and synaptic proximity were positively associated with voluntary ethanol drinking in dependent rats. Slice electrophysiology confirmed that the upregulation in astrocytic GAT3 levels was functional, as CIE exposure unmasked a GAT3-sensitive tonic GABA current in the CeA. A causal role for astrocytic GAT3 in ethanol dependence was assessed using viral-mediated GAT3 overexpression and knockdown approaches. However, GAT3 knockdown or overexpression had no effect on somatic withdrawal symptoms, dependence-escalated ethanol intake, aversion-resistant drinking, or post-dependent ethanol drinking in male or female rats. Moreover, intra-CeA pharmacological inhibition of GAT3 also did not alter dependent ethanol drinking. Together, these findings indicate that ethanol dependence induces GABAergic dysregulation and astrocyte plasticity in the CeA. However, astrocytic GAT3 does not appear necessary for the drinking related phenotypes associated with dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B. Nentwig
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
| | - J. Daniel Obray
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
| | - Anna Kruyer
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
- Current affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Erik T Wilkes
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
| | - Dylan T. Vaughan
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
- Current affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michael D. Scofield
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
| | - L. Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
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Castle ME, Flanigan ME. The role of brain serotonin signaling in excessive alcohol consumption and withdrawal: A call for more research in females. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 30:100618. [PMID: 38433994 PMCID: PMC10907856 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, but current treatments are insufficient in fully addressing the symptoms that often lead to relapses in alcohol consumption. The brain's serotonin system has been implicated in AUD for decades and is a major regulator of stress-related behaviors associated with increased alcohol consumption. This review will discuss the current literature on the association between neurobiological adaptations in serotonin systems and AUD in humans as well as the effectiveness of serotonin receptor manipulations on alcohol-related behaviors like consumption and withdrawal. We will further discuss how these findings in humans relate to findings in animal models, including a comparison of systemic pharmacological manipulations modulating alcohol consumption. We next provide a detailed overview of brain region-specific roles for serotonin and serotonin receptor signaling in alcohol-related behaviors in preclinical animal models, highlighting the complexity of forming a cohesive model of serotonin function in AUD and providing possible avenues for more effective therapeutic intervention. Throughout the review, we discuss what is known about sex differences in the sequelae of AUD and the role of serotonin in these sequelae. We stress a critical need for additional studies in women and female animals so that we may build a clearer path to elucidating sex-specific serotonergic mechanisms and develop better treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E. Castle
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Meghan E. Flanigan
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
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Jiang J, Wang D, Jiang Y, Yang X, Sun R, Chang J, Zhu W, Yao P, Song K, Chang S, Wang H, Zhou L, Zhang XS, Li H, Li N. The gut metabolite indole-3-propionic acid activates ERK1 to restore social function and hippocampal inhibitory synaptic transmission in a 16p11.2 microdeletion mouse model. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:66. [PMID: 38549163 PMCID: PMC10976717 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01755-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microdeletion of the human chromosomal region 16p11.2 (16p11.2+ / - ) is a prevalent genetic factor associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders. However its pathogenic mechanism remains unclear, and effective treatments for 16p11.2+ / - syndrome are lacking. Emerging evidence suggests that the gut microbiota and its metabolites are inextricably linked to host behavior through the gut-brain axis and are therefore implicated in ASD development. Despite this, the functional roles of microbial metabolites in the context of 16p11.2+ / - are yet to be elucidated. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic potential of indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), a gut microbiota metabolite, in addressing behavioral and neural deficits associated with 16p11.2+ / - , as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms. RESULTS Mice with the 16p11.2+ / - showed dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and a significant decrease in IPA levels in feces and blood circulation. Further, these mice exhibited significant social and cognitive memory impairments, along with hyperactivation of hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons and reduced inhibitory synaptic transmission in this region. However, oral administration of IPA effectively mitigated the histological and electrophysiological alterations, thereby ameliorating the social and cognitive deficits of the mice. Remarkably, IPA treatment significantly increased the phosphorylation level of ERK1, a protein encoded by the Mapk3 gene in the 16p11.2 region, without affecting the transcription and translation of the Mapk3 gene. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals that 16p11.2+ / - leads to a decline in gut metabolite IPA levels; however, IPA supplementation notably reverses the behavioral and neural phenotypes of 16p11.2+ / - mice. These findings provide new insights into the critical role of gut microbial metabolites in ASD pathogenesis and present a promising treatment strategy for social and cognitive memory deficit disorders, such as 16p11.2 microdeletion syndrome. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Jiang
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dilong Wang
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Pediatrics, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Youheng Jiang
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiuyan Yang
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Runfeng Sun
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinlong Chang
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenhui Zhu
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Peijia Yao
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kun Song
- Brain Research Centre, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuwen Chang
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hong Wang
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xue-Song Zhang
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
| | - Huiliang Li
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, Division of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Ningning Li
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China.
- China-UK Institute for Frontier Science, Shenzhen, China.
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Afliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China.
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Cruz B, Vozella V, Borgonetti V, Bullard R, Bianchi PC, Kirson D, Bertotto LB, Bajo M, Vlkolinsky R, Messing RO, Zorrilla EP, Roberto M. Chemogenetic inhibition of central amygdala CRF-expressing neurons decreases alcohol intake but not trauma-related behaviors in a rat model of post-traumatic stress and alcohol use disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02514-8. [PMID: 38509197 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02514-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are often comorbid. Few treatments exist to reduce comorbid PTSD/AUD. Elucidating the mechanisms underlying their comorbidity could reveal new avenues for therapy. Here, we employed a model of comorbid PTSD/AUD, in which rats were subjected to a stressful shock in a familiar context followed by alcohol drinking. We then examined fear overgeneralization and irritability in these rats. Familiar context stress elevated drinking, increased fear overgeneralization, increased alcohol-related aggressive signs, and elevated peripheral stress hormones. We then examined transcripts of stress- and fear-relevant genes in the central amygdala (CeA), a locus that regulates stress-mediated alcohol drinking. Compared with unstressed rats, stressed rats exhibited increases in CeA transcripts for Crh and Fkbp5 and decreases in transcripts for Bdnf and Il18. Levels of Nr3c1 mRNA, which encodes the glucocorticoid receptor, increased in stressed males but decreased in stressed females. Transcripts of Il18 binding protein (Il18bp), Glp-1r, and genes associated with calcitonin gene-related peptide signaling (Calca, Ramp1, Crlr-1, and Iapp) were unaltered. Crh, but not Crhr1, mRNA was increased by stress; thus, we tested whether inhibiting CeA neurons that express corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) suppress PTSD/AUD-like behaviors. We used Crh-Cre rats that had received a Cre-dependent vector encoding hM4D(Gi), an inhibitory Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs. Chemogenetic inhibition of CeA CRF neurons reduced alcohol intake but not fear overgeneralization or irritability-like behaviors. Our findings suggest that CeA CRF modulates PTSD/AUD comorbidity, and inhibiting CRF neural activity is primarily associated with reducing alcohol drinking but not trauma-related behaviors that are associated with PTSD/AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Cruz
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Valentina Vozella
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Vittoria Borgonetti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Ryan Bullard
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Paula C Bianchi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Dean Kirson
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Luisa B Bertotto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Robert O Messing
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Eric P Zorrilla
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92073, USA.
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Tonetto S, Weikop P, Thomsen M. Nutritional ketosis as treatment for alcohol withdrawal symptoms in female C57BL/6J mice. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5092. [PMID: 38429369 PMCID: PMC10907582 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55310-3] [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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Upon both acute and prolonged alcohol intake, the brain undergoes a metabolic shift associated with increased acetate metabolism and reduced glucose metabolism, which persists during abstinence, putatively leading to energy depletion in the brain. This study evaluates the efficacy of ketogenic treatments to rescue psychiatric and neurochemical alterations during long-term alcohol withdrawal. Female mice were intermittently exposed to alcohol vapor or air for three weeks, during which mice were introduced to either a ketogenic diet (KD), control diet supplemented with ketone ester (KE) or remained on control diet (CD). Withdrawal symptoms were assessed over a period of four weeks followed by re-exposure using several behavioral and biochemical tests. Alcohol-exposed mice fed CD displayed long-lasting depressive-like symptoms measured by saccharin preference and tail suspension, as well as decreased norepinephrine levels and serotonin turnover in the hippocampus. Both KD and KE rescued anhedonia for up to three weeks of abstinence. KD mice showed higher latency to first immobility in the tail suspension test, as well as lower plasma cholesterol levels. Our findings show promising effects of nutritional ketosis in ameliorating alcohol withdrawal symptoms in mice. KD seemed to better rescue these symptoms compared to KE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Tonetto
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital - Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Copenhagen Center for Translational Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pia Weikop
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morgan Thomsen
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital - Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Copenhagen Center for Translational Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital - Mental Health Services CPH, Hovedvejen 17, 1., 2000, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
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Chapp AD, Shan Z, Chen QH. Acetic Acid: An Underestimated Metabolite in Ethanol-Induced Changes in Regulating Cardiovascular Function. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:139. [PMID: 38397737 PMCID: PMC10886048 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13020139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Acetic acid is a bioactive short-chain fatty acid produced in large quantities from ethanol metabolism. In this review, we describe how acetic acid/acetate generates oxidative stress, alters the function of pre-sympathetic neurons, and can potentially influence cardiovascular function in both humans and rodents after ethanol consumption. Our recent findings from in vivo and in vitro studies support the notion that administration of acetic acid/acetate generates oxidative stress and increases sympathetic outflow, leading to alterations in arterial blood pressure. Real-time investigation of how ethanol and acetic acid/acetate modulate neural control of cardiovascular function can be conducted by microinjecting compounds into autonomic control centers of the brain and measuring changes in peripheral sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure in response to these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D. Chapp
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Zhiying Shan
- Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA;
| | - Qing-Hui Chen
- Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA;
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Borgonetti V, Roberts AJ, Bajo M, Galeotti N, Roberto M. Chronic alcohol induced mechanical allodynia by promoting neuroinflammation: A mouse model of alcohol-evoked neuropathic pain. Br J Pharmacol 2023; 180:2377-2392. [PMID: 37050867 PMCID: PMC10898491 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Chronic pain is considered a key factor contributing to alcohol use disorder (AUD). The mechanisms responsible for chronic pain associated with chronic alcohol consumption are unknown. We evaluated the development of chronic pain in a mouse model of alcohol dependence and investigate the role of neuroinflammation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The chronic-intermittent ethanol two-bottle choice CIE-2BC paradigm generates three groups: alcohol-dependent with escalating alcohol intake, nondependent (moderate drinking) and alcohol-naïve control male and female mice. We measured mechanical allodynia during withdrawal and after the last voluntary drinking. Immunoblotting was used to evaluate the protein levels of IBA-1, CSFR, IL-6, p38 and ERK2/1 in spinal cord tissue of dependent and non-dependent animals. KEY RESULTS We found significant escalation of drinking in the dependent group in male and female compared with the non-dependent group. The dependent group developed mechanical allodynia during 72 h of withdrawal, which was completely reversed after voluntary drinking. We observed an increased pain hypersensitivity compared with the naïve in 50% of non-dependent group. Increased IBA-1 and CSFR expression was observed in spinal cord tissue of both hypersensitivity-abstinence related and neuropathy-alcohol mice, and increased IL-6 expression and ERK1/2 activation in mice with hypersensitivity-related to abstinence, but not in mice with alcohol-evoked neuropathic pain. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The CIE-2BC model induces two distinct pain conditions specific to the type of ethanol exposure: abstinence-related hypersensitivity in dependent mice and alcohol-evoked neuropathic pain in about a half of the non-dependent mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Borgonetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research, and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), Section of Pharmacology, University of Florence, Viale G. Pieraccini 6, Florence, 50139, Italy
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Amanda J. Roberts
- Animal Models Core, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Nicoletta Galeotti
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research, and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), Section of Pharmacology, University of Florence, Viale G. Pieraccini 6, Florence, 50139, Italy
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Borgonetti V, Cruz B, Vozella V, Khom S, Steinman MQ, Bullard R, D’Ambrosio S, Oleata CS, Vlkolinsky R, Bajo M, Zorrilla EP, Kirson D, Roberto M. IL-18 Signaling in the Rat Central Amygdala Is Disrupted in a Comorbid Model of Post-Traumatic Stress and Alcohol Use Disorder. Cells 2023; 12:1943. [PMID: 37566022 PMCID: PMC10416956 DOI: 10.3390/cells12151943] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and anxiety disorders are frequently comorbid and share dysregulated neuroimmune-related pathways. Here, we used our established rat model of comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)/AUD to characterize the interleukin 18 (IL-18) system in the central amygdala (CeA). Male and female rats underwent novel (NOV) and familiar (FAM) shock stress, or no stress (unstressed controls; CTL) followed by voluntary alcohol drinking and PTSD-related behaviors, then all received renewed alcohol access prior to the experiments. In situ hybridization revealed that the number of CeA positive cells for Il18 mRNA increased, while for Il18bp decreased in both male and female FAM stressed rats versus CTL. No changes were observed in Il18r1 expression across groups. Ex vivo electrophysiology showed that IL-18 reduced GABAA-mediated miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) frequencies in CTL, suggesting reduced CeA GABA release, regardless of sex. Notably, this presynaptic effect of IL-18 was lost in both NOV and FAM males, while it persisted in NOV and FAM females. IL-18 decreased mIPSC amplitude in CTL female rats, suggesting postsynaptic effects. Overall, our results suggest that stress in rats with alcohol access impacts CeA IL-18-system expression and, in sex-related fashion, IL-18's modulatory function at GABA synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Borgonetti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
| | - Bryan Cruz
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
| | - Valentina Vozella
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
| | - Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Q. Steinman
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
| | - Ryan Bullard
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
| | - Shannon D’Ambrosio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
| | - Christopher S. Oleata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
| | - Eric P. Zorrilla
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
| | - Dean Kirson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92073, USA; (V.B.); (B.C.); (V.V.); (S.K.); (M.Q.S.); (R.B.); (S.D.); (C.S.O.); (R.V.); (M.B.); (E.P.Z.); (D.K.)
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11
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Khom S, Borgonetti V, Vozella V, Kirson D, Rodriguez L, Gandhi P, Bianchi PC, Snyder A, Vlkolinsky R, Bajo M, Oleata CS, Ciccocioppo R, Roberto M. Glucocorticoid receptors regulate central amygdala GABAergic synapses in Marchigian-Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 25:100547. [PMID: 37547774 PMCID: PMC10401345 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Impairments in the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and enhanced glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activity in the central amygdala (CeA) are critical mechanisms in the pathogenesis of alcohol use disorder (AUD). The GR antagonist mifepristone attenuates craving in AUD patients, alcohol consumption in AUD models, and decreases CeA γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transmission in alcohol-dependent rats. Previous studies suggest elevated GR activity in the CeA of male alcohol-preferring Marchigian-Sardinian (msP) rats, but its contribution to heightened CeA GABA transmission driving their characteristic post-dependent phenotype is largely unknown. We determined Nr3c1 (the gene encoding GR) gene transcription in the CeA in male and female msP and Wistar rats using in situ hybridization and studied acute effects of mifepristone (10 μM) and its interaction with ethanol (44 mM) on pharmacologically isolated spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) and electrically evoked inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (eIPSPs) in the CeA using ex vivo slice electrophysiology. Female rats of both genotypes expressed more CeA GRs than males, suggesting a sexually dimorphic GR regulation of CeA activity. Mifepristone reduced sIPSC frequencies (GABA release) and eIPSP amplitudes in msP rats of both sexes, but not in their Wistar counterparts; however, it did not prevent acute ethanol-induced increase in CeA GABA transmission in male rats. In msP rats, GR regulates CeA GABAergic signaling under basal conditions, indicative of intrinsically active GR. Thus, enhanced GR function in the CeA represents a key mechanism contributing to maladaptive behaviors associated with AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, Vienna, A 1090, Austria
| | - Vittoria Borgonetti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Valentina Vozella
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Dean Kirson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Larry Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Pauravi Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Paula Cristina Bianchi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP 04024-002, Brazil
| | - Angela Snyder
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Christopher S Oleata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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12
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Chuong V, Farokhnia M, Khom S, Pince CL, Elvig SK, Vlkolinsky R, Marchette RC, Koob GF, Roberto M, Vendruscolo LF, Leggio L. The glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue semaglutide reduces alcohol drinking and modulates central GABA neurotransmission. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e170671. [PMID: 37192005 PMCID: PMC10371247 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.170671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence indicates that the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) system is involved in the neurobiology of addictive behaviors, and GLP-1 analogues may be used for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Here, we examined the effects of semaglutide, a long-acting GLP-1 analogue, on biobehavioral correlates of alcohol use in rodents. A drinking-in-the-dark procedure was used to test the effects of semaglutide on binge-like drinking in male and female mice. We also tested the effects of semaglutide on binge-like and dependence-induced alcohol drinking in male and female rats, as well as acute effects of semaglutide on spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) from central amygdala (CeA) and infralimbic cortex (ILC) neurons. Semaglutide dose-dependently reduced binge-like alcohol drinking in mice; a similar effect was observed on the intake of other caloric/noncaloric solutions. Semaglutide also reduced binge-like and dependence-induced alcohol drinking in rats. Semaglutide increased sIPSC frequency in CeA and ILC neurons from alcohol-naive rats, suggesting enhanced GABA release, but had no overall effect on GABA transmission in alcohol-dependent rats. In conclusion, the GLP-1 analogue semaglutide decreased alcohol intake across different drinking models and species and modulated central GABA neurotransmission, providing support for clinical testing of semaglutide as a potentially novel pharmacotherapy for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky Chuong
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program (NIDA IRP) and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research (NIAAA DICBR), NIH, Baltimore and Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, NIDA IRP, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mehdi Farokhnia
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program (NIDA IRP) and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research (NIAAA DICBR), NIH, Baltimore and Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claire L. Pince
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program (NIDA IRP) and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research (NIAAA DICBR), NIH, Baltimore and Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, NIDA IRP, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sophie K. Elvig
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, NIDA IRP, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | | | - George F. Koob
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, NIDA IRP, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Leandro F. Vendruscolo
- Stress and Addiction Neuroscience Unit, NIDA IRP and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program (NIDA IRP) and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research (NIAAA DICBR), NIH, Baltimore and Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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13
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Lovinger DM, Roberto M. Synaptic Effects Induced by Alcohol. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023:10.1007/7854_2022_412. [PMID: 36765015 PMCID: PMC11104446 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Ethanol (EtOH) has effects on numerous cellular molecular targets, and alterations in synaptic function are prominent among these effects. Acute exposure to EtOH activates or inhibits the function of proteins involved in synaptic transmission, while chronic exposure often produces opposing and/or compensatory/homeostatic effects on the expression, localization, and function of these proteins. Interactions between different neurotransmitters (e.g., neuropeptide effects on release of small molecule transmitters) can also influence both acute and chronic EtOH actions. Studies in intact animals indicate that the proteins affected by EtOH also play roles in the neural actions of the drug, including acute intoxication, tolerance, dependence, and the seeking and drinking of EtOH. The present chapter is an update of our previous Lovinger and Roberto (Curr Top Behav Neurosci 13:31-86, 2013) chapter and reviews the literature describing these acute and chronic synaptic effects of EtOH with a focus on adult animals and their relevance for synaptic transmission, plasticity, and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Lovinger
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Molecular Medicine Department, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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14
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Tonetto S, Weikop P, Brudek T, Thomsen M. Behavioral and biochemical effects of alcohol withdrawal in female C3H/HeNRj and C57BL/6JRj mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1143720. [PMID: 36910126 PMCID: PMC9995974 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1143720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a major problem of our society and is often characterized and worsened by relapse. Prolonged alcohol exposure leads to numerous biochemical alterations that, upon cessation of alcohol intake, cause an array of immediate and lasting withdrawal symptoms. Acute withdrawal and neuroinflammation can be harmful in themselves, and lasting withdrawal symptoms contribute to relapse. Here, we conducted an initial feasibility study assessing several behavioral and neurochemical factors in female C3H/HeNRj (C3H) and C57BL/6JRj (B6) mice to determine which strain showed the clearest alcohol withdrawal symptoms during long-term abstinence and neurochemical alterations following re-exposure. Methods Female C3H and B6 mice (n = 12 per group/strain) were intermittently exposed to alcohol-containing or control liquid diets for 3 weeks. Acute and prolonged withdrawal symptoms were assessed over a period of 3 weeks using a battery of behavioral test, comprised of alcohol self-administration, anhedonia, hyperalgesia, anxiety-like and depressive-like disturbances. Brain inflammation was measured by multiplex cytokine assay. Monoamine levels in the hippocampus and striatum, as well as exploratory analyses of cations levels in the cerebellum, were assessed by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Results Both C3H and B6 alcohol-exposed mice displayed decreased saccharin intake or preference and higher stress levels assessed by ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) recordings. B6 but not C3H alcohol-exposed mice also exhibited a slower decline of alcohol oral self-administration (OSA), hyperalgesia, elevated brain TNF-α and elevated serotonin turnover. Conclusion Our findings highlight the suitability of the B6 strain to study the behavioral and neurochemical alterations caused by alcohol withdrawal and the potential efficacy of experimental treatments, not only in early detoxification, but also in prolonged abstinence. The feasibility of these assays is important because long-lasting withdrawal symptoms are often the main cause of relapse in alcohol-dependent patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Tonetto
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Copenhagen Center for Translational Research, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pia Weikop
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tomasz Brudek
- Copenhagen Center for Translational Research, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morgane Thomsen
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Copenhagen Center for Translational Research, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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15
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Hon OJ, DiBerto JF, Mazzone CM, Sugam J, Bloodgood DW, Hardaway JA, Husain M, Kendra A, McCall NM, Lopez AJ, Kash TL, Lowery-Gionta EG. Serotonin modulates an inhibitory input to the central amygdala from the ventral periaqueductal gray. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:2194-2204. [PMID: 35999277 PMCID: PMC9630515 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01392-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Fear is an adaptive state that drives defensive behavioral responses to specific and imminent threats. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is a critical site of adaptations that are required for the acquisition and expression of fear, in part due to alterations in the activity of inputs to the CeA. Here, we characterize a novel GABAergic input to the CeA from the ventral periaqueductal gray (vPAG) using fiber photometry and ex vivo whole-cell slice electrophysiology combined with optogenetics and pharmacology. GABA transmission from this ascending vPAG-CeA input was enhanced by serotonin via activation of serotonin type 2 C (5HT2C) receptors. Results suggest that these receptors are presynaptic. Interestingly, we found that GABA release from the vPAG-CeA input is enhanced following fear learning via activation of 5HT2C receptors and that this pathway is dynamically engaged in response to aversive stimuli. Additionally, we characterized serotonin release in the CeA during fear learning and recall for the first time using fiber photometry coupled to a serotonin biosensor. Together, these findings describe a mechanism by which serotonin modulates GABA release from ascending vPAG GABA inputs to the CeA and characterize a role for this pathway in fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia J Hon
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey F DiBerto
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Christopher M Mazzone
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jonathan Sugam
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Daniel W Bloodgood
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - J Andrew Hardaway
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mariya Husain
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alexis Kendra
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Nora M McCall
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alberto J Lopez
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Emily G Lowery-Gionta
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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16
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Borrego MB, Chan AE, Ozburn AR. Regulation of alcohol drinking by ventral striatum and extended amygdala circuitry. Neuropharmacology 2022; 212:109074. [PMID: 35487273 PMCID: PMC9677601 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is a complex psychiatric disorder that can be modeled in rodents using a number of drinking paradigms. Drinking-in-the-dark (DID) is widely used to model the binge/intoxication stage of addiction, and chronic intermittent ethanol vapor procedures (CIE) are used to induce dependence and model withdrawal/negative affect induced escalation of drinking. We discuss experiments showing the ventral striatum (vStr) and extended amygdala (EA) are engaged in response to ethanol in rodents through c-Fos/Fos immunoreactivity studies. We also discuss experiments in rodents that span a wide variety of techniques where the function of vStr and EA structures are changed following DID or CIE, and the role of neurotransmitter and neuropeptide systems studies in these ethanol-related outcomes. We note where signaling systems converge across regions and paradigms and where there are still gaps in the literature. Dynorphin/κ-opioid receptor (KOR) signaling, as well as corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)/CRF receptor signaling were found to be important regulators of drinking behaviors across brain regions and drinking paradigms. Future research will require that females and a variety of rodent strains are used in preclinical experiments in order to strengthen the generalizability of findings and improve the likelihood of success for testing potential therapeutics in human laboratory studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa B Borrego
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Amy E Chan
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Angela R Ozburn
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
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17
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Varodayan FP, Patel RR, Matzeu A, Wolfe SA, Curley DE, Khom S, Gandhi PJ, Rodriguez L, Bajo M, D'Ambrosio S, Sun H, Kerr TM, Gonzales RA, Leggio L, Natividad LA, Haass-Koffler CL, Martin-Fardon R, Roberto M. The Amygdala Noradrenergic System Is Compromised With Alcohol Use Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:1008-1018. [PMID: 35430085 PMCID: PMC9167785 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a leading preventable cause of death. The central amygdala (CeA) is a hub for stress and AUD, while dysfunction of the noradrenaline stress system is implicated in AUD relapse. METHODS Here, we investigated whether alcohol (ethanol) dependence and protracted withdrawal alter noradrenergic regulation of the amygdala in rodents and humans. Male adult rats were housed under control conditions, subjected to chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure to induce dependence, or withdrawn from chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure for 2 weeks, and ex vivo electrophysiology, biochemistry (catecholamine quantification by high-performance liquid chromatography), in situ hybridization, and behavioral brain-site specific pharmacology studies were performed. We also used real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to assess gene expression of α1B, β1, and β2 adrenergic receptors in human postmortem brain tissue from men diagnosed with AUD and matched control subjects. RESULTS We found that α1 receptors potentiate CeA GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) transmission and drive moderate alcohol intake in control rats. In dependent rats, β receptors disinhibit a subpopulation of CeA neurons, contributing to their excessive drinking. Withdrawal produces CeA functional recovery with no change in local noradrenaline tissue concentrations, although there are some long-lasting differences in the cellular patterns of adrenergic receptor messenger RNA expression. In addition, postmortem brain analyses reveal increased α1B receptor messenger RNA in the amygdala of humans with AUD. CONCLUSIONS CeA adrenergic receptors are key neural substrates of AUD. Identification of these novel mechanisms that drive alcohol drinking, particularly during the alcohol-dependent state, supports ongoing new medication development for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence P Varodayan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center and Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York
| | - Reesha R Patel
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California; Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Alessandra Matzeu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Sarah A Wolfe
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Dallece E Curley
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Pauravi J Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Larry Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Shannon D'Ambrosio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Hui Sun
- Clinical Core Laboratory, Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Tony M Kerr
- College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Rueben A Gonzales
- College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland; Medication Development Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland; Division of Addiction Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC
| | - Luis A Natividad
- College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Carolina L Haass-Koffler
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Rémi Martin-Fardon
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California.
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18
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Kirson D, Spierling Bagsic SR, Murphy J, Chang H, Vlkolinsky R, Pucci SN, Prinzi J, Williams CA, Fang SY, Roberto M, Zorrilla EP. Decreased excitability of leptin-sensitive anterior insula pyramidal neurons in a rat model of compulsive food demand. Neuropharmacology 2022; 208:108980. [PMID: 35122838 PMCID: PMC9055870 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.108980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Compulsive eating is an overlapping construct with binge eating that shares many characteristics with substance use disorders. Compulsive eating may impact millions of Americans; presenting in some cases of binge eating disorders, overweight/obesity, and among individuals who have not yet been diagnosed with a recognized eating disorder. To study the behavioral and neurobiological underpinnings of compulsive eating, we employ a published rodent model using cyclic intermittent access to a palatable diet to develop a self-imposed binge-withdrawal cycle. Here, we further validated this model of compulsive eating in female Wistar rats, through the lens of behavioral economic analyses and observed heightened demand intensity, inelasticity and essential value as well as increased food-seeking during extinction. Using electrophysiological recordings in the anterior insular cortex, a region previously implicated in modulating compulsive-like eating in intermittent access models, we observed functional adaptations of pyramidal neurons. Within the same neurons, application of leptin led to further functional adaptations, suggesting a previously understudied, extrahypothalamic role of leptin in modulating feeding-related cortical circuits. Collectively, the findings suggest that leptin may modulate food-related motivation or decision-making via a plastic cortical circuit that is influenced by intermittent access to a preferred diet. These findings warrant further study of whether behavioral economics analysis of compulsive eating can impact disordered eating outcomes in humans and of the translational relevance of a leptin-sensitive anterior insular circuit implicated in these behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean Kirson
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA; University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, 71 S Manassas, Memphis, TN, 38103, USA
| | - Samantha R Spierling Bagsic
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA; Scripps Health, Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute, 10140 Campus Point Drive, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Jiayuan Murphy
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Hang Chang
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Sarah N Pucci
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Julia Prinzi
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Casey A Williams
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Savannah Y Fang
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Eric P Zorrilla
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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19
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Khom S, Rodriguez L, Gandhi P, Kirson D, Bajo M, Oleata CS, Vendruscolo LF, Mason BJ, Roberto M. Alcohol dependence and withdrawal increase sensitivity of central amygdalar GABAergic synapses to the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone in male rats. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 164:105610. [PMID: 34995754 PMCID: PMC9301881 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant glucocorticoid signaling via glucocorticoid receptors (GR) plays a critical role in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Acute alcohol withdrawal and protracted abstinence in dependent rats are associated with increased GR signaling and changes in GR-mediated transcriptional activity in the rat central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). The GR antagonist mifepristone decreases alcohol consumption in dependent rats during acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence. Regulation of CeA synaptic activity by GR is currently unknown. Here, we utilized mifepristone and the selective GR antagonist CORT118335 (both at 10 μM) as pharmacological tools to dissect the role of GR on GABA transmission in male, adult Sprague-Dawley rats using slice electrophysiology. We subjected rats to chronic intermittent alcohol vapor exposure for 5–7 weeks to induce alcohol dependence. A subset of dependent rats subsequently underwent protracted alcohol withdrawal for 2 weeks, and air-exposed rats served as controls. Mifepristone reduced the frequency of pharmacologically-isolated spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSC) in the CeA (medial subdivision) without affecting postsynaptic measures in all groups, suggesting decreased GABA release with the largest effect in dependent rats. CORT118335 did not significantly alter GABA transmission in naive, but decreased sIPSC frequency in dependent rats. Similarly, mifepristone decreased amplitudes of evoked inhibitory postsynaptic potentials only in dependent rats and during protracted withdrawal. Collectively, our study provides insight into regulation of CeA GABAergic synapses by GR. Chronic ethanol enhances the efficiency of mifepristone and CORT118335, thus highlighting the potential of drugs targeting GR as a promising pharmacological avenue for the treatment of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Larry Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America
| | - Pauravi Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America
| | - Dean Kirson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 71 S Manassas, Memphis, TN 38163, United States of America
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America
| | - Christopher S Oleata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America
| | - Leandro F Vendruscolo
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21224, United States of America
| | - Barbara J Mason
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America.
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20
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Khom S, Nguyen JD, Vandewater SA, Grant Y, Roberto M, Taffe MA. Self-Administration of Entactogen Psychostimulants Dysregulates Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) and Kappa Opioid Receptor Signaling in the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala of Female Wistar Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:780500. [PMID: 34975428 PMCID: PMC8716434 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.780500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Male rats escalate intravenous self-administration of entactogen psychostimulants, 3,4-methylenedioxymethcathinone (methylone) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) under extended access conditions, as with typical psychostimulants. Here, we investigated whether female rats escalate self-administration of methylone, 3,4-methylenedioxypentedrone (pentylone), and MDMA and then studied consequences of MDMA and pentylone self-administration on GABAA receptor and kappa opioid receptor (KOR) signaling in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), a brain area critically dysregulated by extended access self-administration of alcohol or cocaine. Adult female Wistar rats were trained to self-administer methylone, pentylone, MDMA (0.5 mg/kg/infusion), or saline-vehicle using a fixed-ratio 1 response contingency in 6-h sessions (long-access: LgA) followed by progressive ratio (PR) dose-response testing. The effects of pentylone-LgA, MDMA-LgA and saline on basal GABAergic transmission (miniature post-synaptic inhibitory currents, mIPSCs) and the modulatory role of KOR at CeA GABAergic synapses were determined in acute brain slices using whole-cell patch-clamp. Methylone-LgA and pentylone-LgA rats similarly escalated their drug intake (both obtained more infusions compared to MDMA-LgA rats), however, pentylone-LgA rats reached higher breakpoints in PR tests. At the cellular level, baseline CeA GABA transmission was markedly elevated in pentylone-LgA and MDMA-LgA rats compared to saline-vehicle. Specifically, pentylone-LgA was associated with increased CeA mIPSC frequency (GABA release) and amplitude (post-synaptic GABAA receptor function), while mIPSC amplitudes (but not frequency) was larger in MDMA-LgA rats compared to saline rats. In addition, pentylone-LgA and MDMA-LgA profoundly disrupted CeA KOR signaling such as both KOR agonism (1 mM U50488) and KOR antagonism (200 nM nor-binaltorphimine) decreased mIPSC frequency suggesting recruitment of non-canonical KOR signaling pathways. This study confirms escalated self-administration of entactogen psychostimulants under LgA conditions in female rats which is accompanied by increased CeA GABAergic inhibition and altered KOR signaling. Collectively, our study suggests that CeA GABA and KOR mechanisms play a critical role in entactogen self-administration like those observed with escalation of alcohol or cocaine self-administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jacques D. Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Sophia A. Vandewater
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Yanabel Grant
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Michael A. Taffe
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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21
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Kirson D, Khom S, Rodriguez L, Wolfe SA, Varodayan FP, Gandhi PJ, Patel RR, Vlkolinsky R, Bajo M, Roberto M. Sex Differences in Acute Alcohol Sensitivity of Naïve and Alcohol Dependent Central Amygdala GABA Synapses. Alcohol Alcohol 2021; 56:581-588. [PMID: 33912894 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agab034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is linked to hyperactivity of brain stress systems, leading to withdrawal states which drive relapse. AUD differs among the sexes, as men are more likely to have AUD than women, but women progress from casual use to binge and heavy alcohol use more quickly and are more likely to relapse into repetitive episodes of heavy drinking. In alcohol dependence animal models of AUD, the central amygdala (CeA) functions as a hub of stress and anxiety processing and gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic signaling within the CeA is involved in dependence-induced increases in alcohol consumption. We have shown dysregulation of CeA GABAergic synaptic signaling in alcohol dependence animal models, but previous studies have exclusively used males. METHODS Here, we used whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology to examine basal CeA GABAergic spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSC) and the effects of acute alcohol in both naïve and alcohol dependent rats of both sexes. RESULTS We found that sIPSC kinetics differ between females and males, as well as between naïve and alcohol-dependent animals, with naïve females having the fastest current kinetics. Additionally, we find differences in baseline current kinetics across estrous cycle stages. In contrast to the increase in sIPSC frequency routinely found in males, acute alcohol (11-88 mM) had no effect on sIPSCs in naïve females, however the highest concentration of alcohol increased sIPSC frequency in dependent females. CONCLUSION These results provide important insight into sex differences in CeA neuronal function and dysregulation with alcohol dependence and highlight the need for sex-specific considerations in the development of effective AUD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean Kirson
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Sophia Khom
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Larry Rodriguez
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Sarah A Wolfe
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Florence P Varodayan
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Pauravi J Gandhi
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Reesha R Patel
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Michal Bajo
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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22
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Repeated binge ethanol drinking enhances electrical activity of central amygdala corticotropin releasing factor neurons in vivo. Neuropharmacology 2021; 189:108527. [PMID: 33741403 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Binge ethanol drinking is an increasingly problematic component of alcohol use disorder costing the United States approximately over $150 billion every year and causes progressive neuroplasticity alterations in numerous brain regions. However, the precise nature or machinery that underlies binge drinking has not yet been elucidated. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) neurons in the central amygdala (CeA) are thought to modulate binge drinking, but the specific circuit mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we combined optogenetics with in vivo electrophysiology to identify and record from CeA CRF neurons in mice during a repeated binge ethanol drinking task. First, we found that CeA CRF neurons were more active than CeA non-CRF cells during our binge drinking paradigm. We also observed that CeA CRF neurons displayed a heterogeneous spectrum of responses to a lick of ethanol including, pre-lick activated, lick-excited, lick-inhibited, and no response. Interestingly, pre-lick activated CeA CRF neurons exhibited higher frequency and burst firing during binge drinking sessions. Moreover, their overall tonic and phasic electrical activity enhances over repeated binge drinking sessions. Remarkably, CeA CRF units and pre-lick activated CeA CRF neurons did not show higher firing rate or bursting activity during water and sucrose consumption, suggesting that ethanol may "hijack" or plastically alter their intrinsic excitability. This article is part of the special issue on 'Neurocircuitry Modulating Drug and Alcohol Abuse'.
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23
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Walker LC. A balancing act: the role of pro- and anti-stress peptides within the central amygdala in anxiety and alcohol use disorders. J Neurochem 2021; 157:1615-1643. [PMID: 33450069 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is widely implicated as a structure that integrates both appetitive and aversive stimuli. While intrinsic CeA microcircuits primarily consist of GABAergic neurons that regulate amygdala output, a notable feature of the CeA is the heterogeneity of neuropeptides and neuropeptide/neuromodulator receptors that it expresses. There is growing interest in the role of the CeA in mediating psychopathologies, including stress and anxiety states and their interactions with alcohol use disorders. Within the CeA, neuropeptides and neuromodulators often exert pro- or anti- stress actions, which can influence anxiety and alcohol associated behaviours. In turn, alcohol use can cause adaptions within the CeA, which may render an individual more vulnerable to stress which is a major trigger of relapse to alcohol seeking. This review examines the neurocircuitry, neurochemical phenotypes and how pro- and anti-stress peptide systems act within the CeA to regulate anxiety and alcohol seeking, focusing on preclinical observations from animal models. Furthermore, literature exploring the targeting of genetically defined populations or neuronal ensembles and the role of the CeA in mediating sex differences in stress x alcohol interactions are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh C Walker
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Vic, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, Australia
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