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Martínez-Rivera A, Hao J, Rice R, Inturrisi CE, Rajadhyaksha AM. Ca v1.3 L-type Ca 2+ channel-activated CaMKII/ERK2 pathway in the ventral tegmental area is required for cocaine conditioned place preference. Neuropharmacology 2023; 224:109368. [PMID: 36481277 PMCID: PMC9796157 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We have previously demonstrated that pharmacological blockade of ventral tegmental area (VTA) Cav1.3 L-type calcium channels (LTCCs) using Cav1.2 dihydropyridine insensitive (Cav1.2DHP-/-) mutant mice attenuates cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP). However, the molecular mechanisms by which Cav1.3 channels mediate the effects of cocaine in the VTA remain largely unknown. In this study using Cav1.2DHP-/- male mice, we find that cocaine place preference increases CaM kinase IIα, ERK2, and CREB phosphorylation in the VTA, proteins strongly linked to cocaine behaviors. To further explore the causal role of these intracellular signaling proteins in cocaine preference, the CaM kinase II inhibitor, KN93 was directly injected into the VTA of male mice before each cocaine conditioning session. We found that KN93 attenuates conditioned preference for cocaine compared to vehicle treated mice and decreased VTA ERK2 and CREB phosphorylation. Additionally, blockade of the ERK pathway with the MEK inhibitor, U0126 or knockdown of ERK2 using siRNA, attenuated cocaine preference and VTA CREB phosphorylation but not CaMKIIα phosphorylation, suggesting that ERK is activated downstream of CaMKIIα. Examination of postsynaptic density (PSD) GluA1 subunit of AMPA receptors in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) that we have previously shown to be upregulated following long withdrawal periods, was blunted by KN93, U0126 and ERK2 siRNA when examined 30 days following cocaine CPP. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that Cav1.3 channels in the VTA are required for cocaine reward behavior and activation of the CaMKIIα/ERK/CREB signaling pathway in the VTA is necessary for long-lasting changes in the NAc. This article is part of the Special Issue on 'L-type calcium channel mechanisms in neuropsychiatric disorders'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arlene Martínez-Rivera
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Jin Hao
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard Rice
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Anjali M Rajadhyaksha
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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2
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Morikawa H, Young CC, Smits JA. Usage of L-type calcium channel blockers to suppress drug reward and memory driving addiction: Past, present, and future. Neuropharmacology 2022; 221:109290. [PMID: 36241085 PMCID: PMC10476140 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Over the past three decades, L-type Ca2+ channel (LTCC) blockers have been considered a potential therapeutic drug to alleviate the symptoms of drug addiction. This idea has been supported, in part, by 1) expression of LTCCs in the brain dopaminergic circuits that are thought to play critical roles in the development and expression of addictive behaviors and 2) common usage of LTCC blockers in treating hypertension, which may enable off-label use of these drugs with good brain penetration as therapeutics for brain disorders. Addiction can be viewed as a maladaptive form of learning where powerful memories of drug-associated stimuli and actions drive compulsive drug intake. Largely under this framework, we will focus on the dopaminergic system that is thought be critically involved in drug-associated learning and memory and provide a brief overview of the past and recent studies testing the therapeutic potential of LTCC blockers for addictive disorders in animal models and humans and offer a future perspective on the use of LTCC blockers in drug addiction and, possibly, addiction to other non-drug rewards (e.g., gambling, eating, shopping). Interested readers can refer to other related articles in this issue and a comprehensive review available elsewhere (Little, 2021) to gain further insights into the roles of LTCCs in drug addiction and withdrawal symptoms associated with dependence. This article is part of the Special Issue on 'L-type calcium channel mechanisms in neuropsychiatric disorders'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Morikawa
- Department of Neuroscience and Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, USA.
| | | | - Jasper A Smits
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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3
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Amaral IM, Scheffauer L, Hofer A, El Rawas R. Protein kinases in natural versus drug reward. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 221:173472. [PMID: 36244528 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Natural and drug rewards act on the same neural pathway, the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. In brain regions such as the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area, drugs of abuse-induced stimulation of signaling pathways can lead to synaptic reshaping within this system. This is believed to be underlying the maladaptive alterations in behaviors associated with addiction. In this review, we discuss animal studies disclosing the implication of several protein kinases, namely protein kinase A (PKA), extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), p38 MAPK, and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII), in reward-related brain regions in drug and natural reward. Furthermore, we refer to studies that helped pave the way toward a better understanding of the neurobiology underlying non-drug and drug reward through genetic deletion or brain region-specific pharmacological inhibition of these kinases. Whereas the role of kinases in drug reward has been extensively studied, their implication in natural reward, such as positive social interaction, is less investigated. Discovering molecular candidates, recruited specifically by drug versus natural rewards, can promote the identification of novel targets for the pharmacological treatment of addiction with less off-target effects and being effective when used combined with behavioral-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês M Amaral
- Division of Psychiatry I, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Medical Psychology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Laura Scheffauer
- Division of Psychiatry I, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Medical Psychology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Alex Hofer
- Division of Psychiatry I, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Medical Psychology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Rana El Rawas
- Division of Psychiatry I, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Medical Psychology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria.
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4
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Amaral IM, Scheffauer L, Langeder AB, Hofer A, El Rawas R. Rewarding Social Interaction in Rats Increases CaMKII in the Nucleus Accumbens. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1886. [PMID: 34944702 PMCID: PMC8698734 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9121886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is known to be involved in the sensitized locomotor responses and drug-seeking behavior to psychostimulants. However, little is known about the contribution of CaMKII signaling in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in natural rewards such as social interaction. The present experiments explored the implication of CaMKII signaling in drug versus natural reward. In the NAc of rats expressing cocaine or social interaction conditioned place preference (CPP), αCaMKII activation was induced in those expressing social interaction but not cocaine CPP. In order to investigate the role of NAc CaMKII in the expression of reward-related learning of drug versus non-drug stimuli, we inhibited CaMKII through an infusion of KN-93, a CaMKII inhibitor, directly into the NAc shell or core, before the CPP test in a concurrent paradigm in which social interaction was made available in the compartment alternative to the one associated with cocaine during conditioning. Whereas vehicle infusions led to equal preference to both stimuli, inhibition of CaMKII by a KN-93 infusion before the CPP test in the shell but not the core of the NAc shifted the rats' preference toward the cocaine-associated compartment. Altogether, these results suggest that social interaction reward engages CaMKII in the NAc.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rana El Rawas
- Division of Psychiatry I, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Medical Psychology, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (I.M.A.); (L.S.); (A.B.L.); (A.H.)
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5
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Little HJ. L-Type Calcium Channel Blockers: A Potential Novel Therapeutic Approach to Drug Dependence. Pharmacol Rev 2021; 73:127-154. [PMID: 34663686 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This review describes interactions between compounds, primarily dihydropyridines, that block L-type calcium channels and drugs that cause dependence, and the potential importance of these interactions. The main dependence-inducing drugs covered are alcohol, psychostimulants, opioids, and nicotine. In preclinical studies, L-type calcium channel blockers prevent or reduce important components of dependence on these drugs, particularly their reinforcing actions and the withdrawal syndromes. The channel blockers also reduce the development of tolerance and/or sensitization, and they have no intrinsic dependence liability. In some instances, their effects include reversal of brain changes established during drug dependence. Prolonged treatment with alcohol, opioids, psychostimulant drugs, or nicotine causes upregulation of dihydropyridine binding sites. Few clinical studies have been carried out so far, and reports are conflicting, although there is some evidence of effectiveness of L-channel blockers in opioid withdrawal. However, the doses of L-type channel blockers used clinically so far have necessarily been limited by potential cardiovascular problems and may not have provided sufficient central levels of the drugs to affect neuronal dihydropyridine binding sites. New L-type calcium channel blocking compounds are being developed with more selective actions on subtypes of L-channel. The preclinical evidence suggests that L-type calcium channels may play a crucial role in the development of dependence to different types of drugs. Mechanisms for this are proposed, including changes in the activity of mesolimbic dopamine neurons, genomic effects, and alterations in synaptic plasticity. Newly developed, more selective L-type calcium channel blockers could be of considerable value in the treatment of drug dependence. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Dependence on drugs is a very serious health problem with little effective treatment. Preclinical evidence shows drugs that block particular calcium channels, the L-type, reduce dependence-related effects of alcohol, opioids, psychostimulants, and nicotine. Clinical studies have been restricted by potential cardiovascular side effects, but new, more selective L-channel blockers are becoming available. L-channel blockers have no intrinsic dependence liability, and laboratory evidence suggests they reverse previously developed effects of dependence-inducing drugs. They could provide a novel approach to addiction treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary J Little
- Section of Alcohol Research, National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London, United Kingdom
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6
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Nisanov R, Schelbaum E, Morris D, Ranaldi R. CaMKII antagonism in the ventral tegmental area impairs acquisition of conditioned approach learning in rats. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 175:107299. [PMID: 32853813 PMCID: PMC7655631 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the role of calcium2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), a protein in the second messenger pathway of NMDA receptors, in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the acquisition and performance of conditioned approach learning. Male Long-Evans rats (N = 79) were exposed to 3 (to test acquisition) or 7 (to test performance) conditioning sessions in which they received 30 paired presentations of a light stimulus (CS) and a food pellet (US) on a random time schedule. These conditioning sessions were then followed by one 30-min session without the CS or US and lastly by a CS-only test session, where only the light stimulus was presented (without food) according to the same schedule as the conditioning sessions. Bilateral intra-VTA injections of KN93 (vehicle, 3.0, 4.5 or 6.0 μg/0.5 μL), a CaMKII inhibitor, were administered prior to each conditioning session to test effects on the acquisition of conditioned approach or prior to the CS-only test session to test effects on the performance of conditioned approach. KN93, when given prior to conditioning sessions, significantly reduced the number of conditioned approach responses emitted during CS presentations in the CS-only test. When KN93 was given prior to the CS-only test it had no effect. These results suggest that CaMKII activation in the VTA is necessary for the acquisition, but not the performance, of reward-related learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf Nisanov
- Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Eva Schelbaum
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367, USA
| | - Debra Morris
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367, USA.
| | - Robert Ranaldi
- Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Psychology, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367, USA.
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7
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Delint-Ramirez I, Segev A, Pavuluri A, Self DW, Kourrich S. Cocaine-Induced Synaptic Redistribution of NMDARs in Striatal Neurons Alters NMDAR-Dependent Signal Transduction. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:698. [PMID: 32760242 PMCID: PMC7371985 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The consequence of repeated cocaine exposure and prolonged abstinence on glutamate receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens has been extensively studied. However, the early effects of cocaine on NMDAR signaling remain unknown. NMDAR signaling depends on the subunit composition, subcellular localization, and the interaction with proteins at the postsynaptic density (PSD), where NMDARs and other proteins form supercomplexes that are responsible for the signaling pathways activated by NMDAR-induced Ca2+ influx. Here, we investigated the effect of cocaine on NMDAR subunit composition and subcellular localization after both intraperitoneal non-contingent cocaine and response-contingent intravenous cocaine self-administration in mice. We found that repeated cocaine exposure, regardless of the route or contingency of drug administration, decreases NMDAR interactions with the PSD and synaptic lipid rafts in the accumbens shell and dorsal striatum. We provide evidence that cocaine triggers an early redistribution of NMDARs from synaptic to extrasynaptic sites, and that this adaptation has implications in the activation of downstream signaling pathways. Thus, consistent with a loss of NMDAR function, cocaine-induced ERK phosphorylation is attenuated. Because early NMDAR activity contributes to the initiation of lasting addiction-relevant neuroadaptations, these data may hold clues into cellular mechanisms responsible for the development of cocaine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilse Delint-Ramirez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Amir Segev
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Asha Pavuluri
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - David W Self
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Saïd Kourrich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States.,Département des Sciences Biologiques-CERMO-FC, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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8
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Corponi F, Bonassi S, Vieta E, Albani D, Frustaci A, Ducci G, Landi S, Boccia S, Serretti A, Fabbri C. Genetic basis of psychopathological dimensions shared between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 89:23-29. [PMID: 30149091 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Shared genetic vulnerability between schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BP) was demonstrated, but the genetic underpinnings of specific symptom domains are unclear. This study investigated which genes and gene sets may modulate specific psychopathological domains and if genome-wide significant loci previously associated with SCZ or BP may play a role. Genome-wide data were available in patients with SCZ (n = 226) or BP (n = 228). Phenotypes under investigation were depressive and positive symptoms severity, suicidal ideation, onset age and substance use disorder comorbidity. Genome-wide analyses were performed at gene and gene set level, while 148 genome-wide significant loci previously associated with SCZ and/or BP were investigated. Each sample was analyzed separately then a meta-analysis was performed. SH3GL2 and CLVS1 genes were associated with suicidal ideation in SCZ (p = 5.62e-08 and 0.01, respectively), the former also in the meta-analysis (p = .01). SHC4 gene was associated with depressive symptoms severity in BP (p = .003). A gene set involved in cellular differentiation (GO:0048661) was associated with substance disorder comorbidity in the meta-analysis (p = .03). Individual loci previously associated with SCZ or BP did not modulate the phenotypes of interest. This study provided confirmatory and new findings. SH3GL2 (endophilin A1) showed a role in suicidal ideation that may be due to its relevance to the glutamate system. SHC4 regulates BDNF-induced MAPK activation and was previously associated with depression. CLVS1 is involved in lysosome maturation and was for the first time associated with a psychiatric trait. GO:0048661 may mediate the risk of substance disorder through an effect on neurodevelopment/neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Corponi
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefano Bonassi
- Unit of Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy; Department of Human Sciences and Quality of Life Promotion, San Raffaele University, Rome, Italy
| | - Eduard Vieta
- Bipolar Disorders Unit, Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Diego Albani
- Laboratory of Biology of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Neuroscience Department, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Frustaci
- Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, St.Ann's Hospital, St.Ann's Road, N15 3 TH London, UK
| | | | - Stefano Landi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Universita' di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefania Boccia
- Section of Hygiene, Institute of Public Health, Universita' Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico "Agostino Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Serretti
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy.
| | - Chiara Fabbri
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy
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9
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Bjorness TE, Greene RW. Sleep deprivation alters the time course but not magnitude of locomotor sensitization to cocaine. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17672. [PMID: 30518935 PMCID: PMC6281608 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36002-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Repeated exposure to drugs of abuse progressively increases the response to the same stimuli, a process known as sensitization. Behavioral sensitization to cocaine administration is often measured in non-human subjects via locomotor activity which is easily quantifiable. The effects of four hours of sleep deprivation on repeated cocaine (five daily and one challenge) showed attenuated hyperactivity on the first day only, compared to the non-deprived group. Both groups reached the same final level of sensitization, indicating that sleep deprivation altered the time course, but not magnitude of locomotor sensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa E Bjorness
- Research Service, North Texas VA Health Care System, Dallas, TX, 75216, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
| | - Robert W Greene
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Research Service, North Texas VA Health Care System, Dallas, TX, 75216, USA
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8577, Japan
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10
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Yu C, Zhou X, Fu Q, Peng Q, Oh KW, Hu Z. A New Insight into the Role of CART in Cocaine Reward: Involvement of CaMKII and Inhibitory G-Protein Coupled Receptor Signaling. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:244. [PMID: 28860971 PMCID: PMC5559471 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptides are neuropeptides that are expressed in brain regions associated with reward, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc), and play a role in cocaine reward. Injection of CART into the NAc can inhibit the behavioral effects of cocaine, and injecting CART into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) reduces cocaine-seeking behavior. However, the exact mechanism of these effects is not clear. Recent research has demonstrated that Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and inhibitory G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling are involved in the mechanism of the effect of CART on cocaine reward. Hence, we review the role of CaMKII and inhibitory GPCR signaling in the effect of CART on cocaine reward and provide a new insight into the mechanism of that effect. In this article, we will first review the biological function of CART and discuss the role of CART in cocaine reward. Then, we will focus on the role of CaMKII and inhibitory GPCR signaling in cocaine reward. Furthermore, we will discuss how CaMKII and inhibitory GPCR signaling are involved in the mechanistic action of CART in cocaine reward. Finally, we will provide our opinions regarding the future directions of research on the role of CaMKII and inhibitory GPCR signaling in the effect of CART on cocaine reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- ChengPeng Yu
- The Second Clinic Medical College, School of Medicine, Nanchang UniversityNanchang, China
| | - XiaoYan Zhou
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Medicine, Nanchang UniversityNanchang, China
| | - Qiang Fu
- Department of Respiration, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang UniversityNanchang, China.,Department of Respiration, Department Two, Jiangxi Provincial People's HospitalNanchang, China
| | - QingHua Peng
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang UniversityNanchang, China
| | - Ki-Wan Oh
- College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National UniversityCheongju, South Korea
| | - ZhenZhen Hu
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Medicine, Nanchang UniversityNanchang, China.,Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogens and Molecular Pathology and Department of Pathology, Schools of Basic Medical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanchang University Medical CollegeNanchang, China
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11
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Singer BF, Bryan MA, Popov P, Robinson TE, Aragona BJ. Rapid induction of dopamine sensitization in the nucleus accumbens shell induced by a single injection of cocaine. Behav Brain Res 2017; 324:66-70. [PMID: 28223145 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Repeated intermittent exposure to cocaine results in the neurochemical sensitization of dopamine (DA) transmission within the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Indeed, the excitability of DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is enhanced within hours of initial psychostimulant exposure. However, it is not known if this is accompanied by a comparably rapid change in the ability of cocaine to increase extracellular DA concentrations in the ventral striatum. To address this question we used fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) in awake-behaving rats to measure DA responses in the NAc shell following an initial intravenous cocaine injection, and then again 2-h later. Both injections quickly elevated DA levels in the NAc shell, but the second cocaine infusion produced a greater effect than the first, indicating sensitization. This suggests that a single injection of cocaine induces sensitization-related plasticity very rapidly within the mesolimbic DA system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan F Singer
- Biopsychology Area, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, East Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Myranda A Bryan
- Biopsychology Area, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, East Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Pavlo Popov
- Biopsychology Area, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, East Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Terry E Robinson
- Biopsychology Area, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, East Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Brandon J Aragona
- Biopsychology Area, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, East Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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12
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Sommer S, Hauber W. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the ventral tegmental area mediate the excitatory influence of Pavlovian stimuli on instrumental performance. Brain Struct Funct 2015; 221:4399-4409. [PMID: 26691586 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-015-1170-0] [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: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Pavlovian stimuli predictive of food can markedly amplify instrumental responding for food. This effect is termed Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT). The ventral tegmental area (VTA) plays a key role in mediating PIT, however, it is yet unknown whether N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptors in the VTA are involved in PIT. Here, we examined the effects of an NMDA-receptor blockade in the VTA on PIT. Immediately prior to PIT testing, rats were subjected to intra-VTA infusions of vehicle or of the NMDA-receptor antagonist 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP-5) (1, 5 µg/side). In rats that received AP-5 at the lower dose, the PIT effect was intact, i.e. presentation of the Pavlovian stimulus enhanced instrumental responding. By contrast, in rats that received AP-5 at the higher dose, the PIT effect was blocked. The data suggest that NMDA receptors in the VTA mediate the activating effects of Pavlovian stimuli on instrumental responding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Sommer
- Department Animal Physiology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70550, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hauber
- Department Animal Physiology, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70550, Stuttgart, Germany.
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13
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CaM Kinases: From Memories to Addiction. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2015; 37:153-166. [PMID: 26674562 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2015.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Revised: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Drug addiction is a major psychiatric disorder with a neurobiological basis that is still insufficiently understood. Initially, non-addicted, controlled drug consumption and drug instrumentalization are established. They comprise highly systematic behaviours acquired by learning and the establishment of drug memories. Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (CaMKs) are important Ca(2+) sensors translating glutamatergic activation into synaptic plasticity during learning and memory formation. Here we review the role of CaMKs in the establishment of drug-related behaviours in animal models and in humans. Converging evidence now shows that CaMKs are a crucial mechanism of how addictive drugs induce synaptic plasticity and establish various types of drug memories. Thereby, CaMKs are not only molecular relays for glutamatergic activity but they also directly control dopaminergic and serotonergic activity in the mesolimbic reward system. They can now be considered as major molecular pathways translating normal memory formation into establishment of drug memories and possibly transition to drug addiction.
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Cunningham JJ, Orr E, Lothian BC, Morgen J, Brebner K. Effects of fendiline on cocaine-seeking behavior in the rat. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:4401-10. [PMID: 26345344 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4061-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE L-type Ca(2+) channels (LTCC) and GABAB receptors are both possible targets in the development of new pharmacological compounds for cocaine addiction. Drugs that target either receptor attenuate a wide range of cocaine-seeking behaviors in the rat. However, there is no current human-approved pharmacotherapeutic intervention for psychostimulant addiction. OBJECTIVES This study examined the effects of a human-approved LTCC blocker, fendiline, on cocaine-taking and cocaine-seeking behavior in rats. The effects of combining fendiline with the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen on cocaine self-administration were also tested. METHODS Male Wistar rats were trained to self-administer cocaine, and the effects of fendiline pretreatment (vehicle, 1.78, 3.16, 5.62 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (IP)) were tested on progressive ratio responding and cue- and drug-induced reinstatement. The effects of baclofen (vehicle, 0.56, 1.78, 3.16, 5.62 mg/kg, IP) combined with fendiline (5.62 mg/kg, IP) were tested on progressive ratio responding. Control experiments measured locomotor activity and lever pressing for food in rats that received both baclofen and fendiline prior to the test session. RESULTS Acute injections of fendiline prior to cue- or drug-induced reinstatement significantly attenuated lever-pressing behavior (p < 0.05). Fendiline and baclofen, but not fendiline alone, not only significantly attenuated breakpoints, but also impaired general motor behavior and naturalistic reinforcement (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION These data suggest that the LTCC blocker fendiline may represent a novel pharmacotherapeutic intervention to prevent reinstatement to cocaine seeking. Also, co-administration of fendiline and baclofen not only can attenuate the motivation to take cocaine, but also impairs general motor behavior and naturalistic reinforcement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Cunningham
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Detwiller Pavilion, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2A1, Canada.
| | - Erin Orr
- Department of Psychology, St. Francis Xavier University, 2320 Notre Dame Blvd., Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Barbara C Lothian
- Department of Psychology, St. Francis Xavier University, 2320 Notre Dame Blvd., Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Jennifer Morgen
- Department of Psychology, St. Francis Xavier University, 2320 Notre Dame Blvd., Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Karen Brebner
- Department of Psychology, St. Francis Xavier University, 2320 Notre Dame Blvd., Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2W5, Canada.
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15
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Korpi ER, den Hollander B, Farooq U, Vashchinkina E, Rajkumar R, Nutt DJ, Hyytiä P, Dawe GS. Mechanisms of Action and Persistent Neuroplasticity by Drugs of Abuse. Pharmacol Rev 2015; 67:872-1004. [DOI: 10.1124/pr.115.010967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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16
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Lobo DSS, Aleksandrova L, Knight J, Casey DM, el-Guebaly N, Nobrega JN, Kennedy JL. Addiction-related genes in gambling disorders: new insights from parallel human and pre-clinical models. Mol Psychiatry 2015; 20:1002-10. [PMID: 25266122 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2014.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2013] [Revised: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Neurobiological research supports the characterization of disordered gambling (DG) as a behavioral addiction. Recently, an animal model of gambling behavior was developed (rat gambling task, rGT), expanding the available tools to investigate DG neurobiology. We investigated whether rGT performance and associated risk gene expression in the rat's brain could provide cross-translational understanding of the neuromolecular mechanisms of addiction in DG. We genotyped tagSNPs (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) in 38 addiction-related genes in 400 DG and 345 non-DG subjects. Genes with P<0.1 in the human association analyses were selected to be investigated in the animal arm to determine whether their mRNA expression in rats was associated with the rat's performance on the rGT. In humans, DG was significantly associated with tagSNPs in DRD3 (rs167771) and CAMK2D (rs3815072). Our results suggest that age and gender might moderate the association between CAMK2D and DG. Moderation effects could not be investigated due to sample power. In the animal arm, only the association between rGT performance and Drd3 expression remained significant after Bonferroni correction for 59 brain regions. As male rats were used, gender effects could not be investigated. Our results corroborate previous findings reporting the involvement of DRD3 receptor in addictions. To our knowledge, the use of human genetics, pre-clinical models and gene expression as a cross-translation paradigm has not previously been attempted in the field of addictions. The cross-validation of human findings in animal models is crucial for improving the translation of basic research into clinical treatments, which could accelerate neurobiological and pharmacological investigations in addictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- D S S Lobo
- 1] Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada [2] Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - L Aleksandrova
- 1] Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada [2] Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - J Knight
- 1] Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada [2] Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - D M Casey
- Mental Health Commission of Canada, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - N el-Guebaly
- Division of Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - J N Nobrega
- 1] Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada [2] Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - J L Kennedy
- 1] Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada [2] Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
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IRBIT regulates CaMKIIα activity and contributes to catecholamine homeostasis through tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:5515-20. [PMID: 25922519 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1503310112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) binding protein released with IP3 (IRBIT) contributes to various physiological events (electrolyte transport and fluid secretion, mRNA polyadenylation, and the maintenance of genomic integrity) through its interaction with multiple targets. However, little is known about the physiological role of IRBIT in the brain. Here we identified calcium calmodulin-dependent kinase II alpha (CaMKIIα) as an IRBIT-interacting molecule in the central nervous system. IRBIT binds to and suppresses CaMKIIα kinase activity by inhibiting the binding of calmodulin to CaMKIIα. In addition, we show that mice lacking IRBIT present with elevated catecholamine levels, increased locomotor activity, and social abnormalities. The level of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) phosphorylation by CaMKIIα, which affects TH activity, was significantly increased in the ventral tegmental area of IRBIT-deficient mice. We concluded that IRBIT suppresses CaMKIIα activity and contributes to catecholamine homeostasis through TH phosphorylation.
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18
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Rodriguez-Espinosa N, Fernandez-Espejo E. Effects of acute and repeated cocaine on markers for neural plasticity within the mesolimbic system in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:57-62. [PMID: 24912888 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3632-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2013] [Accepted: 05/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Repeated cocaine is known to induce morphological changes in dopaminergic circuits that are known to participate on cocaine-induced addictive changes. OBJECTIVE The objective of the present study was to discern if acute or repeated regimens of daily cocaine (10 mg/kg) lead to reliable changes in the expression of some protein markers for neural plasticity such as synaptophysin, p21-Arc, alpha-tubulin (α-tubulin), and stathmin, in the mesolimbic dopaminergic circuit. Well-known changes in tyrosine hydroxylase and protein kinase A were used for confirming biochemical effects of repeated cocaine. Animals were subjected to three treatments: acute injection, 3-day injections, or sensitizing cocaine during 3 days followed by challenging doses at days 8 and 18. RESULTS The findings revealed that sensitizing regimen of cocaine increases stathmin levels within the nucleus accumbens at day 18 of treatment, not day 8, without changes of synaptophysin, p21-Arc, or α-tubulin. This neural plasticity change seems not to be related to the development of motor sensitization. Other neural regions such as prefrontal cortex, dorsal striatum, and ventral tegmental area were not found to be affected. Repeated cocaine led to well-known short-term augmentation of tyrosine-hydroxylase and protein kinase A expressions in the nucleus accumbens, as well as maintained upregulation of tyrosine hydroxylase in the ventral tegmental area. CONCLUSIONS As stathmin is an important regulatory protein of microtubule dynamics, this protein change would be linked to morphological changes after repeated cocaine. It was confirmed that upregulation of tyrosine hydroxylase within the ventral tegmental area may participate on the development of motor sensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nieves Rodriguez-Espinosa
- Departamento de Fisiologia Medica y Biofisica, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. Sanchez Pizjuan 4, 41009, Sevilla, Spain,
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19
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Steinkellner T, Mus L, Eisenrauch B, Constantinescu A, Leo D, Konrad L, Rickhag M, Sørensen G, Efimova EV, Kong E, Willeit M, Sotnikova TD, Kudlacek O, Gether U, Freissmuth M, Pollak DD, Gainetdinov RR, Sitte HH. In vivo amphetamine action is contingent on αCaMKII. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 39:2681-93. [PMID: 24871545 PMCID: PMC4207348 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Revised: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 05/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Addiction to psychostimulants (ie, amphetamines and cocaine) imposes a major socioeconomic burden. Prevention and treatment represent unmet medical needs, which may be addressed, if the mechanisms underlying psychostimulant action are understood. Cocaine acts as a blocker at the transporters for dopamine (DAT), serotonin (SERT), and norepinephrine (NET), but amphetamines are substrates that do not only block the uptake of monoamines but also induce substrate efflux by promoting reverse transport. Reverse transport has been a focus of research for decades but its mechanistic basis still remains enigmatic. Recently, transporter-interacting proteins were found to regulate amphetamine-triggered reverse transport: calmodulin kinase IIα (αCaMKII) is a prominent example, because it binds the carboxyl terminus of DAT, phosphorylates its amino terminus, and supports amphetamine-induced substrate efflux in vitro. Here, we investigated whether, in vivo, the action of amphetamine was contingent on the presence of αCaMKII by recording the behavioral and neurochemical effects of amphetamine. Measurement of dopamine efflux in the dorsal striatum by microdialysis revealed that amphetamine induced less dopamine efflux in mice lacking αCaMKII. Consistent with this observation, the acute locomotor responses to amphetamine were also significantly blunted in αCaMKII-deficient mice. In addition, while the rewarding properties of amphetamine were preserved in αCaMKII-deficient mice, their behavioral sensitization to amphetamine was markedly reduced. Our findings demonstrate that amphetamine requires the presence of αCaMKII to elicit a full-fledged effect on DAT in vivo: αCaMKII does not only support acute amphetamine-induced dopamine efflux but is also important in shaping the chronic response to amphetamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Steinkellner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Center for
Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Strasse,
Vienna, Austria
| | - Liudmilla Mus
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain
Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Morego,
Genova, Italy,Department of Psychopharmacology,
Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov Medical University, St
Petersburg, Russia
| | - Birgit Eisenrauch
- Institute of Pharmacology, Center for
Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Strasse,
Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreea Constantinescu
- Institute of Pharmacology, Center for
Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Strasse,
Vienna, Austria
| | - Damiana Leo
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain
Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Morego,
Genova, Italy
| | - Lisa Konrad
- Institute of Pharmacology, Center for
Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Strasse,
Vienna, Austria
| | - Mattias Rickhag
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics
Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and
Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen,
Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gunnar Sørensen
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics
Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and
Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen,
Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Evgenia V Efimova
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and
Technology (Skoltech), Skolkovo, Moscow,
Russia
| | - Eryan Kong
- Department of Neurophysiology and
Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University
Vienna, Waehringer Strasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthäus Willeit
- Department of Psychiatry and
Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel,
Vienna, Austria
| | - Tatyana D Sotnikova
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain
Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Morego,
Genova, Italy
| | - Oliver Kudlacek
- Institute of Pharmacology, Center for
Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Strasse,
Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrik Gether
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics
Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and
Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen,
Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Freissmuth
- Institute of Pharmacology, Center for
Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Strasse,
Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela D Pollak
- Department of Neurophysiology and
Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University
Vienna, Waehringer Strasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Raul R Gainetdinov
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain
Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Morego,
Genova, Italy,Skolkovo Institute of Science and
Technology (Skoltech), Skolkovo, Moscow,
Russia,Faculty of Biology and Soil Science, St
Petersburg State University, St Petersburg,
Russia
| | - Harald H Sitte
- Institute of Pharmacology, Center for
Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Strasse,
Vienna, Austria,Institute of Pharmacology, Center for Physiology and
Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Strasse 13A,
Vienna
1090, Austria, Tel: +43 1 40160 31323, Fax: +43 1
40160 931300, E-mail:
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20
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The role of L-type voltage-gated calcium channels Cav1.2 and Cav1.3 in normal and pathological brain function. Cell Tissue Res 2014; 357:463-76. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-014-1936-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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21
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Increased calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II activity by morphine-sensitization in rat hippocampus. Behav Brain Res 2014; 267:74-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.03.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2013] [Revised: 03/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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CaMKII activity in the ventral tegmental area gates cocaine-induced synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 39:989-99. [PMID: 24154664 PMCID: PMC3924533 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2013.299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2013] [Revised: 10/17/2013] [Accepted: 10/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Addictive drugs such as cocaine induce synaptic plasticity in discrete regions of the reward circuit. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether cocaine-evoked synaptic plasticity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) is causally linked. Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a central regulator of long-term synaptic plasticity, learning, and drug addiction. We examined whether blocking CaMKII activity in the VTA affected cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP) and cocaine-evoked synaptic plasticity in its target brain region, the NAc. TatCN21 is a CaMKII inhibitory peptide that blocks both stimulated and autonomous CaMKII activity with high selectivity. We report that intra-VTA microinjections of tatCN21 before cocaine conditioning blocked the acquisition of cocaine CPP, whereas intra-VTA microinjections of tatCN21 before saline conditioning did not significantly affect cocaine CPP, suggesting that the CaMKII inhibitor blocks cocaine CPP through selective disruption of cocaine-cue-associated learning. Intra-VTA tatCN21 before cocaine conditioning blocked cocaine-evoked depression of excitatory synaptic transmission in the shell of the NAc slices ex vivo. In contrast, intra-VTA microinjection of tatCN21 just before the CPP test did not affect the expression of cocaine CPP and cocaine-induced synaptic plasticity in the NAc shell. These results suggest that CaMKII activity in the VTA governs cocaine-evoked synaptic plasticity in the NAc during the time window of cocaine conditioning.
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Easton AC, Lucchesi W, Lourdusamy A, Lenz B, Solati J, Golub Y, Lewczuk P, Fernandes C, Desrivieres S, Dawirs RR, Moll GH, Kornhuber J, Frank J, Hoffmann P, Soyka M, Kiefer F, Schumann G, Peter Giese K, Müller CP, Treutlein J, Cichon S, Ridinger M, Mattheisen P, Herms S, Wodarz N, Zill P, Maier W, Mössner R, Gaebel W, Dahmen N, Scherbaum N, Schmäl C, Steffens M, Lucae S, Ising M, Müller-Myhsok B, Nöthen MM, Mann K, Rietschel M. αCaMKII autophosphorylation controls the establishment of alcohol drinking behavior. Neuropsychopharmacology 2013; 38:1636-47. [PMID: 23459588 PMCID: PMC3717547 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2013.60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2012] [Revised: 01/22/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The α-Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (αCaMKII) is a crucial enzyme controlling plasticity in the brain. The autophosphorylation of αCaMKII works as a 'molecular memory' for a transient calcium activation, thereby accelerating learning. We investigated the role of αCaMKII autophosphorylation in the establishment of alcohol drinking as an addiction-related behavior in mice. We found that alcohol drinking was initially diminished in αCaMKII autophosphorylation-deficient αCaMKII(T286A) mice, but could be established at wild-type level after repeated withdrawals. The locomotor activating effects of a low-dose alcohol (2 g/kg) were absent in αCaMKII(T286A) mice, whereas the sedating effects of high-dose (3.5 g/kg) were preserved after acute and subchronic administration. The in vivo microdialysis revealed that αCaMKII(T286A) mice showed no dopamine (DA) response in the nucleus accumbens to acute or subchronic alcohol administration, but enhanced serotonin (5-HT) responses in the prefrontal cortex. The attenuated DA response in αCaMKII(T286A) mice was in line with altered c-Fos activation in the ventral tegmental area after acute and subchronic alcohol administration. In order to compare findings in mice with the human condition, we tested 23 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CAMK2A gene for their association with alcohol dependence in a population of 1333 male patients with severe alcohol dependence and 939 controls. We found seven significant associations between CAMK2A SNPs and alcohol dependence, one of which in an autophosphorylation-related area of the gene. Together, our data suggest αCaMKII autophosphorylation as a facilitating mechanism in the establishment of alcohol drinking behavior with changing the DA-5-HT balance as a putative mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alanna C Easton
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Walter Lucchesi
- Centre for the Cellular Basis of Behavior, MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, James Black Centre, London, UK
| | - Anbarasu Lourdusamy
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Bernd Lenz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jalal Solati
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Clinic Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany,Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran
| | - Yulia Golub
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Clinic Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Piotr Lewczuk
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Cathy Fernandes
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sylvane Desrivieres
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ralph R Dawirs
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Clinic Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gunther H Moll
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Clinic Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Josef Frank
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Per Hoffmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Michael Soyka
- Psychiatric Hospital, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Falk Kiefer
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Gunter Schumann
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - K Peter Giese
- Centre for the Cellular Basis of Behavior, MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, James Black Centre, London, UK
| | - Christian P Müller
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany,Section of Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, Erlangen 91054, Germany, Tel: +49 9131 85 36896, Fax: +49 9131 85 36002, E-mail:
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The competitive NMDA receptor antagonist CPP disrupts cocaine-induced conditioned place preference, but spares behavioral sensitization. Behav Brain Res 2012; 239:155-63. [PMID: 23153931 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.10.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2012] [Accepted: 10/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Recently, the notion that memory and addiction share similar neural substrates has become widely accepted. N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) are the cornerstones of synaptic models of memory. The present study examined the effect of the competitive NMDAR antagonist CPP on the induction of behavioral sensitization and conditioned place preference to cocaine. Conditioned place preference is an associative memory model of drug seeking, while sensitization is a non-associative model of the transition from casual to compulsive use. There were three principal findings: (1) co-administration of CPP and cocaine altered the acute response to cocaine, suggesting a direct interaction between the two drugs; (2) NMDAR antagonism had no effect on behavioral sensitization; and (3) NMDAR antagonism abolished conditioned place preference. A review of prior evidence supporting a role for NMDARs in sensitization suggests that NMDAR antagonists directly interfere with cocaine's psychostimulant effects, and this interaction could be misinterpreted as a disruption of sensitization. Finally, we suggest that addiction recruits multiple kinds of plasticity, with sensitization recruiting NMDAR-independent mechanisms.
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26
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Calcium/calmodulin kinase II in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus modulates the initiation and maintenance of wakefulness. J Neurosci 2012; 31:17007-16. [PMID: 22114270 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3981-11.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The pedunculopontine tegmentum nucleus (PPT) is critically involved in the regulation of wakefulness (W) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, but our understanding of the mechanisms of this regulation remains incomplete. The present study was designed to determine the role of PPT intracellular calcium/calmodulin kinase (CaMKII) signaling in the regulation of W and sleep. To achieve this aim, three different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 nmol) of the CaMKII activation inhibitor, KN-93, were microinjected bilaterally (100 nl/site) into the PPT of freely moving rats, and the effects on W, slow-wave sleep (SWS), REM sleep, and levels of phosphorylated CaMKII (pCaMKII) expression in the PPT were quantified. These effects, which were concentration-dependent and affected wake-sleep variables for 3 h, resulted in decreased W, due to reductions in the number and duration of W episodes; increased SWS and REM sleep, due to increases in episode duration; and decreased levels of pCaMKII expression in the PPT. Regression analyses revealed that PPT levels of pCaMKII were positively related with the total percentage of time spent in W (R(2) = 0.864; n = 28 rats; p < 0.001) and negatively related with the total percentage of time spent in sleep (R(2) = 0.863; p < 0.001). These data provide the first direct evidence that activation of intracellular CaMKII signaling in the PPT promotes W and suppresses sleep. These findings are relevant for designing a drug that could treat excessive sleepiness by promoting alertness.
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Cav1.2 L-type Ca²⁺ channels mediate cocaine-induced GluA1 trafficking in the nucleus accumbens, a long-term adaptation dependent on ventral tegmental area Ca(v)1.3 channels. J Neurosci 2011; 31:13562-75. [PMID: 21940447 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2315-11.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
AMPA receptor (AMPAR) plasticity at glutamatergic synapses in the mesoaccumbal dopaminergic pathway has been implicated in persistent cocaine-induced behavioral responses; however, the precise mechanism underlying these changes remains unknown. Utilizing cocaine psychomotor sensitization, we have examined phosphorylation of GluA1 at key residues serine 845 (S845) and S831, as well as GluA1 cell surface levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of cocaine-preexposed mice and the role of brain-specific Ca(v)1.2 and Ca(v)1.3 L-type Ca²⁺ channels (LTCCs), therein. We found higher basal levels of S845 phospho-GluA1 (P-GluA1) and cell surface GluA1 in the NAc following protracted withdrawal from cocaine exposure, changes that occur independently of LTCCs. In contrast, we found that a cocaine challenge that elicits expression of the cocaine-sensitized response increases S831 P-GluA1 that further increases surface GluA1 beyond the higher basal levels. Intra-NAc pharmacological manipulations indicate that the Ca(v)1.2-activated CaM kinase II (CaMKII) mediates cocaine-induced increase in S831 P-GluA1 and that both Ca(v)1.2-activated CaMKII and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) mediate the increase in GluA1 cell surface levels specific to the sensitized response. Experiments using adenoassociated viral vectors expressing Ca(v)1.3 and ERK2 siRNA further indicate that recruitment of the Ca(v)1.2 pathway in the NAc is dependent on ventral tegmental area Ca(v)1.3 LTCCs and ERK2. Together, these results identify candidate pathways that mediate cocaine-induced AMPAR plasticity in the NAc and provide a mechanism linking LTCCs and GluA1 plasticity to cocaine-induced persistent behavioral changes.
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Fernandez-Espejo E, Rodriguez-Espinosa N. Psychostimulant Drugs and Neuroplasticity. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2011. [PMCID: PMC4058673 DOI: 10.3390/ph4070976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Drugs of abuse induce plastic changes in the brain that seem to underlie addictive phenomena. These plastic changes can be structural (morphological) or synaptic (biochemical), and most of them take place in the mesolimbic and mesostriatal circuits. Several addiction-related changes in brain circuits (hypofrontality, sensitization, tolerance) as well as the outcome of treatment have been visualized in addicts to psychostimulants using neuroimaging techniques. Repeated exposure to psychostimulants induces morphological changes such as increase in the number of dendritic spines, changes in the morphology of dendritic spines, and altered cellular coupling through new gap junctions. Repeated exposure to psychostimulants also induces various synaptic adaptations, many of them related to sensitization and neuroplastic processes, that include up- or down-regulation of D1, D2 and D3 dopamine receptors, changes in subunits of G proteins, increased adenylyl cyclase activity, cyclic AMP and protein kinase A in the nucleus accumbens, increased tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme activity, increased calmodulin and activated CaMKII in the ventral tegmental area, and increased deltaFosB, c-Fos and AP-1 binding proteins. Most of these changes are transient, suggesting that more lasting plastic brain adaptations should take place. In this context, protein synthesis inhibitors block the development of sensitization to cocaine, indicating that rearrangement of neural networks must develop for the long-lasting plasticity required for addiction to occur. Self-administration studies indicate the importance of glutamate neurotransmission in neuroplastic changes underlying transition from use to abuse. Finally, plastic changes in the addicted brain are enhanced and aggravated by neuroinflammation and neurotrophic disbalance after repeated psychostimulants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Fernandez-Espejo
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +34-95-455-6584; Fax: +34-95-455-1769
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Abstract
To identify candidate proteins in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) as potential pharmacotherapeutic targets for treating cocaine addition, an 8-plex iTRAQ (isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation) proteomic screen was performed using NAc tissue obtained from rats trained to self-administer cocaine followed by extinction training. Compared with yoked-saline controls, 42 proteins in a postsynaptic density (PSD)-enriched subfraction of the NAc from cocaine-trained animals were identified as significantly changed. Among proteins of interest whose levels were identified as increased was AKAP79/150, the rat ortholog of human AKAP5, a PSD scaffolding protein that localizes signaling molecules to the synapse. Functional downregulation of AKAP79/150 by microinjecting a cell-permeable synthetic AKAP (A-kinase anchor protein) peptide into the NAc to disrupt AKAP-dependent signaling revealed that inhibition of AKAP signaling impaired the reinstatement of cocaine seeking. Reinstatement of cocaine seeking is thought to require upregulated surface expression of AMPA glutamate receptors, and the inhibitory AKAP peptide reduced the PSD content of protein kinase A (PKA) as well as surface expression of GluR1 in NAc. However, reduced surface expression was not associated with changes in PKA phosphorylation of GluR1. This series of experiments demonstrates that proteomic analysis provides a useful tool for identifying proteins that can regulate cocaine relapse and that AKAP proteins may contribute to relapse vulnerability by promoting increased surface expression of AMPA receptors in the NAc.
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Steinkellner T, Freissmuth M, Sitte HH, Montgomery T. The ugly side of amphetamines: short- and long-term toxicity of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'Ecstasy'), methamphetamine and D-amphetamine. Biol Chem 2011; 392:103-15. [PMID: 21194370 DOI: 10.1515/bc.2011.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Amphetamine ('Speed'), methamphetamine ('Ice') and its congener 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'Ecstasy') are illicit drugs abused worldwide for their euphoric and stimulant effects. Despite compelling evidence for chronic MDMA neurotoxicity in animal models, the physiological consequences of such toxicity in humans remain unclear. In addition, distinct differences in the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of MDMA between species and different strains of animals prevent the rationalisation of realistic human dose paradigms in animal studies. Here, we attempt to review amphetamine toxicity and in particular MDMA toxicity in the pathogenesis of exemplary human pathologies, independently of confounding environmental factors such as poly-drug use and drug purity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Steinkellner
- Centre for Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Währingerstrasse 13a, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Kaushal N, Robson MJ, Vinnakota H, Narayanan S, Avery BA, McCurdy CR, Matsumoto RR. Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of 6-acetyl-3-(4-(4-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazin-1-yl)butyl)benzo[d]oxazol-2(3H)-one (SN79), a cocaine antagonist, in rodents. AAPS JOURNAL 2011; 13:336-46. [PMID: 21494909 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-011-9274-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2011] [Accepted: 04/04/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Cocaine interacts with monoamine transporters and sigma (σ) receptors, providing logical targets for medication development. In the present study, in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies were conducted to characterize SN79, a novel compound which was evaluated for cocaine antagonist actions. Radioligand binding studies showed that SN79 had a nanomolar affinity for σ receptors and a notable affinity for 5-HT(2) receptors, and monoamine transporters. It did not inhibit major cytochrome P450 enzymes, including CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2C19, CYP2C9*1, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4, suggesting a low propensity for potential drug-drug interactions. Oral administration of SN79 reached peak in vivo concentrations after 1.5 h and exhibited a half-life of just over 7.5 h in male, Sprague-Dawley rats. Behavioral studies conducted in male, Swiss Webster mice, intraperitoneal or oral dosing with SN79 prior to a convulsive or locomotor stimulant dose of cocaine led to a significant attenuation of cocaine-induced convulsions and locomotor activity. However, SN79 produced sedation and motor incoordination on its own at higher doses, to which animals became tolerant with repeated administration. SN79 also significantly attenuated the development and expression of the sensitized response to repeated cocaine exposures. The ability of SN79 to significantly attenuate the acute and subchronic effects of cocaine provides a promising compound lead to the development of an effective pharmacotherapy against cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Kaushal
- Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, 26506, USA
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Perra S, Clements MA, Bernier BE, Morikawa H. In vivo ethanol experience increases D(2) autoinhibition in the ventral tegmental area. Neuropsychopharmacology 2011; 36:993-1002. [PMID: 21248720 PMCID: PMC3077268 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2010.237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Alcoholism is characterized by compulsive alcohol intake after a history of chronic consumption. A reduction in mesolimbic dopaminergic transmission observed during abstinence may contribute to the negative affective state that drives compulsive intake. Although previous in vivo recording studies in rodents have demonstrated profound decreases in the firing activity of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons after withdrawal from long-term ethanol exposure, the cellular mechanisms underlying this reduced activity are not well understood. Somatodendritic dopamine release within the VTA exerts powerful feedback inhibition of dopamine neuron activity via stimulation of D(2) autoreceptors and subsequent activation of G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K(+) (GIRK) channels. Here, by performing patch-clamp recordings from putative dopamine neurons in the VTA of mouse brain slices, we show that D(2) receptor/GIRK-mediated inhibition becomes more potent and exhibits less desensitization after withdrawal from repeated in vivo ethanol exposure (2 g/kg, i.p., three times daily for 7 days). In contrast, GABA(B) receptor/GIRK-mediated inhibition and its desensitization are not affected. Chelating cytosolic Ca(2+) with BAPTA augments D(2) inhibition and suppresses its desensitization in control mice, while these effects of BAPTA are occluded in ethanol-treated mice. Furthermore, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3))-induced intracellular Ca(2+) release and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II are selectively involved in the desensitization of D(2), but not GABA(B), receptor signaling. Consistent with this, activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors that are coupled to IP(3) generation leads to cross-desensitization of D(2)/GIRK-mediated responses. We propose that enhancement of D(2) receptor-mediated autoinhibition via attenuation of a Ca(2+)-dependent desensitization mechanism may contribute to the hypodopaminergic state during ethanol withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Perra
- Section of Neurobiology, Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Michael A Clements
- Section of Neurobiology, Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Brian E Bernier
- Section of Neurobiology, Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hitoshi Morikawa
- Section of Neurobiology, Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Section of Neurobiology, Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2400 Speedway, PAT 402, Austin, TX 78712, USA. Tel: +1 512 232 9299, Fax: +1 512 471 3878, E-mail:
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Schmidt HD, Pierce RC. Cocaine-induced neuroadaptations in glutamate transmission: potential therapeutic targets for craving and addiction. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2010; 1187:35-75. [PMID: 20201846 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05144.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence indicates that repeated exposure to cocaine leads to profound changes in glutamate transmission in limbic nuclei, particularly the nucleus accumbens. This review focuses on preclinical studies of cocaine-induced behavioral plasticity, including behavioral sensitization, self-administration, and the reinstatement of cocaine seeking. Behavioral, pharmacological, neurochemical, electrophysiological, biochemical, and molecular biological changes associated with cocaine-induced plasticity in glutamate systems are reviewed. The ultimate goal of these lines of research is to identify novel targets for the development of therapies for cocaine craving and addiction. Therefore, we also outline the progress and prospects of glutamate modulators for the treatment of cocaine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heath D Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Jackson KJ, Walters CL, Damaj MI. Beta 2 subunit-containing nicotinic receptors mediate acute nicotine-induced activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II-dependent pathways in vivo. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2009; 330:541-9. [PMID: 19435931 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.109.153171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotine is the addictive component of tobacco, and successful smoking cessation therapies must address the various processes that contribute to nicotine addiction. Thus, understanding the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes and subsequent molecular cascades activated after nicotine exposure is of the utmost importance in understanding the progression of nicotine dependence. One possible candidate is the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) pathway. Substrates of this kinase include the vesicle-associated protein synapsin I and the transcription factor cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). The goal of these studies was to examine these postreceptor mechanisms after acute nicotine treatment in vivo. We first show that administration of nicotine increases CaMKII activity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and amygdala. In beta2 nAChR knockout (KO) mice, nicotine does not induce an increase in kinase activity, phosphorylated (p)Synapsin I, or pCREB. In contrast, alpha7 nAChR KO mice show nicotine-induced increases in CaMKII activity and pCREB, similar to their wild-type littermates. Moreover, we show that when animals are pretreated with the CaMKII inhibitors 4-[(2S)-2-[(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl) methylamino]-3-oxo-3-(4-phenyl-1-piperazinyl)propyl]phenyl isoquinolinesulfonic acid ester (KN-62) and N-[2-[[[3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2 propenyl]methylamino]methyl]phenyl]-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-4-methoxybenzenesulphonamide (KN-93), nicotine-induced increase in the kinase activity and pCREB was attenuated in the VTA and NAc, whereas pretreatment with (2-[N-(4-methoxybenzenesulfonyl)]amino-N-(4-chlorocinnamyl)-N-methylbenzylamine, phosphate) (KN-92), the inactive analog, did not alter the nicotine-induced increase in pCREB. Taken together, these data suggest that the nicotine-induced increase in CaMKII activity may correlate with the nicotine-induced increase in pSynapsin I and pCREB in the VTA and NAc via beta2 subunit-containing nAChRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J Jackson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298-0613, USA
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Jones DC, Lakatos A, Rogge GA, Kuhar MJ. Regulation of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript mRNA expression by calcium-mediated signaling in GH3 cells. Neuroscience 2009; 160:339-47. [PMID: 19258027 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.02.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2008] [Revised: 02/20/2009] [Accepted: 02/23/2009] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated-transcript (CART) peptides are associated with multiple physiological processes, including, feeding, body weight, and the response to drugs of abuse. CART mRNA and peptide levels and the expression of the CART gene appears to be under the control of a number of extra- and intra-cellular factors including the transcription factor, cAMP response element binding protein (CREB). Similar to the effects of CART, Ca(2+) signaling leads to the phosphorylation of CREB and has been associated with both feeding and the actions of psychostimulants; therefore, we hypothesized that Ca(2+) may play a role in CART gene regulation. We used real-time PCR (rtPCR) and GH3 cells to examine the effect of ionomycin, which increases intracellular Ca(2+), on CART mRNA levels. Ionomycin increased CART mRNA in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The effect of ionomycin appeared transient as CART mRNA had returned to control levels 3 h following treatment. Calmidazolium and KN93, inhibitors of calmodulin and Ca(2+)-modulated protein (CaM) kinases respectively, attenuated the effect of ionomycin (10 microM) on CART mRNA levels suggesting a calmodulin-dependent mechanism. Western immunoblotting indicated that ionomycin increased phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein (pCREB) levels and electrophoretic mobility shift assay/supershift assay using antibodies against pCREB demonstrated increased levels of a CART oligo/pCREB protein complex. Finally, we showed that injection of ionomycin into the rat nucleus accumbens increases CART mRNA levels. To our knowledge, this is the first study providing evidence that the CART gene is, in part, regulated by Ca(2+)/CaM/CREB-dependent cell signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- D C Jones
- Division of Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center of Emory University, 945 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
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Lull ME, Freeman WM, Vrana KE, Mash DC. Correlating human and animal studies of cocaine abuse and gene expression. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2008; 1141:58-75. [PMID: 18991951 DOI: 10.1196/annals.1441.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Gene expression changes resulting from cocaine abuse in both humans and animal models have been studied for several decades. Although human studies have been very useful at illuminating cocaine-related expression changes, there are many factors complicating these studies, including the difficulty of obtaining high-quality postmortem brain tissue and patient comorbidities. Animal models of cocaine abuse have served as valuable additions to human data and allow examination of specific aspects of cocaine abuse, including immediate early gene expression and the molecular effects of abstinence and relapse. In total, human and animal studies of cocaine abuse have uncovered gene expression changes in the brain related to a number of molecular functions, including the extracellular matrix, synaptic communication and neuroplasticity, receptors, ion channels and transporters, oligodendrocytes and myelin, apoptosis and cell death, mitochondrial function, signal transduction, and transcription factors. In addition, the mitogen-activated protein kinase and synaptic long-term potentiation signal transduction pathways are highlighted as pathways in which multiple components are altered by cocaine. Pathways and processes affected by changes in gene expression that overlap among multiple species may be promising pharmacotherapeutic targets for reducing the behavioral effects of cocaine abuse and the relapse potential observed in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda E Lull
- Department of Pharmacology, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
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Sepehrizadeh Z, Bahrololoumi Shapourabadi M, Ahmadi S, Hashemi Bozchlou S, Zarrindast MR, Sahebgharani M. DECREASED AMPA GLuR2, BUT NOT GLuR3, mRNA EXPRESSION IN RAT AMYGDALA AND DORSAL HIPPOCAMPUS FOLLOWING MORPHINE-INDUCED BEHAVIOURAL SENSITIZATION. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2008; 35:1321-30. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1681.2008.05004.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Liu Y, Chen X. Cholinergic excitation of dopaminergic cells depends on sequential activation of protein kinase C and the L-type calcium channel in ventral tegmental area slices. Brain Res 2008; 1245:41-51. [PMID: 18929546 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2008.09.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2008] [Accepted: 09/22/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Dopaminergic projections from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) constitute the mesolimbocortical system that underlies addiction and psychosis primarily as the result of increased dopaminergic transmission. Dopaminergic neurons in the VTA receive glutamatergic and cholinergic innervations that regulate their firing activities. Both transmitter systems can activate protein kinase C (PKC) by increasing intracellular calcium and lipid second messengers, however, whether PKC mediates increased firing following glutamatergic and cholinergic activation remains unknown. This paper examined the effects of acute PKC inhibition on firing responses to carbachol, NMDA or AMPA using patch clamp recordings from brain slices. The three ligands all induced a reversible increase in firing, however, only carbachol-induced increase in firing was attenuated by the PKC inhibitors chelerythrine or GF 109203X. The L-type calcium channel blocker nifedipine partially blocked carbachol-induced excitation similar to PKC inhibitors. PKC inhibition and L-type channel blockade did not significantly alter NMDA- or AMPA-induced excitation. Concurrent blockade of PKC and L-type channels with chelerythrine and nifedipine did not additively suppress carbachol-induced excitation indicating they were sequential events in the same signaling pathway. Furthermore, preincubation with the PKC inhibitor GF 109203X reduced the carbachol-induced increase in nifedipine-sensitive high-voltage gated calcium currents. These results indicate that cholinergic activation enhances PKC activity, which in turn facilitates L-type channel opening to excite dopaminergic cells, a finding that is in line with reports of increased PKC in the VTA in animals displaying addictive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudan Liu
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada A1B3V6
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Abstract
Although drugs of abuse have different chemical structures and interact with different protein targets, all appear to usurp common neuronal systems that regulate reward and motivation. Addiction is a complex disease that is thought to involve drug-induced changes in synaptic plasticity due to alterations in cell signaling, gene transcription, and protein synthesis. Recent evidence suggests that drugs of abuse interact with and change a common network of signaling pathways that include a subset of specific protein kinases. The best studied of these kinases are reviewed here and include extracellular signal-regulated kinase, cAMP-dependent protein kinase, cyclin-dependent protein kinase 5, protein kinase C, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, and Fyn tyrosine kinase. These kinases have been implicated in various aspects of drug addiction including acute drug effects, drug self-administration, withdrawal, reinforcement, sensitization, and tolerance. Identifying protein kinase substrates and signaling pathways that contribute to the addicted state may provide novel approaches for new pharmacotherapies to treat drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Lee
- Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, Department of Neurology, University of California at San Francisco, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
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Wang F, Chen H, Sharp BM. Neuroadaptive changes in the mesocortical glutamatergic system during chronic nicotine self-administration and after extinction in rats. J Neurochem 2008; 106:943-56. [PMID: 18466321 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05456.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Nicotine self-administration causes adaptation in the mesocorticolimbic glutamatergic system, including the up-regulation of ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits. We therefore determined the effects of nicotine self-administration and extinction on NMDA-induced glutamate neurotransmission between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). On day 19 of nicotine SA, both regions were microdialyzed for glutamate while mPFC was sequentially perfused with Kreb's Ringer buffer (KRB), 200 microM NMDA, KRB, 500 microM NMDA, KRB, and 100 mM KCl. Basal glutamate levels were unaffected, but nicotine self-administration significantly potentiated mPFC glutamate release to 200 microM NMDA, which was ineffective in controls. Furthermore, in VTA, nicotine self-administration significantly amplified glutamate responses to both mPFC infusions of NMDA. This hyper-responsive glutamate neurotransmission and enhanced glutamate subunit expression were reversed by extinction. Behavioral studies also showed that a microinjection of 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (NMDA-R antagonist) into mPFC did not affect nicotine or sucrose self-administration. However, in VTA, NBQX (AMPA-R antagonist) attenuated both nicotine and sucrose self-administration. Collectively, these studies indicate that mesocortical glutamate neurotransmission adapts to chronic nicotine self-administration and VTA AMPA-R may be involved in the maintenance of nicotine self-administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennesse, USA
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Fernandez-Espejo E, Ramiro-Fuentes S, Portavella M, Moreno-Paublete R. Role for D-serine within the ventral tegmental area in the development of cocaine's sensitization. Neuropsychopharmacology 2008; 33:995-1003. [PMID: 17609678 DOI: 10.1038/sj.npp.1301495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Repeated exposure to cocaine results in motor sensitization that, in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), is associated to enhanced glutamate release, which in turn leads to enhanced calcium levels in dopaminergic neurons. Calcium influx activates calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinases such as CaMKII. D-Serine could participate on these effects, and the objective was to discern the role of VTA D-serine after a sensitizing regimen of cocaine (10 mg/kg daily), and to discern consequent expression changes in CaMKII and its activated form. For this purpose, D-serine, sodium benzoate (inhibitor of D-amino acid oxidase, the degradating enzyme of D-serine), and 7-chlorokynurenate (inhibitor of the glycine site of NMDA receptors) were injected into the VTA (in either the induction or expression phase of sensitization), and activation state of CaMKII was assessed through blotting. The findings indicated that intra-VTA administration of D-serine (5 mM) and sodium benzoate (100 and 200 microg/microl) during the induction phase (not expression) reliably augmented the expression of behavioral sensitization to cocaine, providing evidence that D-serine in the VTA participates in the initiation of motor sensitization to this psychostimulant drug. Intra-VTA infusions of D-serine, sodium benzoate and 7-chlorokynurenate did not elicit a motor effect of their own. Confirming the important role of NMDA receptors and their activation at the glycine site, the employment of 7-chlorokynurenate (2 and 5 microg/microl) led to blocking of the development of sensitization to cocaine. CaMKII within the VTA was found to participate in D-serine's effects because this kinase, that is activated after repeated cocaine, was further activated after co-treatment with D-serine or sodium benzoate. Besides CaMKII activity was otherwise reduced by 7-chlorokynurenate.
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Anderson SM, Famous KR, Sadri-Vakili G, Kumaresan V, Schmidt HD, Bass CE, Terwilliger EF, Cha JHJ, Pierce RC. CaMKII: a biochemical bridge linking accumbens dopamine and glutamate systems in cocaine seeking. Nat Neurosci 2008; 11:344-53. [PMID: 18278040 DOI: 10.1038/nn2054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 252] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2007] [Accepted: 01/24/2008] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Increases in dopamine and glutamate transmission in the nucleus accumbens independently promote the reinstatement of cocaine seeking, an animal model of relapse. Here we have tested whether cocaine reinstatement in rats depends on interactions between accumbal dopamine and glutamate systems that are mediated by Ca(2+)/calmodulin-mediated kinase II (CaMKII). We show that stimulation of D1-like dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell reinstates cocaine seeking by activating L-type Ca(2+) channels and CaMKII. Cocaine reinstatement is associated with D1-like dopamine receptor-dependent increases in accumbens shell CaMKII phosphorylated on Thr286 and glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1) phosphorylated on Ser831 (a known CaMKII phosphorylation site), in addition to increases in cell-surface expression of GluR1-containing AMPA receptors in the shell. Consistent with these findings, cocaine reinstatement is attenuated by intra-shell administration of AAV10-GluR1-C99, a vector that impairs the transport of GluR1-containing AMPA receptors. Thus, CaMKII may be an essential link between accumbens shell dopamine and glutamate systems involved in the neuronal plasticity underlying cocaine craving and relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon M Anderson
- Department of Pharmacology, Boston University School of Medicine, 715 Albany Street, L603, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
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Licata SC, Rowlett JK. Abuse and dependence liability of benzodiazepine-type drugs: GABA(A) receptor modulation and beyond. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2008; 90:74-89. [PMID: 18295321 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2008.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2007] [Revised: 12/14/2007] [Accepted: 01/02/2008] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Over the past several decades, benzodiazepines and the newer non-benzodiazepines have become the anxiolytic/hypnotics of choice over the more readily abused barbiturates. While all drugs from this class act at the GABA(A) receptor, benzodiazepine-type drugs offer the clear advantage of being safer and better tolerated. However, there is still potential for these drugs to be abused, and significant evidence exists to suggest that this is a growing problem. This review examines the behavioral determinants of the abuse and dependence liability of benzodiazepine-type drugs. Moreover, the pharmacological and putative biochemical basis of the abuse-related behavior is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie C Licata
- McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478, United States.
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Famous KR, Schmidt HD, Pierce RC. When administered into the nucleus accumbens core or shell, the NMDA receptor antagonist AP-5 reinstates cocaine-seeking behavior in the rat. Neurosci Lett 2007; 420:169-73. [PMID: 17513051 PMCID: PMC2713683 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2007.04.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2007] [Revised: 04/27/2007] [Accepted: 04/30/2007] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Nucleus accumbens glutamate transmission plays a critical role in cocaine priming-induced reinstatement of drug seeking. Previous studies have demonstrated that systemic or intra-accumbens shell administration of an NMDA receptor antagonist reinstates cocaine-seeking behavior. However, it is unclear if antagonizing NMDA receptors in the nucleus accumbens core or shell subregions will differentially affect cocaine reinstatement. To investigate this possibility, we microinjected the competitive NMDA receptor antagonist AP-5 (0, 3 or 30 microg) into either the nucleus accumbens core or shell and assessed the reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior. When microinjected into the shell, both doses of AP-5 produced reinstatement of cocaine seeking. In contrast, when administered into the core, only the highest dose of AP-5 reinstated cocaine-seeking behavior; moreover, the magnitude of this effect was substantially less than when AP-5 was administered into the shell. This study provides evidence that pharmacological antagonism of NMDA receptors in the nucleus accumbens core or shell promotes the reinstatement of cocaine seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie R Famous
- Department of Pharmacology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
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Zhen X, Goswami S, Abdali SA, Frankfurt M, Friedman E. Estrogen-modulated frontal cortical CaMKII activity and behavioral supersensitization induced by prolonged cocaine treatment in female rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2007; 191:323-31. [PMID: 17160679 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-006-0648-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2006] [Accepted: 11/07/2006] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Females have been demonstrated repeatedly to be more sensitive to cocaine. The role of the frontal cortex (FCX) in mediating behavioral sensitization and the underlying signaling pathways are unclear. OBJECTIVE The study was designed to characterize the role of FCX calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) activity in the behavioral supersensitization observed in female rats after prolonged cocaine exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS Intact female rats that received cocaine for 9 days followed by 7 days of drug withdrawal constituted the model used for studying the mechanism of supersensitization. RESULTS This cocaine withdrawal treatment resulted in behavioral supersensitization in intact female rats as indicated by an enhanced behavioral response to cocaine challenge assessed on day 16 (7-day withdrawal) and compared to the response on day 9 of cocaine treatment. This treatment regimen did not lead to supersensitization in male or in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Administration of estrogen to OVX rats restored behavioral supersensitivity to repeated cocaine. FCX CaMKII activity was significantly altered by cocaine in females, and this effect was related to estrogen's presence; cocaine-induced changes in striatal CaMKII activity were, however, less estrogen-sensitive. Furthermore, estrogen-modulated FCX CaMKII activity in cocaine-supersensitized rats was dependent on D(1) dopamine receptor activation. CONCLUSION Estrogen-modulated D(1) dopamine receptor activity mediates the effects of prolonged cocaine exposure on FCX CaMKII, and this, in turn, may contribute to the development of behavioral supersensitivity to repeated cocaine treatment in intact female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuechu Zhen
- Department of Physiology/Pharmacology, The City University of New York at CCNY, 138th Street and Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031, USA.
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Leo D, di Porzio U, Racagni G, Riva MA, Fumagalli F, Perrone-Capano C. Chronic cocaine administration modulates the expression of transcription factors involved in midbrain dopaminergic neuron function. Exp Neurol 2006; 203:472-80. [PMID: 17070804 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2006.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2006] [Revised: 08/30/2006] [Accepted: 08/31/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Chronic cocaine use leads to pronounced alterations in neuronal functions in brain circuits associated with reward. In the present study, we examined in the rat midbrain the effects of acute, subchronic (5 days) and chronic cocaine treatments (14 days) on the gene expression of transcription factors involved in the development and maintenance of dopaminergic neurons. We show that chronic, but not acute or subchronic, cocaine administration downregulates Nurr1 and Pitx3 transcripts whereas En1 transcripts are upregulated. Conversely, Lmx1b and En2 transcripts are not affected by the drug treatment, indicating that the modulation of the midbrain transcription factors analyzed is highly selective. Interestingly, modification of the gene expression for these transcription factors persists in midbrain as long as two weeks after the last drug administration, suggesting that it may account for some of the enduring alterations in midbrain dopaminergic circuits associated with chronic cocaine use.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Leo
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics A. Buzzati Traverso, CNR, Via Pietro Castellino, 111, 80131-Naples, Italy
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Fumagalli F, Bedogni F, Frasca A, Di Pasquale L, Racagni G, Riva MA. Corticostriatal Up-Regulation of Activity-Regulated Cytoskeletal-Associated Protein Expression after Repeated Exposure to Cocaine. Mol Pharmacol 2006; 70:1726-34. [PMID: 16908598 DOI: 10.1124/mol.106.026302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We provide evidence that cocaine evokes short- and long-lasting increases in activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc) expression after a finely tuned, time-dependent and regional-selective expression profile. Acute experiments revealed that cocaine up-regulates Arc expression primarily in striatum and prefrontal cortex through a dopamine D1-dependent mechanism and a combination of D1- and D2-dependent mechanisms, respectively. Aside from cocaine-dependent Arc elevation, we show for the first time that D1 and D2 receptors tonically regulate basal Arc expression following a regional-selective profile. As opposed to the effects of a single cocaine injection on Arc expression, which dissipate within 24 h, subchronic (five daily injections) or chronic (14 daily injections) cocaine administration, with animals sacrificed hours or days after the last treatment, demonstrated that Arc expression is still up-regulated long after treatment cessation, suggesting that adaptive changes have been set in motion by the prolonged administration of the psychostimulant. In summary, our findings are the first to demonstrate that repeated exposure to cocaine leads to long-lasting dysregulation of Arc expression in the corticostriatal network, thus establishing a molecular basis to explain, at least partially, the impaired synaptic transmission caused by cocaine abuse at this level. Furthermore, given the role exerted by Arc in cytoarchitectural rearrangements, it is conceivable to speculate that it mediates changes in synaptic connectivity brought about by cocaine. Our findings thus pinpoint this molecule as a neuropathological underpinning and molecular bridge that connects short- and long-term neuronal modifications associated with cocaine abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Center of Neuropharmacology, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Heusner CL, Palmiter RD. Expression of mutant NMDA receptors in dopamine D1 receptor-containing cells prevents cocaine sensitization and decreases cocaine preference. J Neurosci 2006; 25:6651-7. [PMID: 16014726 PMCID: PMC6725423 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1474-05.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction of dopamine and glutamate in limbic brain regions mediates behaviors associated with psychostimulants, which act in part to increase dopamine signaling at both D1 receptors (D1Rs) and D2 receptors. Many addictive behaviors are a result of learned associations, and NMDA receptor activation has been shown to be important for these behaviors. We hypothesized that if NMDA receptor activation in dopamine receptor-containing cells is required for the addictive properties of psychostimulants, then mice with reduced NMDA receptor activity in D1R-containing cells would have attenuated long-term behavioral changes to these drugs. We generated a mouse line in which D1R-containing cells express an NR1 NMDA receptor subunit containing a mutation in the pore that reduces calcium flux. Mice expressing the mutant NMDA receptors in D1R-containing cells have normal basal activity and display similar increases in locomotor activity when treated with acute amphetamine or cocaine. However, the mutant mice fail to display locomotor sensitization to repeated cocaine administration. In addition, these mice also have a decreased ability to form a conditioned place preference to cocaine. These data suggest that intact NMDA receptor signaling in D1R-containing cells is required for the manifestation of behaviors associated with repeated drug exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie L Heusner
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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Dunn JM, Inderwies BR, Licata SC, Pierce RC. Repeated administration of AMPA or a metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist into the rat ventral tegmental area augments the subsequent behavioral hyperactivity induced by cocaine. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2005; 179:172-80. [PMID: 15580483 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-004-2054-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2004] [Accepted: 09/22/2004] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Glutamate receptors and their related second messengers in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are known to play critical roles in the initiation of behavioral sensitization to cocaine. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the hypothesis that repeated intra-VTA microinjections of the ionotropic glutamate agonist, AMPA, or the metabotropic glutamate agonist, t-ACPD, augment the behavioral hyperactivity induced by a subsequent challenge injection of cocaine. In addition, the dependency of the t-ACPD effect on activation of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaM-Ks) was assessed. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats received four once-daily microinjections of saline, AMPA, t-ACPD, or t-ACPD plus the CaM-KII inhibitor KN-93 directly into the VTA; locomotor activity was measured for 120 min after each of the daily treatments. One week after the 4 treatment days, all animals received a challenge injection of cocaine (15 mg/kg, IP) and behavioral activity was monitored for 120 min. RESULTS Intra-VTA administration of t-ACPD increased behavioral activity only on the first 2 treatment days, an effect that was blocked by pre-treatment with KN-93. Administration of AMPA into the VTA, in contrast, produced behavioral hyperactivity that sensitized over the 4 treatment days. Following the cocaine challenge injection, there was an augmentation of cocaine-induced behavioral hyperactivity in the groups pretreated with AMPA or t-ACPD but not in the animals administered t-ACPD plus KN-93. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that repeated stimulation of AMPA or metabotropic glutamate receptors in the VTA mimics the initiation of behavioral sensitization to cocaine. The present findings also suggest that glutamate agonist-induced activation of CaM-KII in the VTA plays a critical role in the behavioral and neuronal plasticity induced by repeated cocaine injections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Dunn
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Boston University School of Medicine, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
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