1
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Holt LM, Nestler EJ. Astrocytic transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms of drug addiction. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024; 131:409-424. [PMID: 37940687 PMCID: PMC11066772 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02716-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Addiction is a leading cause of disease burden worldwide and remains a challenge in current neuroscience research. Drug-induced lasting changes in gene expression are mediated by transcriptional and epigenetic regulation in the brain and are thought to underlie behavioral adaptations. Emerging evidence implicates astrocytes in regulating drug-seeking behaviors and demonstrates robust transcriptional response to several substances of abuse. This review focuses on the astrocytic transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms of drug action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne M Holt
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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2
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Campbell RR, Lobo MK. Neurobiological mechanisms underlying psychostimulant use. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 83:102786. [PMID: 37776675 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Rates of individuals struggling with psychostimulant use disorder (PSUD), defined as chronic use of psychostimulants despite negative consequences, are growing rapidly over the last few decades. However, there are no current pharmacotherapeutics to aid individuals in maintaining drug abstinence. Identifying the underlying neurobiological mechanisms that promote persistent craving and taking of psychostimulants is critical to creating novel pharmacological treatments for PSUD. Psychostimulant use dysregulates processes within the brain that are responsible for decision-making, reward, and memory formation to drive future drug-seeking. Here, we describe novel findings and theories on how psychostimulants impact mechanisms related to transcription, mitochondrial function, and synaptic plasticity within the reward system to drive drug-seeking. We also highlight work examining how psychostimulants impact neural networks through rewiring circuitry to drive addiction-related behaviors. Overall, this review aims to feature the latest progress in understanding the biological basis of PSUD and promising mechanisms for PSUD pharmacotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rianne R Campbell
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. https://twitter.com/RianneThoughts
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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3
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Barnett D, Bohmbach K, Grelot V, Charlet A, Dallérac G, Ju YH, Nagai J, Orr AG. Astrocytes as Drivers and Disruptors of Behavior: New Advances in Basic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targeting. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7463-7471. [PMID: 37940585 PMCID: PMC10634555 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1376-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are emerging as key regulators of cognitive function and behavior. This review highlights some of the latest advances in the understanding of astrocyte roles in different behavioral domains across lifespan and in disease. We address specific molecular and circuit mechanisms by which astrocytes modulate behavior, discuss their functional diversity and versatility, and highlight emerging astrocyte-targeted treatment strategies that might alleviate behavioral and cognitive dysfunction in pathologic conditions. Converging evidence across different model systems and manipulations is revealing that astrocytes regulate behavioral processes in a precise and context-dependent manner. Improved understanding of these astrocytic functions may generate new therapeutic strategies for various conditions with cognitive and behavioral impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Barnett
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10021
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10021
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10021
| | - Kirsten Bohmbach
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Valentin Grelot
- Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, 67000, France
| | - Alexandre Charlet
- Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, 67000, France
| | - Glenn Dallérac
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Paris-Saclay University, Paris-Saclay Institute for Neurosciences, Paris, 91400, France
| | - Yeon Ha Ju
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, University of Texas-Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas 78712
| | - Jun Nagai
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Laboratory for Glia-Neuron Circuit Dynamics, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Anna G Orr
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10021
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10021
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10021
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4
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Verkhratsky A, Butt A, Li B, Illes P, Zorec R, Semyanov A, Tang Y, Sofroniew MV. Astrocytes in human central nervous system diseases: a frontier for new therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:396. [PMID: 37828019 PMCID: PMC10570367 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01628-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Astroglia are a broad class of neural parenchymal cells primarily dedicated to homoeostasis and defence of the central nervous system (CNS). Astroglia contribute to the pathophysiology of all neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders in ways that can be either beneficial or detrimental to disorder outcome. Pathophysiological changes in astroglia can be primary or secondary and can result in gain or loss of functions. Astroglia respond to external, non-cell autonomous signals associated with any form of CNS pathology by undergoing complex and variable changes in their structure, molecular expression, and function. In addition, internally driven, cell autonomous changes of astroglial innate properties can lead to CNS pathologies. Astroglial pathophysiology is complex, with different pathophysiological cell states and cell phenotypes that are context-specific and vary with disorder, disorder-stage, comorbidities, age, and sex. Here, we classify astroglial pathophysiology into (i) reactive astrogliosis, (ii) astroglial atrophy with loss of function, (iii) astroglial degeneration and death, and (iv) astrocytopathies characterised by aberrant forms that drive disease. We review astroglial pathophysiology across the spectrum of human CNS diseases and disorders, including neurotrauma, stroke, neuroinfection, autoimmune attack and epilepsy, as well as neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, metabolic and neuropsychiatric disorders. Characterising cellular and molecular mechanisms of astroglial pathophysiology represents a new frontier to identify novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Verkhratsky
- International Joint Research Centre on Purinergic Signalling/School of Health and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- Achucarro Centre for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, LT-01102, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Arthur Butt
- Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Baoman Li
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Peter Illes
- International Joint Research Centre on Purinergic Signalling/School of Health and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Rudolf Boehm Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, 04109, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robert Zorec
- Celica Biomedical, Lab Cell Engineering, Technology Park, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology-Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alexey Semyanov
- Department of Physiology, Jiaxing University College of Medicine, 314033, Jiaxing, China
| | - Yong Tang
- International Joint Research Centre on Purinergic Signalling/School of Health and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture for Senile Disease (Chengdu University of TCM), Ministry of Education/Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China.
| | - Michael V Sofroniew
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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5
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Blum K, Gold MS, Cadet JL, Gondre-Lewis MC, McLaughlin T, Braverman ER, Elman I, Paul Carney B, Cortese R, Abijo T, Bagchi D, Giordano J, Dennen CA, Baron D, Thanos PK, Soni D, Makale MT, Makale M, Murphy KT, Jafari N, Sunder K, Zeine F, Ceccanti M, Bowirrat A, Badgaiyan RD. Invited Expert Opinion- Bioinformatic and Limitation Directives to Help Adopt Genetic Addiction Risk Screening and Identify Preaddictive Reward Dysregulation: Required Analytic Evidence to Induce Dopamine Homeostatsis. MEDICAL RESEARCH ARCHIVES 2023; 11:10.18103/mra.v11i8.4211. [PMID: 37885438 PMCID: PMC10601302 DOI: 10.18103/mra.v11i8.4211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Addiction, albeit some disbelievers like Mark Lewis [1], is a chronic, relapsing brain disease, resulting in unwanted loss of control over both substance and non- substance behavioral addictions leading to serious adverse consequences [2]. Addiction scientists and clinicians face an incredible challenge in combatting the current opioid and alcohol use disorder (AUD) pandemic throughout the world. Provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that from July 2021-2022, over 100,000 individuals living in the United States (US) died from a drug overdose, and 77,237 of those deaths were related to opioid use [3]. This number is expected to rise, and according to the US Surgeon General it is highly conceivable that by 2025 approximately 165,000 Americans will die from an opioid overdose. Alcohol abuse, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), results in 3 million deaths worldwide every year, which represents 5.3% of all deaths globally [4].
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Blum
- The Kenneth Blum Behavioral & Neurogenetic Institute, Austin, TX., USA
- Division of Addiction Research & Education, Center for Sports, Exercise & Psychiatry, Western University Health Sciences, Pomona, CA., USA
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT.,USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine and Dayton VA Medical Centre, Dayton, OH, USA
- Division of Nutrigenomics Research, TranspliceGen Therapeutics, Inc., Austin, Tx., 78701, USA
- Department of Nutrigenomic Research, Victory Nutrition International, Inc., Bonita Springs, FL, USA
- Division of Personalized Medicine, Cross-Cultural Research and Educational Institute, San Clemente, CA., USA
- Sunder Foundation, Palm Springs, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | - Mark S Gold
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO., USA
| | - Jean Lud Cadet
- Molecular Neuropsychiatry Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD., USA
| | - Marjorie C. Gondre-Lewis
- Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC., USA
| | - Thomas McLaughlin
- Division of Nutrigenomics Research, TranspliceGen Therapeutics, Inc., Austin, Tx., 78701, USA
| | - Eric R Braverman
- The Kenneth Blum Behavioral & Neurogenetic Institute, Austin, TX., USA
| | - Igor Elman
- Center for Pain and the Brain (P.A.I.N Group), Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA., USA
| | - B. Paul Carney
- Division Pediatric Neurology, University of Missouri, School of Medicine, Columbia, MO., USA
| | - Rene Cortese
- Department of Child Health – Child Health Research Institute, & Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health School of Medicine, University of Missouri, MO., USA
| | - Tomilowo Abijo
- Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC., USA
| | - Debasis Bagchi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
| | - John Giordano
- Division of Personalized Mental Illness Treatment & Research, Ketamine Infusion Clinics of South Florida, Pompano Beach, Fl., USA
| | - Catherine A. Dennen
- Department of Family Medicine, Jefferson Health Northeast, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David Baron
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Panayotis K Thanos
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Diwanshu Soni
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA., USA
| | - Milan T. Makale
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, UC San Diego, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0819, USA
| | - Miles Makale
- Department of Psychology, UC San Diego, Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | | | - Nicole Jafari
- Department of Human Development, California State University at long Beach, Long Beach, CA., USA
- Division of Personalized Medicine, Cross-Cultural Research and Educational Institute, San Clemente, CA., USA
| | - Keerthy Sunder
- Department of Psychiatry, Menifee Global Medical Center, Palm Desert, CA., USA
- Sunder Foundation, Palm Springs, CA, USA
| | - Foojan Zeine
- Awareness Integration Institute, San Clemente, CA., USA
- Department of Health Science, California State University at Long Beach, Long Beach, CA., USA
| | - Mauro Ceccanti
- Società Italiana per il Trattamento dell’Alcolismo e le sue Complicanze (SITAC), ASL Roma1, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Abdalla Bowirrat
- Department of Molecular Biology and Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | - Rajendra D. Badgaiyan
- Department of Psychiatry, South Texas Veteran Health Care System, Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Center, San Antonio, TX., USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Mt Sinai University School of Medicine, New York, NY., USA
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6
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Phillips RA, Tuscher JJ, Fitzgerald ND, Wan E, Zipperly ME, Duke CG, Ianov L, Day JJ. Distinct subpopulations of D1 medium spiny neurons exhibit unique transcriptional responsiveness to cocaine. Mol Cell Neurosci 2023; 125:103849. [PMID: 36965548 PMCID: PMC10898607 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2023.103849] [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: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Drugs of abuse increase extracellular concentrations of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), resulting in transcriptional alterations that drive long-lasting cellular and behavioral adaptations. While decades of research have focused on the transcriptional mechanisms by which drugs of abuse influence neuronal physiology and function, few studies have comprehensively defined NAc cell type heterogeneity in transcriptional responses to drugs of abuse. Here, we used single nucleus RNA-seq (snRNA-seq) to characterize the transcriptome of over 39,000 NAc cells from male and female adult Sprague-Dawley rats following acute or repeated cocaine experience. This dataset identified 16 transcriptionally distinct cell populations, including two populations of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) that express the Drd1 dopamine receptor (D1-MSNs). Critically, while both populations expressed classic marker genes of D1-MSNs, only one population exhibited a robust transcriptional response to cocaine. Validation of population-selective transcripts using RNA in situ hybridization revealed distinct spatial compartmentalization of these D1-MSN populations within the NAc. Finally, analysis of published NAc snRNA-seq datasets from non-human primates and humans demonstrated conservation of MSN subtypes across rat and higher order mammals, and further highlighted cell type-specific transcriptional differences across the NAc and broader striatum. These results highlight the utility in using snRNA-seq to characterize both cell type heterogeneity and cell type-specific responses to cocaine and provides a useful resource for cross-species comparisons of NAc cell composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Phillips
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jennifer J Tuscher
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - N Dalton Fitzgerald
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Ethan Wan
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Morgan E Zipperly
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Corey G Duke
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Lara Ianov
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA; Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jeremy J Day
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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7
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Gawande DY, Shelkar GP, Narasimhan KKS, Liu J, Dravid SM. GluN2D subunit-containing NMDA receptors regulate reticular thalamic neuron function and seizure susceptibility. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 181:106117. [PMID: 37031803 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Thalamic regulation of cortical function is important for several behavioral aspects including attention and sensorimotor control. This region has also been studied for its involvement in seizure activity. Among the NMDA receptor subunits GluN2C and GluN2D are particularly enriched in several thalamic nuclei including nucleus reticularis of the thalamus (nRT). We have previously found that GluN2C deletion does not have a strong influence on the basal excitability and burst firing characteristics of reticular thalamus neurons. Here we find that GluN2D ablation leads to reduced depolarization-induced spike frequency and reduced hyperpolarization-induced rebound burst firing in nRT neurons. Furthermore, reduced inhibitory neurotransmission was observed in the ventrobasal thalamus (VB). A model with preferential downregulation of GluN2D from parvalbumin (PV)-positive neurons was generated. Conditional deletion of GluN2D from PV neurons led to a decrease in excitability and burst firing. In addition, reduced excitability and burst firing was observed in the VB neurons together with reduced inhibitory neurotransmission. Finally, young mice with GluN2D downregulation in PV neurons showed significant resistance to pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure and differences in sensitivity to isoflurane anesthesia but were normal in other behaviors. Conditional deletion of GluN2D from PV neurons also affected expression of other GluN2 subunits and GABA receptor in the nRT. Together, these results identify a unique role of GluN2D-containing receptors in the regulation of thalamic circuitry and seizure susceptibility which is relevant to mutations in GRIN2D gene found to be associated with pediatric epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh Y Gawande
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA.
| | - Gajanan P Shelkar
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
| | - Kishore Kumar S Narasimhan
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
| | - Jinxu Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
| | - Shashank M Dravid
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA.
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8
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Yang J, Chen J, Liu Y, Chen KH, Baraban JM, Qiu Z. Ventral tegmental area astrocytes modulate cocaine reward by tonically releasing GABA. Neuron 2023; 111:1104-1117.e6. [PMID: 36681074 PMCID: PMC10079641 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Addictive drugs increase ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neuron activity through distinct cellular mechanisms, one of which involves disinhibition of DA neurons by inhibiting local GABA neurons. How drugs regulate VTA GABA neuron activity and drive addictive behaviors remains poorly understood. Here, we show that astrocytes control VTA GABA neuron activity in cocaine reward via tonic inhibition in mice. Repeated cocaine exposure potentiates astrocytic tonic GABA release through volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) and augments tonic inhibition of VTA GABA neurons, thus downregulating their activities and disinhibiting nucleus accumbens (NAc) projecting DA neurons. Attenuation of tonic inhibition by either deleting Swell1 (Lrrc8a), the obligatory subunit of VRACs, in VTA astrocytes or disrupting δ subunit of GABAA receptors in VTA GABA neurons reduces cocaine-evoked changes in neuron activity, locomotion, and reward behaviors in mice. Together, our findings reveal the critical role of astrocytes in regulating the VTA local circuit and cocaine reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Yang
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jianan Chen
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Yongqing Liu
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kevin Hong Chen
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jay M Baraban
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Zhaozhu Qiu
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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9
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Zhang J, Zhang M, Wang Q, Wen H, Liu Z, Wang F, Wang Y, Yao F, Song N, Kou Z, Li Y, Guo F, Zhu S. Distinct structure and gating mechanism in diverse NMDA receptors with GluN2C and GluN2D subunits. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:629-639. [PMID: 36959261 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-00959-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are heterotetramers comprising two GluN1 and two alternate GluN2 (N2A-N2D) subunits. Here we report full-length cryo-EM structures of the human N1-N2D di-heterotetramer (di-receptor), rat N1-N2C di-receptor and N1-N2A-N2C tri-heterotetramer (tri-receptor) at a best resolution of 3.0 Å. The bilobate N-terminal domain (NTD) in N2D intrinsically adopts a closed conformation, leading to a compact NTD tetramer in the N1-N2D receptor. Additionally, crosslinking the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of two N1 protomers significantly elevated the channel open probability (Po) in N1-N2D di-receptors. Surprisingly, the N1-N2C di-receptor adopted both symmetric (minor) and asymmetric (major) conformations, the latter further locked by an allosteric potentiator, PYD-106, binding to a pocket between the NTD and LBD in only one N2C protomer. Finally, the N2A and N2C subunits in the N1-N2A-N2C tri-receptor display a conformation close to one protomer in the N1-N2A and N1-N2C di-receptors, respectively. These findings provide a comprehensive structural understanding of diverse function in major NMDA receptor subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jilin Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for Neurological and Psychiatric Research and Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Han Wen
- DP Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Zheyi Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
| | - Fangjun Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, China
| | | | - Fenyong Yao
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Nan Song
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zengwei Kou
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Li
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for Neurological and Psychiatric Research and Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Guo
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for Neurological and Psychiatric Research and Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shujia Zhu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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10
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Phillips RA, Tuscher JJ, Fitzgerald ND, Wan E, Zipperly ME, Duke CG, Ianov L, Day JJ. Distinct subpopulations of D1 medium spiny neurons exhibit unique transcriptional responsiveness to cocaine. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.12.523845. [PMID: 36711527 PMCID: PMC9882178 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.12.523845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Drugs of abuse increase extracellular concentrations of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), resulting in transcriptional alterations that drive long-lasting cellular and behavioral adaptations. While decades of research have focused on the transcriptional mechanisms by which drugs of abuse influence neuronal physiology and function, few studies have comprehensively defined NAc cell type heterogeneity in transcriptional responses to drugs of abuse. Here, we used single nucleus RNA-seq (snRNA-seq) to characterize the transcriptome of over 39,000 NAc cells from male and female adult Sprague-Dawley rats following acute or repeated cocaine experience. This dataset identified 16 transcriptionally distinct cell populations, including two populations of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) that express the Drd1 dopamine receptor (D1-MSNs). Critically, while both populations expressed classic marker genes of D1-MSNs, only one population exhibited a robust transcriptional response to cocaine. Validation of population-selective transcripts using RNA in situ hybridization revealed distinct spatial compartmentalization of these D1-MSN populations within the NAc. Finally, analysis of published NAc snRNA-seq datasets from non-human primates and humans demonstrated conservation of MSN subtypes across rat and higher order mammals, and further highlighted cell type-specific transcriptional differences across the NAc and broader striatum. These results highlight the utility in using snRNA-seq to characterize both cell type heterogeneity and cell type-specific responses to cocaine and provides a useful resource for cross-species comparisons of NAc cell composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A. Phillips
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jennifer J. Tuscher
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - N. Dalton Fitzgerald
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Ethan Wan
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Morgan E. Zipperly
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Corey G. Duke
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Lara Ianov
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA,Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jeremy J. Day
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA,Correspondence to Jeremy Day ( ∣ day-lab.org ∣ @DayLabUAB)
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