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Carrette L, Santos A, Brennan M, Othman D, Collazo A, George O. Antagonists of the stress and opioid systems restore the functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex during alcohol withdrawal through divergent mechanisms. bioRxiv 2024:2023.09.30.560339. [PMID: 37873478 PMCID: PMC10592857 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.30.560339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Chronic alcohol consumption leads to dependence and withdrawal symptoms upon cessation, contributing to persistent use. However, the brain network mechanisms by which the brain orchestrates alcohol withdrawal and how these networks are affected by pharmacological treatments remain elusive. Recent work revealed that alcohol withdrawal produces a widespread increase in coordinated brain activity and a decrease in modularity of the whole-brain functional network using single-cell whole-brain imaging of immediate early genes. This decreased modularity and functional hyperconnectivity are hypothesized to be novel biomarkers of alcohol withdrawal in alcohol dependence, which could potentially be used to evaluate the efficacy of new medications for alcohol use disorder. However, there is no evidence that current FDA-approved medications or experimental treatments known to reduce alcohol drinking in animal models can normalize the changes in whole-brain functional connectivity. In this report, we tested the effect of R121919, a CRF1 antagonist, and naltrexone, an FDA-approved treatment for alcohol use disorder, on whole-brain functional connectivity using the cellular marker FOS combined with graph theory and advanced network analyses. Results show that both R121919 and naltrexone restored the functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex during alcohol withdrawal, but through divergent mechanisms. Specifically, R121919 increased FOS activation in the prefrontal cortex, partially restored modularity, and normalized connectivity, particularly in CRF1-rich regions, including the prefrontal, pallidum, and extended amygdala circuits. On the other hand, naltrexone decreased FOS activation throughout the brain, decreased modularity, and increased connectivity overall except for the Mu opioid receptor-rich regions, including the thalamus. These results identify the brain networks underlying the pharmacological effects of R121919 and naltrexone and demonstrate that these drugs restored different aspects of functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex, pallidum, amygdala, and thalamus during alcohol withdrawal. Notably, these effects were particularly prominent in CRF1- and Mu opioid receptors-rich regions highlighting the potential of whole-brain functional connectivity using FOS as a tool for identifying neuronal network mechanisms underlying the pharmacological effects of existing and new medications for alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- L.L.G. Carrette
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - A. Santos
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - M. Brennan
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - D. Othman
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - A. Collazo
- Beckman Institute, CalTech, Passadena, CA, United States
| | - O. George
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Patton MS, Sheats SH, Siclair AN, Mathur BN. Alcohol potentiates multiple GABAergic inputs to dorsal striatum fast-spiking interneurons. Neuropharmacology 2023; 232:109527. [PMID: 37011784 PMCID: PMC10122715 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Parvalbumin-expressing dorsal striatal fast-spiking interneurons, comprising ∼1% of the total dorsal striatal neuronal population, are necessary for the expression of compulsive-like ethanol consumption mice. Fast-spiking interneurons are driven to fire by glutamatergic inputs derived primarily from the cortex. However, these neurons also receive substantial GABAergic input from two sources: the globus pallidus and the reticular nucleus of the thalamus. How ethanol modulates inhibitory input onto fast-spiking neurons is unclear and, more broadly, alcohol effects on GABAergic synaptic transmission onto GABAergic interneurons are understudied. Examining this, we found that acute bath application of ethanol (50 mM) potentiated GABAergic transmission from both the globus pallidus and the reticular nucleus of the thalamus onto fast-spiking interneurons in mouse of both sexes. This ethanol-induced potentiation required postsynaptic calcium and was not accompanied by a sustained change in presynaptic GABA release probability. Examining whether this ethanol effect persisted following chronic intermittent ethanol exposure, we found attenuated acute-ethanol potentiation of GABAergic transmission from both the globus pallidus and the reticular nucleus of the thalamus onto striatal fast-spiking interneurons. These data underscore the impact of ethanol on GABAergic signaling in the dorsal striatum and support the notion that ethanol may disinhibit the dorsolateral striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Patton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Samuel H Sheats
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Allison N Siclair
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Brian N Mathur
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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3
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Khom S, Borgonetti V, Vozella V, Kirson D, Rodriguez L, Gandhi P, Bianchi PC, Snyder A, Vlkolinsky R, Bajo M, Oleata CS, Ciccocioppo R, Roberto M. Glucocorticoid receptors regulate central amygdala GABAergic synapses in Marchigian-Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 25:100547. [PMID: 37547774 PMCID: PMC10401345 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Impairments in the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and enhanced glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activity in the central amygdala (CeA) are critical mechanisms in the pathogenesis of alcohol use disorder (AUD). The GR antagonist mifepristone attenuates craving in AUD patients, alcohol consumption in AUD models, and decreases CeA γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transmission in alcohol-dependent rats. Previous studies suggest elevated GR activity in the CeA of male alcohol-preferring Marchigian-Sardinian (msP) rats, but its contribution to heightened CeA GABA transmission driving their characteristic post-dependent phenotype is largely unknown. We determined Nr3c1 (the gene encoding GR) gene transcription in the CeA in male and female msP and Wistar rats using in situ hybridization and studied acute effects of mifepristone (10 μM) and its interaction with ethanol (44 mM) on pharmacologically isolated spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) and electrically evoked inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (eIPSPs) in the CeA using ex vivo slice electrophysiology. Female rats of both genotypes expressed more CeA GRs than males, suggesting a sexually dimorphic GR regulation of CeA activity. Mifepristone reduced sIPSC frequencies (GABA release) and eIPSP amplitudes in msP rats of both sexes, but not in their Wistar counterparts; however, it did not prevent acute ethanol-induced increase in CeA GABA transmission in male rats. In msP rats, GR regulates CeA GABAergic signaling under basal conditions, indicative of intrinsically active GR. Thus, enhanced GR function in the CeA represents a key mechanism contributing to maladaptive behaviors associated with AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, Vienna, A 1090, Austria
| | - Vittoria Borgonetti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Valentina Vozella
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Dean Kirson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Larry Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Pauravi Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Paula Cristina Bianchi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP 04024-002, Brazil
| | - Angela Snyder
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Christopher S Oleata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Sicher AR, Starnes WD, Griffith KR, Dao NC, Smith GC, Brockway DF, Crowley NA. Adolescent binge drinking leads to long-lasting changes in cortical microcircuits in mice. Neuropharmacology 2023; 234:109561. [PMID: 37137354 PMCID: PMC10386078 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Adolescent drug consumption has increased risks to the individual compared to consumption in adulthood, due to the likelihood of long-term and permanent behavioral and neurological adaptations. However, little is known about how adolescent alcohol consumption influences the maturation and trajectory of cortical circuit development. Here, we explore the consequences of adolescent binge drinking on somatostatin (SST) neuronal function in superficial layers of the prelimbic (PL) cortex in male and female SST-Ai9 mice. We find that adolescent drinking-in-the-dark (DID) produces sex-dependent increases in intrinsic excitability of SST neurons, with no change in overall SST cell number, persisting well into adulthood. While we did not find evidence of altered GABA release from SST neurons onto other neurons within the circuit, we found a complementary reduction in layer II/III pyramidal neuron excitability immediately after binge drinking; however, this hypoexcitability rebounded towards increased pyramidal neuron activity in adulthood in females, suggesting long-term homeostatic adaptations in this circuit. Together, this suggests that binge drinking during key developmental timepoints leads to permanent changes in PL microcircuitry function, which may have broad behavioral implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery R Sicher
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Biology, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - William D Starnes
- Department of Biology, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Keith R Griffith
- Department of Biology, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Nigel C Dao
- Department of Biology, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Grace C Smith
- Department of Biology, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Dakota F Brockway
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Biology, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Nicole A Crowley
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Biology, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Center for Neural Engineering, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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5
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Lovinger DM, Roberto M. Synaptic Effects Induced by Alcohol. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023:10.1007/7854_2022_412. [PMID: 36765015 PMCID: PMC11104446 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Ethanol (EtOH) has effects on numerous cellular molecular targets, and alterations in synaptic function are prominent among these effects. Acute exposure to EtOH activates or inhibits the function of proteins involved in synaptic transmission, while chronic exposure often produces opposing and/or compensatory/homeostatic effects on the expression, localization, and function of these proteins. Interactions between different neurotransmitters (e.g., neuropeptide effects on release of small molecule transmitters) can also influence both acute and chronic EtOH actions. Studies in intact animals indicate that the proteins affected by EtOH also play roles in the neural actions of the drug, including acute intoxication, tolerance, dependence, and the seeking and drinking of EtOH. The present chapter is an update of our previous Lovinger and Roberto (Curr Top Behav Neurosci 13:31-86, 2013) chapter and reviews the literature describing these acute and chronic synaptic effects of EtOH with a focus on adult animals and their relevance for synaptic transmission, plasticity, and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Lovinger
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Molecular Medicine Department, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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de Guglielmo G, Simpson S, Kimbrough A, Conlisk D, Baker R, Cantor M, Kallupi M, George O. Voluntary and forced exposure to ethanol vapor produces similar escalation of alcohol drinking but differential recruitment of brain regions related to stress, habit, and reward in male rats. Neuropharmacology 2023; 222:109309. [PMID: 36334765 PMCID: PMC10022477 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
A major limitation of the most widely used current animal models of alcohol dependence is that they use forced exposure to ethanol including ethanol-containing liquid diet and chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor to produce clinically relevant blood alcohol levels (BAL) and addiction-like behaviors. We recently developed a novel animal model of voluntary induction of alcohol dependence using ethanol vapor self-administration (EVSA). However, it is unknown whether EVSA leads to an escalation of alcohol drinking per se, and whether such escalation is associated with neuroadaptations in brain regions related to stress, reward, and habit. To address these issues, we compared the levels of alcohol drinking during withdrawal between rats passively exposed to alcohol (CIE) or voluntarily exposed to EVSA and measured the number of Fos+ neurons during acute withdrawal (16 h) in key brain regions important for stress, reward, and habit-related processes. CIE and EVSA rats exhibited similar BAL and similar escalation of alcohol drinking and motivation for alcohol during withdrawal. Acute withdrawal from EVSA and CIE recruited a similar number of Fos+ neurons in the Central Amygdala (CeA), however, acute withdrawal from EVSA recruited a higher number of Fos+ neurons in every other brain region analyzed compared to acute withdrawal from CIE. In summary, while the behavioral measures of alcohol dependence between the voluntary (EVSA) and passive (CIE) model were similar, the recruitment of neuronal ensembles during acute withdrawal was very different. The EVSA model may be particularly useful to unveil the neuronal networks and pharmacology responsible for the voluntary induction and maintenance of alcohol dependence and may improve translational studies by providing preclinical researchers with an animal model that highlights the volitional aspects of alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sierra Simpson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Adam Kimbrough
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47906, USA
| | - Dana Conlisk
- Univ. Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocenter Magendie, Psychobiology of Drug Addiction Group, U1215, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Robert Baker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Maxwell Cantor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marsida Kallupi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Seiglie MP, Lepeak L, Velázquez-Sanchez C, Ferragud A, Le T, Cottone P, Sabino V. The Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide (PACAP) System of the Central Amygdala Mediates the Detrimental Effects of Chronic Social Defeat Stress in Rats. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO. [PMID: 36566434 DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0260-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Many psychiatric diseases stem from an inability to cope with stressful events, as chronic stressors can precipitate or exacerbate psychopathologies. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying the response to chronic stress and the resulting anxiety states remain poorly understood. Stress neuropeptides in the extended amygdala circuitry mediate the behavioral response to stress, and hyperactivity of these systems has been hypothesized to be responsible for the emergence of persistent negative outcomes and for the pathogenesis of anxiety-related and trauma-related disorders. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and its receptor PAC1R are highly expressed within the central amygdala (CeA) and play a key role in stress regulation. Here, we used chronic social defeat stress (CSDS), a clinically relevant model of psychosocial stress that produces robust maladaptive behaviors in rodents. We found that 10 days of CSDS cause a significant increase in PACAP levels selectively in the CeA of rats, as well as an increase in PAC1R mRNA. Using a viral vector strategy, we found that PAC1R knock-down in the CeA attenuates the CSDS-induced body weight loss and prevents the CSDS-induced increase in anxiety-like behavior. Notably, CSDS animals display reduced basal corticosterone (CORT) levels and PAC1R knock-down in CeA further reduce them. Finally, the CeA PAC1R knock-down blocks the increase in corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) immunoreactivity induced by CSDS in CeA. Our findings support the notion that the persistent activation of the PACAP-PAC1R system in the CeA mediates the behavioral outcomes of chronic psychosocial stress independently of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, perhaps via the recruitment of the CRF system.
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Rodriguez L, Kirson D, Wolfe SA, Patel RR, Varodayan FP, Snyder AE, Gandhi PJ, Khom S, Vlkolinsky R, Bajo M, Roberto M. Alcohol Dependence Induces CRF Sensitivity in Female Central Amygdala GABA Synapses. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:7842. [PMID: 35887190 PMCID: PMC9318832 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronically relapsing disease characterized by loss of control in seeking and consuming alcohol (ethanol) driven by the recruitment of brain stress systems. However, AUD differs among the sexes: men are more likely to develop AUD, but women progress from casual to binge drinking and heavy alcohol use more quickly. The central amygdala (CeA) is a hub of stress and anxiety, with corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-CRF1 receptor and Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)-ergic signaling dysregulation occurring in alcohol-dependent male rodents. However, we recently showed that GABAergic synapses in female rats are less sensitive to the acute effects of ethanol. Here, we used patch-clamp electrophysiology to examine the effects of alcohol dependence on the CRF modulation of rat CeA GABAergic transmission of both sexes. We found that GABAergic synapses of naïve female rats were unresponsive to CRF application compared to males, although alcohol dependence induced a similar CRF responsivity in both sexes. In situ hybridization revealed that females had fewer CeA neurons containing mRNA for the CRF1 receptor (Crhr1) than males, but in dependence, the percentage of Crhr1-expressing neurons in females increased, unlike in males. Overall, our data provide evidence for sexually dimorphic CeA CRF system effects on GABAergic synapses in dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larry Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Dean Kirson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Sarah A. Wolfe
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Reesha R. Patel
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Florence P. Varodayan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| | - Angela E. Snyder
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Pauravi J. Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
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9
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Varodayan FP, Patel RR, Matzeu A, Wolfe SA, Curley DE, Khom S, Gandhi PJ, Rodriguez L, Bajo M, D'Ambrosio S, Sun H, Kerr TM, Gonzales RA, Leggio L, Natividad LA, Haass-Koffler CL, Martin-Fardon R, Roberto M. The Amygdala Noradrenergic System Is Compromised With Alcohol Use Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:1008-1018. [PMID: 35430085 PMCID: PMC9167785 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a leading preventable cause of death. The central amygdala (CeA) is a hub for stress and AUD, while dysfunction of the noradrenaline stress system is implicated in AUD relapse. METHODS Here, we investigated whether alcohol (ethanol) dependence and protracted withdrawal alter noradrenergic regulation of the amygdala in rodents and humans. Male adult rats were housed under control conditions, subjected to chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure to induce dependence, or withdrawn from chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure for 2 weeks, and ex vivo electrophysiology, biochemistry (catecholamine quantification by high-performance liquid chromatography), in situ hybridization, and behavioral brain-site specific pharmacology studies were performed. We also used real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to assess gene expression of α1B, β1, and β2 adrenergic receptors in human postmortem brain tissue from men diagnosed with AUD and matched control subjects. RESULTS We found that α1 receptors potentiate CeA GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) transmission and drive moderate alcohol intake in control rats. In dependent rats, β receptors disinhibit a subpopulation of CeA neurons, contributing to their excessive drinking. Withdrawal produces CeA functional recovery with no change in local noradrenaline tissue concentrations, although there are some long-lasting differences in the cellular patterns of adrenergic receptor messenger RNA expression. In addition, postmortem brain analyses reveal increased α1B receptor messenger RNA in the amygdala of humans with AUD. CONCLUSIONS CeA adrenergic receptors are key neural substrates of AUD. Identification of these novel mechanisms that drive alcohol drinking, particularly during the alcohol-dependent state, supports ongoing new medication development for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence P Varodayan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center and Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York
| | - Reesha R Patel
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California; Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Alessandra Matzeu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Sarah A Wolfe
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Dallece E Curley
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Pauravi J Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Larry Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Shannon D'Ambrosio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Hui Sun
- Clinical Core Laboratory, Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Tony M Kerr
- College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Rueben A Gonzales
- College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland; Medication Development Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland; Division of Addiction Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC
| | - Luis A Natividad
- College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Carolina L Haass-Koffler
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Rémi Martin-Fardon
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California.
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10
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Barney TM, Vore AS, Trapp SL, Finkenberg CL, Pugliesi DR, Schmalzle MM, Evans SH, Varlinskaya EI, Deak T. Circulating corticosterone levels mediate the relationship between acute ethanol intoxication and markers of NF-κB activation in male rats. Neuropharmacology 2022; 210:109044. [PMID: 35341791 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Binge drinking is a harmful pattern of alcohol use that is associated with a number of serious health problems. Of particular interest are the rapid alterations in neuroimmune gene expression and the concurrent activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation associated with high intensity drinking. Using a rat model of acute binge-like ethanol exposure, the present studies were designed to assess the role of corticosterone (CORT) in ethanol-induced neuroimmune gene expression changes, particularly those associated with the NFκB signaling pathway, including rapid induction of IL-6 and IκBα, and suppression of IL-1β and TNFα gene expression evident after administration of moderate to high doses of ethanol (1.5-3.5 g/kg ip) during intoxication (3 h post-injection). Experiment 1 tested whether inhibition of CORT synthesis with metyrapone and aminoglutethimide (100 mg/kg each, sc) would block ethanol-induced changes in neuroimmune gene expression. Results indicated that rapid alterations in IκBα, IL-1β, and TNFα expression were completely blocked by pretreatment with the glucocorticoid synthesis inhibitors, an effect that was reinstated by co-administration of exogenous CORT (3.75 mg/kg) in Experiment 2. Experiment 3 assessed whether these rapid alterations in neuroimmune gene expression would be evident when rats were challenged with a subthreshold dose of ethanol (1.5 g/kg) in combination with 2.5 mg/kg CORT, which showed limited evidence for additive effects of low-dose CORT combined with a moderate dose of ethanol. Acute inhibition of mineralocorticoid (spironolactone) or glucocorticoid (mifepristone) receptors, alone (Experiment 4) or combined (Experiment 5) had no effect on ethanol-induced changes in neuroimmune gene expression, presumably due to poor CNS penetrance of these drugs. Finally, Experiments 6 and 7 showed that dexamethasone (subcutaneous; a GR agonist) recapitulated effects of ethanol. Overall, we conclude that ethanol-induced CORT synthesis and release is responsible for suppression of IL-1β, TNFα, and induction of IκBα in the hippocampus through GR signaling. Interventions designed to curb these changes may reduce drinking, and subdue detrimental neuroimmune activation induced by ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaddeus M Barney
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA
| | - Andrew S Vore
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA
| | - Sarah L Trapp
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA
| | - Cristal L Finkenberg
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA
| | - Dominique R Pugliesi
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA
| | - Megha M Schmalzle
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA
| | - Shani H Evans
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA
| | - Elena I Varlinskaya
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA
| | - Terrence Deak
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA.
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11
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Patel RR, Varodayan FP, Herman MA, Jimenez V, Agnore R, Gao L, Bajo M, Cuzon Carlson VC, Walter NA, Fei SS, Grant KA, Roberto M. Synaptic effects of IL-1β and CRF in the central amygdala after protracted alcohol abstinence in male rhesus macaques. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:847-56. [PMID: 34837077 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01231-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A major barrier to remission from an alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the continued risk of relapse during abstinence. Assessing the neuroadaptations after chronic alcohol and repeated abstinence is important to identify mechanisms that may contribute to relapse. In this study, we used a rhesus macaque model of long-term alcohol use and repeated abstinence, providing a platform to extend mechanistic findings from rodents to primates. The central amygdala (CeA) displays elevated GABA release following chronic alcohol in rodents and in abstinent male macaques, highlighting this neuroadaptation as a conserved mechanism that may underlie excessive alcohol consumption. Here, we determined circulating interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels, CeA transcriptomic changes, and the effects of IL-1β and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) signaling on CeA GABA transmission in male controls and abstinent drinkers. While no significant differences in peripheral IL-1β or the CeA transcriptome were observed, pathway analysis identified several canonical immune-related pathways. We addressed this potential dysregulation of CeA immune signaling in abstient drinkers with an electrophysiological approach. We found that IL-1β decreased CeA GABA release in controls while abstinent drinkers were less sensitive to IL-1β's effects, suggesting adaptations in the neuromodulatory role of IL-1β. In contrast, CRF enhanced CeA GABA release similarly in controls and abstinent drinkers, consistent with rodent studies. Notably, CeA CRF expression was inversely correlated with intoxication, suggesting that CRF levels during abstinence may predict future intoxication. Together, our findings highlight conserved and divergent actions of chronic alcohol on neuroimmune and stress signaling on CeA GABA transmission across rodents and macaques.
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12
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Khom S, Rodriguez L, Gandhi P, Kirson D, Bajo M, Oleata CS, Vendruscolo LF, Mason BJ, Roberto M. Alcohol dependence and withdrawal increase sensitivity of central amygdalar GABAergic synapses to the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone in male rats. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 164:105610. [PMID: 34995754 PMCID: PMC9301881 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant glucocorticoid signaling via glucocorticoid receptors (GR) plays a critical role in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Acute alcohol withdrawal and protracted abstinence in dependent rats are associated with increased GR signaling and changes in GR-mediated transcriptional activity in the rat central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). The GR antagonist mifepristone decreases alcohol consumption in dependent rats during acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence. Regulation of CeA synaptic activity by GR is currently unknown. Here, we utilized mifepristone and the selective GR antagonist CORT118335 (both at 10 μM) as pharmacological tools to dissect the role of GR on GABA transmission in male, adult Sprague-Dawley rats using slice electrophysiology. We subjected rats to chronic intermittent alcohol vapor exposure for 5–7 weeks to induce alcohol dependence. A subset of dependent rats subsequently underwent protracted alcohol withdrawal for 2 weeks, and air-exposed rats served as controls. Mifepristone reduced the frequency of pharmacologically-isolated spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSC) in the CeA (medial subdivision) without affecting postsynaptic measures in all groups, suggesting decreased GABA release with the largest effect in dependent rats. CORT118335 did not significantly alter GABA transmission in naive, but decreased sIPSC frequency in dependent rats. Similarly, mifepristone decreased amplitudes of evoked inhibitory postsynaptic potentials only in dependent rats and during protracted withdrawal. Collectively, our study provides insight into regulation of CeA GABAergic synapses by GR. Chronic ethanol enhances the efficiency of mifepristone and CORT118335, thus highlighting the potential of drugs targeting GR as a promising pharmacological avenue for the treatment of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Larry Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America
| | - Pauravi Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America
| | - Dean Kirson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 71 S Manassas, Memphis, TN 38163, United States of America
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America
| | - Christopher S Oleata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America
| | - Leandro F Vendruscolo
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21224, United States of America
| | - Barbara J Mason
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037, United States of America.
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13
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Dao NC, Brockway DF, Suresh Nair M, Sicher AR, Crowley NA. Somatostatin neurons control an alcohol binge drinking prelimbic microcircuit in mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1906-1917. [PMID: 34112959 PMCID: PMC8429551 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01050-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Somatostatin (SST) neurons have been implicated in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, but their role in substance use disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD), is not fully characterized. Here, we found that repeated cycles of alcohol binge drinking via the Drinking-in-the-Dark (DID) model led to hypoactivity of SST neurons in the prelimbic (PL) cortex by diminishing their action potential firing capacity and excitatory/inhibitory transmission dynamic. We examined their role in regulating alcohol consumption via bidirectional chemogenetic manipulation. Both hM3Dq-induced excitation and KORD-induced silencing of PL SST neurons reduced alcohol binge drinking in males and females, with no effect on sucrose consumption. Alcohol binge drinking disinhibited pyramidal neurons by augmenting SST neurons-mediated GABA release and synaptic strength onto other GABAergic populations and reducing spontaneous inhibitory transmission onto pyramidal neurons. Pyramidal neurons additionally displayed increased intrinsic excitability. Direct inhibition of PL pyramidal neurons via hM4Di was sufficient to reduce alcohol binge drinking. Together these data revealed an SST-mediated microcircuit in the PL that modulates the inhibitory dynamics of pyramidal neurons, a major source of output to subcortical targets to drive reward-seeking behaviors and emotional response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel C Dao
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Dakota F Brockway
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Malini Suresh Nair
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Avery R Sicher
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Nicole A Crowley
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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14
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Hughes BA, O'Buckley TK, Boero G, Herman MA, Morrow AL. Sex- and subtype-specific adaptations in excitatory signaling onto deep-layer prelimbic cortical pyramidal neurons after chronic alcohol exposure. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1927-36. [PMID: 34035471 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01034-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Long-term alcohol use results in behavioral deficits including impaired working memory, elevated anxiety, and blunted inhibitory control that is associated with prefrontal cortical (PFC) dysfunction. Preclinical observations demonstrate multiple impairments in GABAergic neurotransmission onto deep-layer principal cells (PCs) in the prelimbic cortex that suggest dependence-related cortical dysfunction is the product of elevated excitability in these cells. Despite accumulating evidence showing alcohol-induced changes in interneuron signaling onto PCs differ between sexes, there is limited data explicitly evaluating sex-specific ethanol effects on excitatory signaling onto deep-layer PCs that may further contribute to deficits in PFC-dependent behaviors. To address this, we conducted electrophysiological and behavioral tests in both male and female Sprague-Dawley rats to evaluate the effects of chronic ethanol exposure. Among our observations, we report a marked enhancement in glutamatergic signaling onto deep-layer PCs in male, but not female, rats after alcohol exposure. This phenomenon was furthermore specific to a sub-class of PC, sub-cortically projecting Type-A cells, and coincided with enhanced anxiety-like behavior, but no observable deficit in working memory. In contrast, female rats displayed alcohol-induced facilitation in working memory performance with no change in expression of anxiety-like behavior. Together, these results suggest fundamental differences in alcohol effects on cell activity, cortical sub-circuits, and PFC-dependent behaviors across male and female rats.
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15
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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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16
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Kisby BR, Farris SP, McManus MM, Varodayan FP, Roberto M, Harris RA, Ponomarev I. Alcohol Dependence in Rats Is Associated with Global Changes in Gene Expression in the Central Amygdala. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11091149. [PMID: 34573170 PMCID: PMC8468792 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11091149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol dependence is associated with adverse consequences of alcohol (ethanol) use and is evident in most severe cases of alcohol use disorder (AUD). The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) plays a critical role in the development of alcohol dependence and escalation of alcohol consumption in dependent subjects. Molecular mechanisms underlying the CeA-driven behavioral changes are not well understood. Here, we examined the effects of alcohol on global gene expression in the CeA using a chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor model in rats and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). The CIE procedure resulted in robust changes in CeA gene expression during intoxication, as the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was significantly greater than those expected by chance. Over-representation analysis of cell types, functional groups and molecular pathways revealed biological categories potentially important for the development of alcohol dependence in our model. Genes specific for astrocytes, myelinating oligodendrocytes, and endothelial cells were over-represented in the DEG category, suggesting that these cell types were particularly affected by the CIE procedure. The majority of the over-represented functional groups and molecular pathways were directly related to the functions of glial and endothelial cells, including extracellular matrix (ECM) organization, myelination, and the regulation of innate immune response. A coordinated regulation of several ECM metalloproteinases (e.g., Mmp2; Mmp14), their substrates (e.g., multiple collagen genes and myelin basic protein; Mbp), and a metalloproteinase inhibitor, Reck, suggests a specific mechanism for ECM re-organization in response to chronic alcohol, which may modulate neuronal activity and result in behavioral changes, such as an escalation of alcohol drinking. Our results highlight the importance of glial and endothelial cells in the effects of chronic alcohol exposure on the CeA, and demonstrate further insight into the molecular mechanisms of alcohol dependence in rats. These molecular targets may be used in future studies to develop therapeutics to treat AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent R. Kisby
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; (B.R.K.); (M.M.M.)
| | - Sean P. Farris
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78715, USA; (S.P.F.); (R.A.H.)
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA
| | - Michelle M. McManus
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; (B.R.K.); (M.M.M.)
| | - Florence P. Varodayan
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA;
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA;
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA;
| | - R. Adron Harris
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78715, USA; (S.P.F.); (R.A.H.)
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78741, USA
| | - Igor Ponomarev
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; (B.R.K.); (M.M.M.)
- Correspondence:
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17
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Matzeu A, Martin-Fardon R. Blockade of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 in the central amygdala prevents cocaine-seeking behaviour induced by orexin-A administered to the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus in male rats. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2021; 46:E459-E471. [PMID: 34318655 PMCID: PMC8519495 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.200213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Orexin-A (OrxA) administration in the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (pPVT) reinstates extinguished cocaine-seeking behaviour following extended access to the drug (a model of dependence). The pPVT receives and integrates information associated with emotionally salient events and sends excitatory inputs to brain regions involved in the expression of emotional states, such as those driving cocaine-seeking behaviour (i.e., the nucleus accumbens, the central nucleus of the amygdala [CeA], the basolateral amygdala, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis [BNST] and the prefrontal cortex). METHODS We monitored the activation pattern of these regions (measured by Fos) during cocaine-seeking induced by OrxA administered to the pPVT. The BNST and CeA emerged as being selectively activated. To test whether the functionality of these regions was pivotal during OrxA-induced cocaine-seeking behaviour, we transiently inactivated these regions concomitantly with OrxA administration to the pPVT. We then tested the participation of corticotropin-releasing factor receptors (CRF1) in the CeA during OrxA-induced cocaine-seeking using the CRF1 antagonist CP154526. RESULTS We observed selective activation of the CeA and BNST during cocaine-seeking induced by OrxA administered to the pPVT, but only transient inactivation of the CeA prevented cocaine-seeking behaviour. Administration of CP154526 to the CeA prevented OrxAinduced cocaine-seeking behaviour. LIMITATIONS The use of only male rats could have been a limitation. Other limitations could have been the use of an indirect approach to test the hypothesis that administration of OrxA to the pPVT drives cocaine-seeking via CRF1 signalling in the CeA, and a lack of analysis of the participation of CeA subregions. CONCLUSION Cocaine-seeking behaviour induced by OrxA administered to the pPVT is driven by activation of the CeA via CRF1 signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Matzeu
- From The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA (Matzeu, Martin-Fardon)
| | - Rémi Martin-Fardon
- From The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA (Matzeu, Martin-Fardon)
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18
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Kirson D, Khom S, Rodriguez L, Wolfe SA, Varodayan FP, Gandhi PJ, Patel RR, Vlkolinsky R, Bajo M, Roberto M. Sex Differences in Acute Alcohol Sensitivity of Naïve and Alcohol Dependent Central Amygdala GABA Synapses. Alcohol Alcohol 2021; 56:581-588. [PMID: 33912894 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agab034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is linked to hyperactivity of brain stress systems, leading to withdrawal states which drive relapse. AUD differs among the sexes, as men are more likely to have AUD than women, but women progress from casual use to binge and heavy alcohol use more quickly and are more likely to relapse into repetitive episodes of heavy drinking. In alcohol dependence animal models of AUD, the central amygdala (CeA) functions as a hub of stress and anxiety processing and gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic signaling within the CeA is involved in dependence-induced increases in alcohol consumption. We have shown dysregulation of CeA GABAergic synaptic signaling in alcohol dependence animal models, but previous studies have exclusively used males. METHODS Here, we used whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology to examine basal CeA GABAergic spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSC) and the effects of acute alcohol in both naïve and alcohol dependent rats of both sexes. RESULTS We found that sIPSC kinetics differ between females and males, as well as between naïve and alcohol-dependent animals, with naïve females having the fastest current kinetics. Additionally, we find differences in baseline current kinetics across estrous cycle stages. In contrast to the increase in sIPSC frequency routinely found in males, acute alcohol (11-88 mM) had no effect on sIPSCs in naïve females, however the highest concentration of alcohol increased sIPSC frequency in dependent females. CONCLUSION These results provide important insight into sex differences in CeA neuronal function and dysregulation with alcohol dependence and highlight the need for sex-specific considerations in the development of effective AUD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean Kirson
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Sophia Khom
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Larry Rodriguez
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Sarah A Wolfe
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Florence P Varodayan
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Pauravi J Gandhi
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Reesha R Patel
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Michal Bajo
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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19
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Scaplen KM, Petruccelli E. Receptors and Channels Associated with Alcohol Use: Contributions from Drosophila. Neurosci Insights 2021; 16:26331055211007441. [PMID: 33870197 PMCID: PMC8020223 DOI: 10.1177/26331055211007441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a debilitating disorder that manifests as problematic patterns of alcohol use. At the core of AUD's behavioral manifestations are the profound structural, physiological, cellular, and molecular effects of alcohol on the brain. While the field has made considerable progress in understanding the neuromolecular targets of alcohol we still lack a comprehensive understanding of alcohol's actions and effective treatment strategies. Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model for investigating the neuromolecular targets of alcohol because flies model many of the core behavioral elements of AUD and offer a rich genetic toolkit to precisely reveal the in vivo molecular actions of alcohol. In this review, we focus on receptors and channels that are often targeted by alcohol within the brain. We discuss the general roles of these proteins, their role in alcohol-associated behaviors across species, and propose ways in which Drosophila models can help advance the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin M Scaplen
- Department of Psychology, Bryant University, Smithfield, RI, USA
- Center for Health and Behavioral Studies, Bryant University, Smithfield, RI, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Emily Petruccelli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, USA
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20
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Abstract
Alcohol dependence is a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and drug-taking, loss of control in limiting intake, and the emergence of a withdrawal syndrome in the absence of the drug. Accumulating evidence suggests an important role for synaptic transmission in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) in mediating alcohol-related behaviors and neuroadaptive mechanisms associated with alcohol dependence. Acute alcohol facilitates γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic transmission in the CeA via both pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms, and chronic alcohol increases baseline GABAergic transmission. Acute alcohol inhibits glutamatergic transmission via effects at N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in the CeA, whereas chronic alcohol up-regulates NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-mediated transmission. Pro- (e.g., corticotropin-releasing factor [CRF]) and antistress (e.g., nociceptin/orphanin FQ, oxytocin) neuropeptides affect alcohol- and anxiety-related behaviors, and also alter the alcohol-induced effects on CeA neurotransmission. Alcohol dependence produces plasticity in these neuropeptide systems, reflecting a recruitment of those systems during the transition to alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Roberto
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Dean Kirson
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Sophia Khom
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
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21
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Li Q, Klein RC, Moore SD. Multiple sources of internal calcium stores mediate ethanol-induced presynaptic inhibitory GABA release in the central nucleus of the amygdala in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:3303-3314. [PMID: 32705289 PMCID: PMC7644111 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05613-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Ethanol can enhance GABA release in various brain regions via presynaptic mechanisms. However, the presynaptic action of ethanol on inhibitory GABA release is still not well understood. OBJECTIVES Since calcium is required for neurotransmitter release from presynaptic terminals, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of both internal and external calcium signaling in ethanol-induced enhancement of GABA release within the central amygdala nucleus (CeA) in acute brain slice preparations. METHODS Whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology was used to record miniature GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) from CeA neurons. Ethanol-enhanced mIPSCs were recorded in the presence of antagonists that regulate internal and external calcium-mediated processes. RESULTS Bath-applied ethanol dose-dependently increased the mean frequency of mIPSCs without altering mIPSC amplitude. Ethanol-induced increases in mIPSC frequency were antagonized by dantrolene, 2-APB, and the endoplasmic reticulum calcium pump (SERCA) antagonists thapsigargin and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). Blocking calcium release from mitochondria or via exocytosis with ruthenium red also attenuated mIPSCs while frequency was not altered in the presence of a non-selective calcium channel blocker cadmium. The L-type calcium blocker nifedipine, but not its analogue nimodipine, blocked ethanol-induced enhancement in CeA neurons. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate ethanol-induced presynaptic release of GABA is mediated by internal calcium stores and by disrupting neurotransmitter exocytosis within the CeA, a critical brain area involved in drugs of abuse and alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Li
- Addictions Division, Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
- VISN 6 MIRECC, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - Rebecca C Klein
- Addictions Division, Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
- VISN 6 MIRECC, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - Scott D Moore
- Addictions Division, Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.
- VISN 6 MIRECC, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.
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22
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Hedges DM, Yorgason JT, Brundage JN, Wadsworth HA, Williams B, Steffensen SC, Roberto M. Corticotropin releasing factor, but not alcohol, modulates norepinephrine release in the rat central nucleus of the amygdala. Neuropharmacology 2020; 179:108293. [PMID: 32871155 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol misuse and dependence is a widespread health problem. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) plays important roles in both the anxiety associated with alcohol (ethanol) dependence and the increased alcohol intake that is observed during withdrawal in dependent animals. We and others have shown the essential involvement of the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) system in alcohol's synaptic effects on the CeA and in the development of ethanol dependence. Another system that has been shown to be critically involved in the molecular underpinnings of alcohol dependence is the norepinephrine (NE) system originating in the locus coeruleus. Both the CRF and NE systems act in concert to facilitate a stress response: central amygdalar afferents release CRF in the locus coeruleus promoting widespread release of NE. In this study, we are the first to use fast-scan cyclic voltammetry to classify local electrically-evoked NE release in the CeA and to determine if acute alcohol and CRF modulate it. Evoked NE release is action potential dependent, is abolished after depletion of monoaminergic vesicles, differs pharmacologically from dopamine release, is insensitive to acute alcohol, and decreases in response to locally applied CRF. Taken together, these results indicate that NE release in the CeA is released canonically in a vesicular-dependent manner, and that while acute alcohol does not directly alter NE release, CRF decreases it. Our results suggest that CRF acts locally on NE terminals as negative feedback and potentially prevents hyperactivation of the CRF-norepinephrine stress pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Hedges
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
| | - Jordan T Yorgason
- Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
| | - James N Brundage
- Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | | | - Benjamin Williams
- Neuroscience Program, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | | | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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Khom S, Steinkellner T, Hnasko TS, Roberto M. Alcohol dependence potentiates substance P/neurokinin-1 receptor signaling in the rat central nucleus of amygdala. Sci Adv 2020; 6:eaaz1050. [PMID: 32206720 PMCID: PMC7080445 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz1050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral and clinical studies suggest a critical role of substance P (SP)/neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) signaling in alcohol dependence. Here, we examined regulation of GABA transmission in the medial subdivision of the central amygdala (CeM) by the SP/NK-1R system, and its neuroadaptation following chronic alcohol exposure. In naïve rats, SP increased action potential-dependent GABA release, and the selective NK-1R antagonist L822429 decreased it, demonstrating SP regulation of CeM activity under basal conditions. SP induced a larger GABA release in alcohol-dependent rats accompanied by decreased NK-1R expression compared to naïve controls, suggesting NK-1R hypersensitivity which persisted during protracted alcohol withdrawal. The NK-1R antagonist blocked acute alcohol-induced GABA release in alcohol-dependent and withdrawn but not in naïve rats, indicating that dependence engages the SP/NK-1R system to mediate acute effects of alcohol. Collectively, we report long-lasting CeA NK-1R hypersensitivity corroborating that NK-1Rs are promising targets for the treatment of alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Corresponding author. (M.R.); (S.K.)
| | - T. Steinkellner
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - T. S. Hnasko
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Research Service, VASDHS, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
| | - M. Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Corresponding author. (M.R.); (S.K.)
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24
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Kirson D, Oleata CS, Roberto M. Taurine Suppression of Central Amygdala GABAergic Inhibitory Signaling via Glycine Receptors Is Disrupted in Alcohol Dependence. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 44:445-454. [PMID: 31782155 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorder (AUD) increases brain stress systems while suppressing reward system functioning. One expression of stress system recruitment is elevated GABAergic activity in the central amygdala (CeA), which is involved in the excessive drinking seen with AUD. The sulfonic amino acid taurine, a glycine receptor partial agonist, modulates GABAergic activity in the rewarding effects of alcohol. Despite taurine abundance in the amygdala, its role in the dysregulation of GABAergic activity associated with AUD has not been studied. Thus, here, we evaluated the effects of taurine on locally stimulated GABAergic neurotransmission in the CeA of naïve- and alcohol-dependent rats. METHODS We recorded intracellularly from CeA neurons of naïve- and alcohol-dependent rats, quantifying locally evoked GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (eIPSP). We examined the effects of taurine and alcohol on CeA eIPSP to characterize potential alcohol dependence-induced changes in the effects of taurine. RESULTS We found that taurine decreased amplitudes of eIPSP in CeA neurons of naïve rats, without affecting the acute alcohol-induced facilitation of GABAergic responses. In CeA neurons from dependent rats, taurine no longer had an effect on eIPSP, but now blocked the ethanol (EtOH)-induced increase in eIPSP amplitude normally seen. Additionally, preapplication of the glycine receptor-specific antagonist strychnine blocked the EtOH-induced increase in eIPSP amplitude in neurons from naïve rats. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest taurine may act to oppose the effects of acute alcohol via the glycine receptor in the CeA of naïve rats, and this modulatory system is altered in the CeA of dependent rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean Kirson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, and Alcohol Research Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Christopher S Oleata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, and Alcohol Research Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, and Alcohol Research Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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25
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Centanni SW, Bedse G, Patel S, Winder DG. Driving the Downward Spiral: Alcohol-Induced Dysregulation of Extended Amygdala Circuits and Negative Affect. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:2000-2013. [PMID: 31403699 PMCID: PMC6779502 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) afflicts a large number of individuals, families, and communities globally. Affective disturbances, including stress, depression, and anxiety, are highly comorbid with AUD, contributing in some cases to initial alcohol use and continued use. Negative affect has a particularly strong influence on the withdrawal/abstinence stage of addiction as individuals with AUD frequently report stressful events, depression, and anxiety as key factors for relapse. Treatment options for negative affect associated with AUD are limited and often ineffective, highlighting the pressing need for preclinical studies examining the underlying neural circuitry driving AUD-associated negative affect. The extended amygdala (EA) is a set of brain areas collectively involved in generating and regulating affect, and extensive research has defined a critical role for the EA in all facets of substance use disorder. Here, we review the expansive historical literature examining the effects of ethanol exposure on the EA, with an emphasis on the complex EA neural circuitry driving negative affect in all phases of the alcohol addiction cycle. Specifically, this review focuses on the effects of alcohol exposure on the neural circuitry in 2 key components of the EA, the central nucleus of the amygdala and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Additionally, future directions are proposed to advance our understanding of the relationship between AUD-associated negative affect and neural circuitry in the EA, with the long-term goal of developing better diagnostic tools and new pharmacological targets aimed at treating negative affect in AUD. The concepts detailed here will serve as the foundation for a companion review focusing on the potential for the endogenous cannabinoid system in the EA as a novel target for treating the stress, anxiety, and negative emotional state driving AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel W. Centanni
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
- Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt J.F. Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Gaurav Bedse
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Sachin Patel
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
- Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt J.F. Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Danny G. Winder
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
- Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt J.F. Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA
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26
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Varodayan FP, Minnig MA, Steinman MQ, Oleata CS, Riley MW, Sabino V, Roberto M. PACAP regulation of central amygdala GABAergic synapses is altered by restraint stress. Neuropharmacology 2019; 168:107752. [PMID: 31476352 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) system plays a central role in the brain's emotional response to psychological stress by activating cellular processes and circuits associated with threat exposure. The neuropeptide PACAP and its main receptor PAC1 are expressed in the rodent central amygdala (CeA), a brain region critical in negative emotional processing, and CeA PACAPergic signaling drives anxiogenic and stress coping behaviors. Despite this behavioral evidence, PACAP's effects on neuronal activity within the medial subdivision of the CeA (CeM, the major output nucleus for the entire amygdala complex) during basal conditions and after psychological stress remain unknown. Therefore, in the present study, male Wistar rats were subjected to either restraint stress or control conditions, and PACAPergic regulation of CeM cellular function was assessed using immunohistochemistry and whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. Our results demonstrate that PACAP-38 potentiates GABA release in the CeM of naïve rats, via its actions at presynaptic PAC1. Basal PAC1 activity also enhances GABA release in an action potential-dependent manner. Notably, PACAP-38's facilitation of CeM GABA release was attenuated after a single restraint stress session, but after repeated sessions returned to the level observed in naïve animals. A single restraint session also significantly decreased PAC1 levels in the CeM, with repeated restraint sessions producing a slight recovery. Collectively our data reveal that PACAP/PAC1 signaling enhances inhibitory control of the CeM and that psychological stress can modulate this influence to potentially disinhibit downstream effector regions that mediate anxiety and stress-related behaviors. This article is part of the special issue on 'Neuropeptides'.
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Affiliation(s)
- F P Varodayan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
| | - M A Minnig
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University, School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - M Q Steinman
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - C S Oleata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - M W Riley
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University, School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - V Sabino
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University, School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - M Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
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27
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Tunstall BJ, Kirson D, Zallar LJ, McConnell SA, Vendruscolo JCM, Ho CP, Oleata CS, Khom S, Manning M, Lee MR, Leggio L, Koob GF, Roberto M, Vendruscolo LF. Oxytocin blocks enhanced motivation for alcohol in alcohol dependence and blocks alcohol effects on GABAergic transmission in the central amygdala. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e2006421. [PMID: 30990816 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2006421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin administration has been reported to decrease consumption, withdrawal, and drug-seeking associated with several drugs of abuse and thus represents a promising pharmacological approach to treat drug addiction. We used an established rat model of alcohol dependence to investigate oxytocin's effects on dependence-induced alcohol drinking, enhanced motivation for alcohol, and altered GABAergic transmission in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). Intraperitoneal oxytocin administration blocked escalated alcohol drinking and the enhanced motivation for alcohol in alcohol-dependent but not nondependent rats. Intranasal oxytocin delivery fully replicated these effects. Intraperitoneal administration had minor but significant effects of reducing locomotion and intake of non-alcoholic palatable solutions, whereas intranasal oxytocin administration did not. In dependent rats, intracerebroventricular administration of oxytocin or the oxytocin receptor agonist PF-06655075, which does not cross the blood-brain barrier (i.e., it would not diffuse to the periphery), but not systemic administration of PF-06655075 (i.e., it would not reach the brain), decreased alcohol drinking. Administration of a peripherally restricted oxytocin receptor antagonist did not reverse the effect of intranasal oxytocin on alcohol drinking. Ex vivo electrophysiological recordings from CeA neurons indicated that oxytocin decreases evoked GABA transmission in nondependent but not in dependent rats, whereas oxytocin decreased the amplitude of spontaneous GABAergic responses in both groups. Oxytocin blocked the facilitatory effects of acute alcohol on GABA release in the CeA of dependent but not nondependent rats. Together, these results provide converging evidence that oxytocin specifically and selectively blocks the enhanced motivation for alcohol drinking that develops in alcohol dependence likely via a central mechanism that may result from altered oxytocin effects on CeA GABA transmission in alcohol dependence. Neuroadaptations in endogenous oxytocin signaling may provide a mechanism to further our understanding of alcohol use disorder.
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28
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de Guglielmo G, Kallupi M, Pomrenze MB, Crawford E, Simpson S, Schweitzer P, Koob GF, Messing RO, George O. Inactivation of a CRF-dependent amygdalofugal pathway reverses addiction-like behaviors in alcohol-dependent rats. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1238. [PMID: 30886240 PMCID: PMC6423296 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09183-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The activation of a neuronal ensemble in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) during alcohol withdrawal has been hypothesized to induce high levels of alcohol drinking in dependent rats. In the present study we describe that the CeA neuronal ensemble that is activated by withdrawal from chronic alcohol exposure contains ~80% corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons and that the optogenetic inactivation of these CeA CRF+ neurons prevents recruitment of the neuronal ensemble, decreases the escalation of alcohol drinking, and decreases the intensity of somatic signs of withdrawal. Optogenetic dissection of the downstream neuronal pathways demonstrates that the reversal of addiction-like behaviors is observed after the inhibition of CeA CRF projections to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and that inhibition of the CRFCeA-BNST pathway is mediated by inhibition of the CRF-CRF1 system and inhibition of BNST cell firing. These results suggest that the CRFCeA-BNST pathway could be targeted for the treatment of excessive drinking in alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giordano de Guglielmo
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Marsida Kallupi
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Matthew B Pomrenze
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology and the Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Elena Crawford
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Sierra Simpson
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Paul Schweitzer
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - George F Koob
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Robert O Messing
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology and the Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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29
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Juarez B, Liu Y, Zhang L, Han MH. Optogenetic investigation of neural mechanisms for alcohol-use disorder. Alcohol 2019; 74:29-38. [PMID: 30621856 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Optogenetic techniques have been widely used in the study of neuropsychiatric diseases such as anxiety, depression, and drug addiction. Cell-type specific targeting of optogenetic tools to neurons has contributed to a tremendous understanding of the function of neural circuits for future treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Though optogenetics has been widely used in many research areas, the use of optogenetic tools to uncover and elucidate neural circuit mechanisms of alcohol's actions in the brain are still developing. Here in this review article, we will provide a basic introduction to optogenetics and discuss how these optogenetic experimental approaches can be used in alcohol studies to reveal neural circuit mechanisms of alcohol's actions in regions implicated in the development of alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Juarez
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States; Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Yutong Liu
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States; Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ming-Hu Han
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States; Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.
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30
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Patel RR, Khom S, Steinman MQ, Varodayan FP, Kiosses WB, Hedges DM, Vlkolinsky R, Nadav T, Polis I, Bajo M, Roberts AJ, Roberto M. IL-1β expression is increased and regulates GABA transmission following chronic ethanol in mouse central amygdala. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 75:208-219. [PMID: 30791967 PMCID: PMC6383367 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The interleukin-1 system (IL-1) is a prominent pro-inflammatory pathway responsible for the initiation and regulation of immune responses. Human genetic and preclinical studies suggest a critical role for IL-1β signaling in ethanol drinking and dependence, but little is known about the effects of chronic ethanol on the IL-1 system in addiction-related brain regions such as the central amygdala (CeA). In this study, we generated naïve, non-dependent (Non-Dep) and dependent (Dep) male mice using a paradigm of chronic-intermittent ethanol vapor exposure interspersed with two-bottle choice to examine 1) the expression of IL-1β, 2) the role of the IL-1 system on GABAergic transmission, and 3) the potential interaction with the acute effects of ethanol in the CeA. Immunohistochemistry with confocal microscopy was used to assess expression of IL-1β in microglia and neurons in the CeA, and whole-cell patch clamp recordings were obtained from CeA neurons to measure the effects of IL-1β (50 ng/ml) or the endogenous IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra; 100 ng/ml) on action potential-dependent spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs). Overall, we found that IL-1β expression is significantly increased in microglia and neurons of Dep compared to Non-Dep and naïve mice, IL-1β and IL-1ra bi-directionally modulate GABA transmission through both pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms in all three groups, and IL-1β and IL-1ra do not alter the facilitation of GABA release induced by acute ethanol. These data suggest that while ethanol dependence induces a neuroimmune response in the CeA, as indicated by increased IL-1β expression, this does not significantly alter the neuromodulatory role of IL-1β on synaptic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reesha R Patel
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Sophia Khom
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Michael Q Steinman
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Florence P Varodayan
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - William B Kiosses
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - David M Hedges
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Tali Nadav
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Ilham Polis
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Michal Bajo
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Amanda J Roberts
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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Pradhan G, Melugin PR, Wu F, Fang HM, Weber R, Kroener S. Calcium chloride mimics the effects of acamprosate on cognitive deficits in chronic alcohol-exposed mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:2027-2040. [PMID: 29679288 PMCID: PMC10766324 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-4900-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Acamprosate (calcium-bis N-acetylhomotaurinate) is the leading medication approved for the maintenance of abstinence, shown to reduce craving and relapse in animal models and human alcoholics. Acamprosate can improve executive functions that are impaired by chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure. Recent work has suggested that acamprosate's effects on relapse prevention are due to its calcium component, which raises the question whether its pro-cognitive effects are similarly mediated by calcium. OBJECTIVES This study examined the effects of acamprosate on alcohol-induced behavioral deficits and compared them with the effects of the sodium salt version of N-acetylhomotaurinate or calcium chloride, respectively. METHODS We exposed mice to alcohol via three cycles of CIE and measured changes in alcohol consumption in a limited-access paradigm. We then compared the effects of acamprosate and calcium chloride (applied subchronically for 3 days during withdrawal) in a battery of cognitive tasks that have been shown to be affected by chronic alcohol exposure. RESULTS CIE-treated animals showed deficits in attentional set-shifting and deficits in novel object recognition. Alcohol-treated animals showed no impairments in social novelty detection and interaction, or delayed spontaneous alternation. Both acamprosate and calcium chloride ameliorated alcohol-induced cognitive deficits to comparable extents. In contrast, the sodium salt version of N-acetylhomotaurinate did not reverse the cognitive deficits. CONCLUSIONS These results add evidence to the notion that acamprosate produces its anti-relapse effects through its calcium moiety. Our results also suggest that improved regulation of drug intake by acamprosate after withdrawal might at least in part be related to improved cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grishma Pradhan
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd, BSB14, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Patrick R Melugin
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd, BSB14, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Fei Wu
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd, BSB14, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
- Institute of Neurobiology, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Hannah M Fang
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd, BSB14, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Rachel Weber
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd, BSB14, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Sven Kroener
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Rd, BSB14, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
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Abstract
Voltage-sensitive Ca2+ (CaV) channels are the primary route of depolarization-induced Ca2+ entry in neurons and other excitable cells, leading to an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). The resulting increase in [Ca2+]i activates a wide range of Ca2+-dependent processes in neurons, including neurotransmitter release, gene transcription, activation of Ca2+-dependent enzymes, and activation of certain K+ channels and chloride channels. In addition to their key roles under physiological conditions, CaV channels are also an important target of alcohol, and alcohol-induced changes in Ca2+ signaling can disturb neuronal homeostasis, Ca2+-mediated gene transcription, and the function of neuronal circuits, leading to various neurological and/or neuropsychiatric symptoms and disorders, including alcohol withdrawal induced-seizures and alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prosper N'Gouemo
- Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
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Varodayan FP, Correia D, Kirson D, Khom S, Oleata CS, Luu G, Schweitzer P, Roberto M. CRF modulates glutamate transmission in the central amygdala of naïve and ethanol-dependent rats. Neuropharmacology 2017; 125:418-428. [PMID: 28807676 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is hypothesized to drive the development of alcohol dependence, as it regulates ethanol intake and several anxiogenic behaviors linked to withdrawal. Excitatory glutamatergic neurotransmission contributes to alcohol reinforcement, tolerance and dependence. Therefore, in this study we used in vitro slice electrophysiology to investigate the effects of CRF and its receptor subtype (CRF1 and CRF2) antagonists on both evoked and spontaneous action potential-independent glutamatergic transmission in the CeA of naive and ethanol-dependent Sprague-Dawley rats. We found that CRF (25-200 nM) concentration-dependently diminished evoked compound excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), but increased miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) frequencies similarly in CeA neurons of both naïve and ethanol-dependent rats, indicating reduced evoked glutamatergic responses and enhanced vesicular glutamate release, respectively. This CRF-induced vesicular glutamate release was prevented by the CRF1/2 antagonist (Astressin B) and the CRF1 antagonist (R121919), but not by the CRF2 antagonist (Astressin 2B). Similarly, CRF's effects on evoked glutamatergic responses were completely blocked by CRF1 antagonism, but only slightly decreased in the presence of the CRF2 antagonist. Moreover, CRF1 antagonism reveals a tonic facilitation of vesicular glutamate, whereas the CRF2 antagonism revealed a tonic inhibition of vesicular glutamate release. Collectively our data show that CRF primarily acts at presynaptic CRF1 to produce opposite effects on CeA evoked and spontaneous glutamate release and that the CRF system modulates CeA glutamatergic synapses throughout the development of alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diego Correia
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Jardim das Américas, Curitiba, Paraná, CEP 81531-990, Brazil
| | - Dean Kirson
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sophia Khom
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - George Luu
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Paul Schweitzer
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Abstract
Drug addiction is a complex disorder that is characterized by compulsivity to seek and take the drug, loss of control in limiting intake of the drug, and emergence of a withdrawal syndrome in the absence of the drug. The transition from casual drug use to dependence is mediated by changes in reward and brain stress functions and has been linked to a shift from positive reinforcement to negative reinforcement. The recruitment of brain stress systems mediates the negative emotional state produced by dependence that drives drug seeking through negative reinforcement mechanisms, defined as the "dark side" of addiction. In this chapter we focus on behavioral and cellular neuropharmacological studies that have implicated brain stress systems (i.e., corticotropin-releasing factor [CRF]) in the transition to addiction and the predominant brain regions involved. We also discuss the implication of CRF recruitment in compulsive eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Roberto
- The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States.
| | | | - Dean Kirson
- The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
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35
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Varodayan FP, Logrip ML, Roberto M. P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channels mediate the ethanol and CRF sensitivity of central amygdala GABAergic synapses. Neuropharmacology 2017; 125:197-206. [PMID: 28734867 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The central amygdala (CeA) GABAergic system is hypothesized to drive the development of alcohol dependence, due to its pivotal roles in the reinforcing actions of alcohol and the expression of negative emotion, anxiety and stress. Recent work has also identified an important role for the CeA corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system in the interaction between anxiety/stress and alcohol dependence. We have previously shown that acute alcohol and CRF each increase action potential-independent GABA release in the CeA via their actions at presynaptic CRF type 1 receptors (CRF1s); however, the shared mechanism employed by these two compounds requires further investigation. Here we report that acute alcohol interacts with the CRF/CRF1 system, such that CRF and alcohol act via presynaptic CRF1s and P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channels to promote vesicular GABA release and that both compounds occlude the effects of each other at these synapses. Chronic alcohol exposure does not alter P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channel membrane abundance or this CRF1/P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channel mechanism of acute alcohol-induced GABA release, indicating that alcohol engages this molecular mechanism at CeA GABAergic synapses throughout the transition to dependence. Thus, P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channels, like CRF1s, are key regulators of the effects of alcohol on GABAergic signaling in the CeA.
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Affiliation(s)
- F P Varodayan
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Neuroscience, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - M L Logrip
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Neuroscience, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - M Roberto
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Neuroscience, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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