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Olaniran A, Altshuler RD, Burke MAM, Lin H, Firlie J, Linshitz I, Li X. Role of oestrous cycle and orbitofrontal cortex in oxycodone seeking after 15-day abstinence in female rats. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13325. [PMID: 37753563 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13325] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Relapse to oxycodone seeking progressively increases after abstinence in rats, a phenomenon termed incubation of oxycodone craving. We have previously shown that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) plays a critical role in incubation of oxycodone craving in male rats. Here, we examined the effect of oestrous cycle on incubated oxycodone seeking in female rats, and whether the critical role of OFC in incubated oxycodone seeking generalizes to female rats. We first assessed oxycodone self-administration and incubated oxycodone seeking on abstinence day 15 across the oestrous cycle. Next, we determined the effect of chemogenetic inactivation of OFC by JHU37160 (J60), a novel agonist for Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs), on incubated oxycodone seeking on abstinence day 15. Finally, we determined the effect of J60 alone on incubated oxycodone seeking on abstinence day 15. We found no difference in oxycodone intake across oestrus, pro-oestrus, and metoestrus stages during oxycodone self-administration training. Incubated oxycodone seeking was also similar between nonoestrus and oestrus female rats. Moreover, chemogenetic inactivation of OFC by J60 decreased incubated oxycodone seeking on abstinence day 15, while J60 alone had no effect on incubated oxycodone seeking in no-DREADD control rats. Taken together, results here show that the oestrous cycle has no effect on oxycodone intake and incubated oxycodone seeking in female rats under our experimental conditions. Furthermore, consistent with our previous findings in male rats, results here show that OFC also plays a critical role in incubated oxycodone seeking in female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adedayo Olaniran
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Rachel D Altshuler
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Megan A M Burke
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Hongyu Lin
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Julia Firlie
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Ilan Linshitz
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Xuan Li
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D. Altshuler
- Rachel D. Altshuler is with the Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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Altshuler RD, Mac RC, Gnegy ME, Jutkiewicz EM. PKC inhibition decreases amphetamine-maintained responding under a progressive-ratio schedule of reinforcement. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2021; 29:567-572. [PMID: 32940488 PMCID: PMC8611615 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Protein kinase C (PKC) is important for the mechanism of action of amphetamine (AMPH). Inhibiting PKC blocks AMPH-stimulated increases in extracellular dopamine levels and AMPH-stimulated locomotor activity. This study examined the effects of PKC inhibition on the reinforcing properties of AMPH. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to respond for infusions of 0.032 mg/kg/infusion AMPH or for sucrose pellets under a progressive-ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement. Number of infusions earned, breakpoints, and session duration were recorded over consecutive sessions. Once AMPH-maintained responding stabilized, rats were treated with 0, 10, or 30 pmol of enzastaurin, a PKCβ-selective inhibitor, or 6 mg/kg 6c, a brain-permeable PKC inhibitor, 18 hr prior to a self-administration session. Pretreatment with 30 pmol enzastaurin or 6 mg/kg 6c decreased the number of AMPH infusions earned and breakpoints without altering sucrose-maintained behaviors. These data suggest that PKC inhibition decreases motivation for AMPH and, therefore, is worth pursuing as a potential treatment for AMPH-use disorder. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ryan C Mac
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan
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Altshuler RD, Garcia KT, Li X. Incubation of Oxycodone Craving Following Adult-Onset and Adolescent-Onset Oxycodone Self-Administration in Male Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:697509. [PMID: 34248518 PMCID: PMC8262493 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.697509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Relapse is a major obstacle to curb the ongoing epidemic of prescription opioid abuse. We and others previously demonstrated that oxycodone seeking in adult rats progressively increases after abstinence from oxycodone self-administration (incubation of oxycodone craving). In humans, the onset of oxycodone use in adolescents may increase individuals' vulnerability to later opioid addiction. However, little is known about incubation of oxycodone craving after adolescent-onset oxycodone self-administration in rats. In the first study, we trained single-housed adolescent (postnatal day 35 at start) and adult (postnatal day 77 at start) male Sprague-Dawley rats to self-administer oxycodone (0.1 mg/kg/infusion, 6 h/day for 10 days) and then tested oxycodone relapse on both abstinence day 1 and day 15. Given that social experience is critical for neurobehavioral development in adolescents, we performed the second study using group-housed adolescent and adult rats. In both studies, we observed no age differences in oxycodone self-administration and incubated oxycodone seeking on abstinence day 15. However, on abstinence day 1, we observed decreased oxycodone seeking in adolescents compared with adults. This pattern of data led to elevated incubation slopes in adolescent rats compared with adult rats. Finally, group-housed rats exhibited attenuated oxycodone seeking compared with single-housed rats on abstinence day 15, but not on day 1. Taken together, these data suggest that adolescents may be resistant to oxycodone relapse during early abstinence, but this resistance dissipates quickly during the transition between adolescent and young adulthood. In addition, group-housing plays a protective role against incubated oxycodone craving.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Xuan Li
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States
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Altshuler RD, Yang ES, Garcia KT, Davis IR, Olaniran A, Haile M, Razavi S, Li X. Role of orbitofrontal cortex in incubation of oxycodone craving in male rats. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12927. [PMID: 32570285 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [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: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
One of the main challenges in treating opioid-use disorders is relapse during abstinence, triggered by re-exposure to drug-associated cues. Previous studies have demonstrated that drug-seeking in rats progressively increases over time during withdrawal (incubation of drug craving). Here, we used male rats and examined neural mechanisms underlying incubation of craving to oxycodone, a commonly abused prescription opioid, and we focused on orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), a brain region previously implicated in incubation of heroin craving. We first used neuronal activity marker Fos and measured neuronal activation in OFC (ventral and lateral OFC) associated with day-1 and day-15 relapse tests. Next, we determined the effect of pharmacological reversible inactivation of OFC on incubated oxycodone seeking on withdrawal day 15. Finally, we determined the effect of reversible inactivation of OFC on nonincubated oxycodone seeking on withdrawal day 1. We found that lever presses during relapse tests were higher on withdrawal day 15 than on withdrawal day 1 (incubation of oxycodone craving). Incubation of oxycodone craving is accompanied with a time-dependent increase of Fos protein expression in both ventral and lateral OFC. Lastly, OFC inactivation decreased oxycodone seeking on withdrawal day 15 but had no effect on withdrawal day 1. Together with the previous heroin study, results here show that OFC plays a critical role in incubation of opioid craving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D. Altshuler
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Eddy S. Yang
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Kristine T. Garcia
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Ian R. Davis
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Adedayo Olaniran
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Meron Haile
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Syrus Razavi
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Xuan Li
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
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Altshuler RD, Lin H, Li X. Neural mechanisms underlying incubation of methamphetamine craving: A mini-review. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 199:173058. [PMID: 33250444 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.173058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cue-induced drug craving and seeking progressively increases during abstinence. This "incubation of drug craving" phenomenon has been observed in both laboratory animals and humans. Preclinical studies identified several neural mechanisms underlying incubation of drug craving after forced abstinence, primarily focusing on cocaine. Recently, studies started focusing on another powerful psychostimulant, methamphetamine (Meth), and developed new incubation procedures (choice-induced and punishment-induced abstinence). Here, we review mechanistic studies at the circuit, synaptic and molecular levels on incubation of Meth craving. First, we provide an overview of neural adaptations associated with prolonged forced abstinence after extended-access Meth self-administration. Next, we review studies examining the causal roles of discrete brain regions and associated circuits, glutamate transmission, histone deacetylase 5 and oxytocin in incubation of Meth craving after forced abstinence. Lastly, we review causal and correlational studies examining the mechanisms underlying incubation of Meth craving after choice-induced voluntary abstinence and punishment-induced abstinence, respectively. We conclude by discussing the translational potential of these mechanistic studies in Meth relapse prevention in human drug users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D Altshuler
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America
| | - Hongyu Lin
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America
| | - Xuan Li
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America.
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Altshuler RD, Carpenter CA, Franke TJ, Gnegy ME, Jutkiewicz EM. The protein kinase Cβ-selective inhibitor, enzastaurin, attenuates amphetamine-stimulated locomotor activity and self-administration behaviors in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:3231-3242. [PMID: 31134292 PMCID: PMC6832797 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05278-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Pathological amphetamine (AMPH) use is a serious public health concern with no pharmacological treatment options. Protein kinase Cβ (PKCβ) has been implicated in the mechanism of action of AMPH, such that inhibition of PKCβ attenuates AMPH-stimulated dopamine efflux in vivo. With this in mind, inhibition of PKCβ may be a viable therapeutic target for AMPH use disorder. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that selective pharmacological inhibition of PKCβ alters AMPH-stimulated behaviors in rats. METHODS Rats were administered intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of the PKCβ-selective inhibitor enzastaurin 0.5, 3, 6, or 18 h before evaluating AMPH-stimulated locomotion (0.32-3.2 mg/kg). Rats were trained to make responses for different doses of AMPH infusions or sucrose under a fixed ratio 5 schedule of reinforcement, and the effects of enzastaurin pretreatment 3 or 18 h prior to a self-administration session were determined. Also, the effect of enzastaurin on AMPH-stimulated PKC activity in the ventral striatum was evaluated. RESULTS A large dose of enzastaurin (1 nmol) decreased AMPH-stimulated locomotor activity 0.5 h following enzastaurin administration. Small doses of enzastaurin (10-30 pmol) attenuated AMPH-stimulated locomotor activity and shifted the AMPH dose-effect curve to the right following an 18-h pretreatment. Rats pretreated with enzastaurin 18 h, but not 3, prior to a self-administration session showed a decrease in the number of responses for AMPH, shifted the ascending limb of the amphetamine dose effect curve, and produced no change in responses for sucrose. AMPH-stimulated PKC activity was decreased following a 0.5- or 18-h pretreatment, but not a 3-h pretreatment of enzastaurin. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that inhibition of PKCβ will decrease AMPH-stimulated behaviors and neurobiological changes and suggest that PKCβ is potentially a viable target for AMPH use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D Altshuler
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Colleen A Carpenter
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Timothy J Franke
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Margaret E Gnegy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Emily M Jutkiewicz
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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