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Ferrante JR, Blendy JA. Advances in animal models of prenatal opioid exposure. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:367-382. [PMID: 38614891 PMCID: PMC11096018 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.03.005] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) is a growing public health concern. The complexity of in utero opioid exposure in clinical studies makes it difficult to investigate underlying mechanisms that could ultimately inform early diagnosis and treatments. Clinical studies are unable to dissociate the influence of maternal polypharmacy or the environment from direct effects of in utero opioid exposure, highlighting the need for effective animal models. Early animal models of prenatal opioid exposure primarily used the prototypical opioid, morphine, and opioid exposure that was often limited to a narrow period during gestation. In recent years, the number of preclinical studies has grown rapidly. Newer models utilize both prescription and nonprescription opioids and vary the onset and duration of opioid exposure. In this review, we summarize novel prenatal opioid exposure models developed in recent years and attempt to reconcile results between studies while critically identifying gaps within the current literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia R Ferrante
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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2
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Zhang Y, Randesi M, Blendy JA, Kreek MJ, Butelman ER. Impact of OPRM1 (Mu-opioid Receptor Gene) A112G Polymorphism on Dual Oxycodone and Cocaine Self-administration Behavior in a Mouse Model. Neuroscience 2024; 539:76-85. [PMID: 38211933 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.01.002] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
The use of mu-opioid receptor (MOP-r) agonists such as oxycodone together with cocaine is prevalent, and deaths attributed to using these combinations have increased. RATIONALE It is unknown if functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), such as the OPRM1 (MOP-r gene) SNP A118G, can predispose individuals to more dual opioid and psychostimulant intake. The dual self-administration (SA) of MOP-r agonists and cocaine has not been thoroughly examined, especially with regard to neurobiological changes. OBJECTIVES We examined oxycodone SA and subsequent dual oxycodone and cocaine SA in male and female A112G (A/G and G/G, heterozygote and homozygote, respectively) mice, models of human A118G carriers, versus wild-type (A/A) mice. METHODS Adult male and female A/G, G/G and A/A mice self-administered oxycodone (0.25 mg/kg/infusion, 4hr/session, FR 1.) for 10 consecutive days (sessions 1-10). Mice then self-administered cocaine (2 hr) following oxycodone SA (4 hr, as above) in each session for a further 10 consecutive days (sessions 11-20). Message RNA transcripts of 24 reward-related genes were examined in the dorsal striatum. RESULTS Male and female A/G and G/G mice had greater oxycodone SA than A/A mice did in the initial 10 days and in the last 10 sessions. Further, A/G and G/G mice showed greater cocaine intake than A/A mice. Dorsal striatal mRNA levels of Pdyn, Fkbp5, Oprk1, and Oprm1 were altered following oxycodone and cocaine SA. CONCLUSIONS These studies demonstrated that this functional genetic variation in Oprm1 affected dual opioid and cocaine SA and altered specific gene expression in the striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, the Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, United States.
| | - Matthew Randesi
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, the Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Mary Jeanne Kreek
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, the Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Eduardo R Butelman
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, the Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, United States; Neuropsychoimaging of Addictions and Related Conditions Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
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3
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Xie Y, Brynildsen JK, Windisch K, Blendy JA. Neural Network Connectivity Following Opioid Dependence is Altered by a Common Genetic Variant in the µ-Opioid Receptor, OPRM1 A118G. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1492232023. [PMID: 38124015 PMCID: PMC10866092 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1492-23.2023] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioid use disorder is a chronic, relapsing disease associated with persistent changes in brain plasticity. A common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the µ-opioid receptor gene, OPRM1 A118G, is associated with altered vulnerability to opioid addiction. Reconfiguration of neuronal connectivity may explain dependence risk in individuals with this SNP. Mice with the equivalent Oprm1 variant, A112G, demonstrate sex-specific alterations in the rewarding properties of morphine and heroin. To determine whether this SNP influences network-level changes in neuronal activity, we compared FOS expression in male and female mice that were opioid-naive or opioid-dependent. Network analyses identified significant differences between the AA and GG Oprm1 genotypes. Based on several graph theory metrics, including small-world analysis and degree centrality, we show that GG females in the opioid-dependent state exhibit distinct patterns of connectivity compared to other groups of the same genotype. Using a network control theory approach, we identified key cortical brain regions that drive the transition between opioid-naive and opioid-dependent brain states; however, these regions are less influential in GG females leading to sixfold higher average minimum energy needed to transition from the acute to the dependent state. In addition, we found that the opioid-dependent brain state is significantly less stable in GG females compared to other groups. Collectively, our findings demonstrate sex- and genotype-specific modifications in local, mesoscale, and global properties of functional brain networks following opioid exposure and provide a framework for identifying genotype differences in specific brain regions that play a role in opioid dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihan Xie
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, Pennsylvania
| | - Julia K Brynildsen
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, Pennsylvania
| | - Kyle Windisch
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, Pennsylvania
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, Pennsylvania
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4
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McDevitt DS, Wade QW, McKendrick GE, Nelsen J, Starostina M, Tran N, Blendy JA, Graziane NM. The Paraventricular Thalamic Nucleus and Its Projections in Regulating Reward and Context Associations. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0524-23.2024. [PMID: 38351131 PMCID: PMC10883411 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0524-23.2024] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) is a brain region that mediates aversive and reward-related behaviors as shown in animals exposed to fear conditioning, natural rewards, or drugs of abuse. However, it is unknown whether manipulations of the PVT, in the absence of external factors or stimuli (e.g., fear, natural rewards, or drugs of abuse), are sufficient to drive reward-related behaviors. Additionally, it is unknown whether drugs of abuse administered directly into the PVT are sufficient to drive reward-related behaviors. Here, using behavioral as well as pathway and cell-type specific approaches, we manipulate PVT activity as well as the PVT-to-nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) neurocircuit to explore reward phenotypes. First, we show that bath perfusion of morphine (10 µM) caused hyperpolarization of the resting membrane potential, increased rheobase, and decreased intrinsic membrane excitability in PVT neurons that project to the NAcSh. Additionally, we found that direct injections of morphine (50 ng) in the PVT of mice were sufficient to generate conditioned place preference (CPP) for the morphine-paired chamber. Mimicking the inhibitory effect of morphine, we employed a chemogenetic approach to inhibit PVT neurons that projected to the NAcSh and found that pairing the inhibition of these PVT neurons with a specific context evoked the acquisition of CPP. Lastly, using brain slice electrophysiology, we found that bath-perfused morphine (10 µM) significantly reduced PVT excitatory synaptic transmission on both dopamine D1 and D2 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons in the NAcSh, but that inhibiting PVT afferents in the NAcSh was not sufficient to evoke CPP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon S McDevitt
- Neuroscience Program, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
| | - Quinn W Wade
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
| | - Greer E McKendrick
- Neuroscience Program, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
| | - Jacob Nelsen
- Doctor of Medicine Program, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
| | - Mariya Starostina
- Doctor of Medicine Program, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
| | - Nam Tran
- Doctor of Medicine Program, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Nicholas M Graziane
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine and Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
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Salimando GJ, Tremblay S, Kimmey BA, Li J, Rogers SA, Wojick JA, McCall NM, Wooldridge LM, Rodrigues A, Borner T, Gardiner KL, Jayakar SS, Singeç I, Woolf CJ, Hayes MR, De Jonghe BC, Bennett FC, Bennett ML, Blendy JA, Platt ML, Creasy KT, Renthal WR, Ramakrishnan C, Deisseroth K, Corder G. Human OPRM1 and murine Oprm1 promoter driven viral constructs for genetic access to μ-opioidergic cell types. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5632. [PMID: 37704594 PMCID: PMC10499891 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41407-2] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
With concurrent global epidemics of chronic pain and opioid use disorders, there is a critical need to identify, target and manipulate specific cell populations expressing the mu-opioid receptor (MOR). However, available tools and transgenic models for gaining long-term genetic access to MOR+ neural cell types and circuits involved in modulating pain, analgesia and addiction across species are limited. To address this, we developed a catalog of MOR promoter (MORp) based constructs packaged into adeno-associated viral vectors that drive transgene expression in MOR+ cells. MORp constructs designed from promoter regions upstream of the mouse Oprm1 gene (mMORp) were validated for transduction efficiency and selectivity in endogenous MOR+ neurons in the brain, spinal cord, and periphery of mice, with additional studies revealing robust expression in rats, shrews, and human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived nociceptors. The use of mMORp for in vivo fiber photometry, behavioral chemogenetics, and intersectional genetic strategies is also demonstrated. Lastly, a human designed MORp (hMORp) efficiently transduced macaque cortical OPRM1+ cells. Together, our MORp toolkit provides researchers cell type specific genetic access to target and functionally manipulate mu-opioidergic neurons across a range of vertebrate species and translational models for pain, addiction, and neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory J Salimando
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sébastien Tremblay
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Blake A Kimmey
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jia Li
- Dept. of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sophie A Rogers
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessica A Wojick
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nora M McCall
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lisa M Wooldridge
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amrith Rodrigues
- Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tito Borner
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kristin L Gardiner
- Dept. of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Selwyn S Jayakar
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ilyas Singeç
- Stem Cell Translation Laboratory, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Clifford J Woolf
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthew R Hayes
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bart C De Jonghe
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - F Christian Bennett
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Neurology, Dept. of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mariko L Bennett
- Division of Neurology, Dept. of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Dept. of Systems Pharmacology & Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael L Platt
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kate Townsend Creasy
- Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - William R Renthal
- Dept. of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Karl Deisseroth
- CNC Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Dept. of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Gregory Corder
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Dunn AD, Robinson SA, Nwokafor C, Estill M, Ferrante J, Shen L, Lemchi CO, Creus-Muncunill J, Ramirez A, Mengaziol J, Brynildsen JK, Leggas M, Horn J, Ehrlich ME, Blendy JA. Molecular and long-term behavioral consequences of neonatal opioid exposure and withdrawal in mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1202099. [PMID: 37424750 PMCID: PMC10324024 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1202099] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Infants exposed to opioids in utero are at high risk of exhibiting Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS), a combination of somatic withdrawal symptoms including high pitched crying, sleeplessness, irritability, gastrointestinal distress, and in the worst cases, seizures. The heterogeneity of in utero opioid exposure, particularly exposure to polypharmacy, makes it difficult to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms that could inform early diagnosis and treatment of NOWS, and challenging to investigate consequences later in life. Methods To address these issues, we developed a mouse model of NOWS that includes gestational and post-natal morphine exposure that encompasses the developmental equivalent of all three human trimesters and assessed both behavior and transcriptome alterations. Results Opioid exposure throughout all three human equivalent trimesters delayed developmental milestones and produced acute withdrawal phenotypes in mice reminiscent of those observed in infants. We also uncovered different patterns of gene expression depending on the duration and timing of opioid exposure (3-trimesters, in utero only, or the last trimester equivalent only). Opioid exposure and subsequent withdrawal affected social behavior and sleep in adulthood in a sex-dependent manner but did not affect adult behaviors related to anxiety, depression, or opioid response. Discussion Despite marked withdrawal and delays in development, long-term deficits in behaviors typically associated with substance use disorders were modest. Remarkably, transcriptomic analysis revealed an enrichment for genes with altered expression in published datasets for Autism Spectrum Disorders, which correlate well with the deficits in social affiliation seen in our model. The number of differentially expressed genes between the NOWS and saline groups varied markedly based on exposure protocol and sex, but common pathways included synapse development, the GABAergic and myelin systems, and mitochondrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia D. Dunn
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Shivon A. Robinson
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Psychology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA, United States
| | - Chiso Nwokafor
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Molly Estill
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Julia Ferrante
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Li Shen
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Crystal O. Lemchi
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jordi Creus-Muncunill
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Angie Ramirez
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Juliet Mengaziol
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Julia K. Brynildsen
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Mark Leggas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Jamie Horn
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Michelle E. Ehrlich
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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7
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Eacret D, Manduchi E, Noreck J, Tyner E, Fenik P, Dunn AD, Schug J, Veasey SC, Blendy JA. Mu-opioid receptor-expressing neurons in the paraventricular thalamus modulate chronic morphine-induced wake alterations. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:78. [PMID: 36869037 PMCID: PMC9984393 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02382-w] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Disrupted sleep is a symptom of many psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorders. Most drugs of abuse, including opioids, disrupt sleep. However, the extent and consequence of opioid-induced sleep disturbance, especially during chronic drug exposure, is understudied. We have previously shown that sleep disturbance alters voluntary morphine intake. Here, we examine the effects of acute and chronic morphine exposure on sleep. Using an oral self-administration paradigm, we show that morphine disrupts sleep, most significantly during the dark cycle in chronic morphine, with a concomitant sustained increase in neural activity in the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus (PVT). Morphine binds primarily to Mu Opioid Receptors (MORs), which are highly expressed in the PVT. Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification (TRAP)-Sequencing of PVT neurons that express MORs showed significant enrichment of the circadian entrainment pathway. To determine whether MOR + cells in the PVT mediate morphine-induced sleep/wake properties, we inhibited these neurons during the dark cycle while mice were self-administering morphine. This inhibition decreased morphine-induced wakefulness but not general wakefulness, indicating that MORs in the PVT contribute to opioid-specific wake alterations. Overall, our results suggest an important role for PVT neurons that express MORs in mediating morphine-induced sleep disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darrell Eacret
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elisabetta Manduchi
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Julia Noreck
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emma Tyner
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Polina Fenik
- Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology and Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Amelia D Dunn
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan Schug
- Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Sigrid C Veasey
- Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology and Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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8
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Mengaziol J, Dunn AD, Salimando G, Wooldridge L, Crues-Muncunill J, Eacret D, Chen C, Bland K, Liu- Chen LY, Ehrlich ME, Corder G, Blendy JA. A novel Oprm1-Cre mouse maintains endogenous expression, function and enables detailed molecular characterization of μ-opioid receptor cells. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270317. [PMID: 36534642 PMCID: PMC9762562 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Key targets of both the therapeutic and abused properties of opioids are μ-opioid receptors (MORs). Despite years of research investigating the biochemistry and signal transduction pathways associated with MOR activation, we do not fully understand the cellular mechanisms underlying opioid addiction. Given that addictive opioids such as morphine, oxycodone, heroin, and fentanyl all activate MORs, and current therapies such as naloxone and buprenorphine block this activation, the availability of tools to mechanistically investigate opioid-mediated cellular and behavioral phenotypes are necessary. Therefore, we derived, validated, and applied a novel MOR-specific Cre mouse line, inserting a T2A cleavable peptide sequence and the Cre coding sequence into the MOR 3'UTR. Importantly, this line shows specificity and fidelity of MOR expression throughout the brain and with respect to function, there were no differences in behavioral responses to morphine when compared to wild type mice, nor are there any alterations in Oprm1 gene expression or receptor density. To assess Cre recombinase activity, MOR-Cre mice were crossed with the floxed GFP-reporters, RosaLSLSun1-sfGFP or RosaLSL-GFP-L10a. The latter allowed for cell type specific RNA sequencing via TRAP (Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification) of striatal MOR+ neurons following opioid withdrawal. The breadth of utility of this new tool will greatly facilitate the study of opioid biology under varying conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet Mengaziol
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Amelia D. Dunn
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Gregory Salimando
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Lisa Wooldridge
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jordi Crues-Muncunill
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Darrell Eacret
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Chongguang Chen
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Kathryn Bland
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Lee-Yuan Liu- Chen
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michelle E. Ehrlich
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Gregory Corder
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Grothusen JR, Blendy JA, Barr GA. A Brief Overview of the Neuropharmacology of Opioid Addiction. Transl Perioper Pain Med 2022; 9:491-496. [PMID: 36935906 PMCID: PMC10019698 DOI: 10.31480/2330-4871/165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The world is in the midst of an opioid crisis. Nearly 92,000 persons in the U.S. alone died from illicit drugs and prescription opioids in 2020 [1]. This number does not include the countless other individuals who die as a result of the violent crime that accompanies the illicit drug trade. To address this crisis, we need to appreciate aspects of drug addiction. The goal of this brief review is to highlight some major facets of addiction neurobiology, focused on opioids, to provide a basic understanding of the research and terminology encountered in more detailed in-depth articles and discussions on addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Grothusen
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Translational Research Laboratories, 125 South 31st St., Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gordon A Barr
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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10
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Brynildsen JK, Yang K, Lemchi C, Dani JA, De Biasi M, Blendy JA. A common SNP in Chrna5 enhances morphine reward in female mice. Neuropharmacology 2022; 218:109218. [PMID: 35973602 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109218] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) D398N (rs16969968) in CHRNA5, the gene encoding the α5 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR), has been associated with both nicotine and opiate dependence in human populations. Expression of this SNP on presynaptic VTA dopaminergic (DA) neurons is known to cause a reduction in calcium signaling, leading to alterations in transmitter signaling and altered responses to drugs of abuse. To examine the impact of the Chrna5 SNP on opiate reward and underlying dopaminergic mechanisms, mice harboring two copies of the risk-associated allele (Chrna5 A/A) at a location equivalent to human rs16969968 were generated via CRISPR/cas9 genome editing. We sought to determine whether Chrna5 A/A mice show differences in sensitivity to rewarding properties of morphine using the conditioned place preference paradigm. When mice were tested two weeks after conditioning, female Chrna5 A/A mice showed significantly enhanced preference for the morphine-paired chamber relative to WT females, suggesting that this genotype may enhance opioid reward specifically in females. In contrast, Chrna5 genotype had no effect on locomotor sensitization in male or female mice. Relative to WT females, peak amplitude of ACh-gated currents recorded from VTA DA neurons in Chrna5 A/A females was potentiated 1 day after conditioning with morphine. Increased FOS expression was also observed in Chrna5 A/A mice relative to WT mice following exposure to the morphine CPP chamber. We propose that impaired α5 nAChR subunit function alters DA neuron response following repeated morphine exposures, and that this early cellular response could contribute to enhanced opiate reward two weeks after conditioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Crystal Lemchi
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, USA
| | | | - Mariella De Biasi
- Department of Neuroscience, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, USA.
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11
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Ferrante JR, Dunn AD, Mengaziol J, Noreck J, Lemchi CO, Creus‐Muncunill J, Ehrlich ME, Blendy JA. Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome in Mice: Acute Molecular and Long‐Term Behavioral Consequences. FASEB J 2022. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.s1.r4002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julia R. Ferrante
- PharmacologyPerelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Amelia D. Dunn
- PharmacologyPerelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Juliet Mengaziol
- PharmacologyPerelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Julia Noreck
- PharmacologyPerelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Crystal O. Lemchi
- PharmacologyPerelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | | | | | - Julie A. Blendy
- PharmacologyPerelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
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12
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Eacret D, Lemchi C, Caulfield JI, Cavigelli SA, Veasey SC, Blendy JA. Chronic Sleep Deprivation Blocks Voluntary Morphine Consumption but Not Conditioned Place Preference in Mice. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:836693. [PMID: 35250468 PMCID: PMC8892254 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.836693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The opioid epidemic remains a significant healthcare problem and is attributable to over 100,000 deaths per year. Poor sleep increases sensitivity to pain, impulsivity, inattention, and negative affect, all of which might perpetuate drug use. Opioid users have disrupted sleep during drug use and withdrawal and report poor sleep as a reason for relapse. However, preclinical studies investigating the relationship between sleep loss and substance use and the associated underlying neurobiological mechanisms of potential interactions are lacking. One of the most common forms of sleep loss in modern society is chronic short sleep (CSS) (<7 h/nightly for adults). Here, we used an established model of CSS to investigate the influence of disrupted sleep on opioid reward in male mice. The CSS paradigm did not increase corticosterone levels or depressive-like behavior after a single sleep deprivation session but did increase expression of Iba1, which typically reflects microglial activation, in the hypothalamus after 4 weeks of CSS. Rested control mice developed a morphine preference in a 2-bottle choice test, while mice exposed to CSS did not develop a morphine preference. Both groups demonstrated morphine conditioned place preference (mCPP), but there were no differences in conditioned preference between rested and CSS mice. Taken together, our results show that recovery sleep after chronic sleep disruption lessens voluntary opioid intake, without impacting conditioned reward associated with morphine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darrell Eacret
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Crystal Lemchi
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jasmine I. Caulfield
- Huck Institute for Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Sonia A. Cavigelli
- Huck Institute for Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Sigrid C. Veasey
- Department of Medicine, Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Julie A. Blendy,
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13
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Desouza LA, Benekareddy M, Fanibunda SE, Mohammad F, Janakiraman B, Ghai U, Gur T, Blendy JA, Vaidya VA. The Hallucinogenic Serotonin 2A Receptor Agonist, 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Iodoamphetamine, Promotes cAMP Response Element Binding Protein-Dependent Gene Expression of Specific Plasticity-Associated Genes in the Rodent Neocortex. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:790213. [PMID: 35002622 PMCID: PMC8739224 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.790213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [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: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychedelic compounds that target the 5-HT2A receptor are reported to evoke psychoplastogenic effects, including enhanced dendritic arborization and synaptogenesis. Transcriptional regulation of neuronal plasticity-associated genes is implicated in the cytoarchitectural effects of serotonergic psychedelics, however, the transcription factors that drive this regulation are poorly elucidated. Here, we addressed the contribution of the transcription factor cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-response element binding protein (CREB) in the regulation of neuronal plasticity-associated genes by the hallucinogenic 5-HT2A receptor agonist, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI). In vitro studies with rat cortical neurons indicated that DOI enhances the phosphorylation of CREB (pCREB) through mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and calcium/calmodulin dependent kinase II (CaMKII) pathways, with both cascades contributing to the DOI-evoked upregulation of Arc, Bdnf1, Cebpb, and Egr2 expression, whilst the upregulation of Egr1 and cFos mRNA involved the MAP kinase and CaMKII pathway respectively. We observed a robust DOI-evoked increase in the expression of several neuronal plasticity-associated genes in the rat neocortex in vivo. This DOI-evoked upregulation of neuronal plasticity-associated genes was completely blocked by the 5-HT2A receptor antagonist MDL100,907 in vitro and was also abrogated in the neocortex of 5-HT2A receptor deficient mice. Further, 5-HT2A receptor stimulation enhanced pCREB enrichment at putative cAMP response element (CRE) binding sites in the Arc, Bdnf1, Cebpb, cFos, but not Egr1 and Egr2, promoters in the rodent neocortex. The DOI-mediated transcriptional induction of Arc, cFos and Cebpb was significantly attenuated in the neocortex of CREB deficient/knockout (CREBαδ KO) mice. Collectively, these results indicate that the hallucinogenic 5-HT2A receptor agonist DOI leads to a rapid transcriptional upregulation of several neuronal plasticity-associated genes, with a subset of them exhibiting a CREB-dependent regulation. Our findings raise the intriguing possibility that similar to slow-acting classical antidepressants, rapid-action serotonergic psychedelics that target the 5-HT2A receptor may also recruit the transcription factor CREB to enhance the expression of neuronal plasticity-associated genes in the neocortex, which could in turn contribute to the rapid psychoplastogenic changes evoked by these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynette A Desouza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Madhurima Benekareddy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Sashaina E Fanibunda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India.,Medical Research Centre, Kasturba Health Society, Mumbai, India
| | - Farhan Mohammad
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Balaganesh Janakiraman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Utkarsha Ghai
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Tamar Gur
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Vidita A Vaidya
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
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14
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Kawakami K, Miyasaka T, Nakamura Y, Metoki H, Miyata S, Sato M, Sora I, Yamauchi K, Kawakami K, Blendy JA, Kawano T, Shimokawa H, Takayanagi M, Ohno I, Takahashi T. The A118G single-nucleotide polymorphism in OPRM1 is a risk factor for asthma severity. Allergol Int 2022; 71:55-65. [PMID: 34688555 DOI: 10.1016/j.alit.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although population studies have implicated emotional burden in asthma severity, the underlying genetic risk factors are not completely understood. We aimed to evaluate the genetic influence of a functional single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the stress-related μ-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1; A118G SNP, rs1799971) on asthma severity. METHODS We initially assessed disease severity in asthmatic outpatients carrying A118G. Using an ovalbumin-induced experimental asthma rodent model harboring the functionally equivalent SNP, we investigated the mechanism by which this SNP influences the allergic immune response. RESULTS Among 292 outpatients, 168 underwent airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to methacholine testing. Compared with patients carrying the AA and AG genotypes, those carrying the GG genotype exhibited enhanced AHR. The stress levels were presumed to be moderate among patients and were comparable among genotypes. Compared with Oprm1 AA mice, GG mice demonstrated aggravated asthma-related features and increased pulmonary interleukin-4+CD4+ effector and effector memory T cells under everyday life stress conditions. Intraperitoneal naloxone methiodide injection reduced effector CD4+ T cell elevation associated with increased eosinophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of GG mice to the levels in AA mice, suggesting that elevated Th2 cell generation in the bronchial lymph node (BLN) of GG mice induces enhanced eosinophilic inflammation. CONCLUSIONS Without forced stress exposure, patients with asthma carrying the OPRM1 GG genotype exhibit enhanced AHR, attributable to enhanced Th2 cell differentiation in the regional lymph node. Further research is necessary to elucidate the role of the OPRM1 A118G genotype in the Th2 cell differentiation pathway in the BLN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Kawakami
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomomitsu Miyasaka
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Yutaka Nakamura
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Iwate, Japan
| | - Hirohito Metoki
- Division of Public Health, Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Satoshi Miyata
- Teikyo University Graduate School of Public Health, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miki Sato
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ichiro Sora
- Department of Psychiatry, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kohei Yamauchi
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Iwate, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Kawakami
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Mycology and Immunology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Intelligent Network for Infection Control, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tasuku Kawano
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Shimokawa
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Motoaki Takayanagi
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Isao Ohno
- Center for Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomoko Takahashi
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
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15
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Carpenter MD, Manners MT, Heller EA, Blendy JA. Adolescent oxycodone exposure inhibits withdrawal-induced expression of genes associated with the dopamine transmission. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12994. [PMID: 33325096 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12994] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Prescription opioid misuse is a major public health concern among children and adolescents in the United States. Opioids are the most commonly abused drugs and are the fastest growing drug problem among adolescents. In humans and animals, adolescence is a particularly sensitive period associated with an increased response to drugs of abuse. Our previous studies indicate that oxycodone exposure during adolescence increases morphine reward in adulthood. How early drug exposure mediates long-term changes in the brain and behavior is not known, but epigenetic regulation is a likely mechanism. To address this question, we exposed mice to oxycodone or saline during adolescence and examined epigenetic modifications at genes associated with dopamine activity during adulthood at early and late withdrawal, in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). We then compared these with alterations in the VTA of adult-treated mice following an equivalent duration of exposure and withdrawal to determine if the effects of oxycodone are age dependent. We observed persistence of adolescent-like gene expression following adolescent oxycodone exposure relative to age-matched saline exposed controls, although dopamine-related gene expression was transiently activated at 1 day of withdrawal. Following prolonged withdrawal enrichment of the repressive histone mark, H3K27me3, was maintained, consistent with inhibition of gene regulation following adolescent exposure. By contrast, mice exposed to oxycodone as adults showed loss of the repressive mark and increased gene expression following 28 days of withdrawal following oxycodone exposure. Together, our findings provide evidence that adolescent oxycodone exposure has long-term epigenetic consequences in VTA of the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco D. Carpenter
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
| | - Melissa T. Manners
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
- Department of Biological Sciences University of the Sciences Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Heller
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
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16
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Brynildsen JK, Blendy JA. Linking the CHRNA5 SNP to drug abuse liability: From circuitry to cellular mechanisms. Neuropharmacology 2021; 186:108480. [PMID: 33539855 PMCID: PMC7958463 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108480] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Genetics are known to be a significant risk factor for drug abuse. In human populations, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) D398N in the gene CHRNA5 has been associated with addiction to nicotine, opioids, cocaine, and alcohol. In this paper, we review findings from studies in humans, rodent models, and cell lines and provide evidence that collectively suggests that the Chrna5 SNP broadly influences the response to drugs of abuse in a manner that is not substance-specific. This finding has important implications for our understanding of the role of the cholinergic system in reward and addiction vulnerability. This article is part of the special issue on 'Vulnerabilities to Substance Abuse.'
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia K Brynildsen
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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17
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Zhang Y, Collins D, Butelman ER, Blendy JA, Kreek MJ. Relapse-like behavior in a mouse model of the OPRM1 (mu-opioid receptor) A118G polymorphism: Examination with intravenous oxycodone self-administration. Neuropharmacology 2020; 181:108351. [PMID: 33031806 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The widely abused prescription opioid oxycodone is a mu-opioid receptor (MOP-r) agonist and addiction to such opioids is a relapsing disorder. The human MOP-r gene (OPRM1) has an important functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), A118G, which affects risk of severe opioid use disorders. A112G (G/G) knock-in mice are models of human A118G carriers. We examined oxycodone self-administration (SA) in male and female G/G versus wild type (A/A) mice in SA sessions and in relapse-like behavior. Adult male and female G/G and A/A mice self-administered oxycodone (0.25 mg/kg/infusion, FR1) for 10 consecutive days. Following 10-day home cage drug free withdrawal, the mice were re-exposed to oxycodone SA for a further 10 days. MOP-r receptor mRNA in various brain regions were examined immediately after the last re-exposure session. We found that G/G mice had greater oxycodone SA than A/A mice in the initial and in re-exposure sessions. Mice of both genotypes had greater oxycodone intake during the re-exposure period than during the initial exposure. We also detected differences in MOP-r gene expression due to genotype, sex and oxycodone SA history in the dorsal striatum, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. These studies may improve our understanding of MOP-r-agonist self-exposure and relapse in human carriers of the A118G SNP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, 10065, NY, USA.
| | - Devon Collins
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, 10065, NY, USA
| | - Eduardo R Butelman
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, 10065, NY, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mary Jeanne Kreek
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, 10065, NY, USA
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18
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Weidler C, Habel U, Wallheinke P, Wagels L, Hofhansel L, Ling S, Blendy JA, Clemens B. Consequences Of Prefrontal TDCS On Inhibitory Control And Reactive Aggression. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 17:120-130. [PMID: 33227131 PMCID: PMC8824612 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased aggression and impulsivity represent a key component of several psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorder, which is often associated with deficient prefrontal brain activation. Thus, innovative tools to increase cognitive control are highly warranted. The current study investigates the potential of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a tool to modulate cortical activation and to increase cognitive control in individuals with a high potential for impulsive and aggressive behavior. In a double-blind, sham-controlled study, we applied anodal tDCS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in an all-male sample of alcohol-dependent patients (AD), tobacco users (TU) and healthy controls (HC), who completed the Taylor Aggression Paradigm and Stop Signal Reaction Time Task twice. While there were no observable effects of tDCS in controls, the results revealed altered aggressive behavior in AD following active stimulation. Specifically, these individuals did not show the standard increase in aggression over time seen in the other groups. Furthermore, improved response inhibition was found in AD and TU following active but not sham stimulation. Our study demonstrates that prefrontal tDCS improves our laboratory measure of impulse control in at-risk groups, illustrating the importance of sample characteristics such as nicotine intake and personality traits for understanding the effects of brain stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Weidler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Paul Wallheinke
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany
| | - Lisa Wagels
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Lena Hofhansel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Shichun Ling
- Department of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Benjamin Clemens
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen, Germany
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19
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Eacret D, Veasey SC, Blendy JA. Bidirectional Relationship between Opioids and Disrupted Sleep: Putative Mechanisms. Mol Pharmacol 2020; 98:445-453. [PMID: 32198209 PMCID: PMC7562980 DOI: 10.1124/mol.119.119107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Millions of Americans suffer from opiate use disorder, and over 100 die every day from opioid overdoses. Opioid use often progresses into a vicious cycle of abuse and withdrawal, resulting in very high rates of relapse. Although the physical and psychologic symptoms of opiate withdrawal are well-documented, sleep disturbances caused by chronic opioid exposure and withdrawal are less well-understood. These substances can significantly disrupt sleep acutely and in the long term. Yet poor sleep may influence opiate use, suggesting a bidirectional feed-forward interaction between poor sleep and opioid use. The neurobiology of how opioids affect sleep and how disrupted sleep affects opioid use is not well-understood. Here, we will summarize what is known about the effects of opioids on electroencephalographic sleep in humans and in animal models. We then discuss the neurobiology interface between reward-related brain regions that mediate arousal and wakefulness as well as the effect of opioids in sleep-related brain regions and neurotransmitter systems. Finally, we summarize what is known of the mechanisms underlying opioid exposure and sleep. A critical review of such studies, as well as recommendations of studies that evaluate the impact of manipulating sleep during withdrawal, will further our understanding of the cyclical feedback between sleep and opioid use. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: We review recent studies on the mechanisms linking opioids and sleep. Opioids affect sleep, and sleep affects opioid use; however, the biology underlying this relationship is not understood. This review compiles recent studies in this area that fill this gap in knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Eacret
- Departments of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics (D.E., J.A.B.) and Medicine (S.C.V.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - S C Veasey
- Departments of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics (D.E., J.A.B.) and Medicine (S.C.V.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - J A Blendy
- Departments of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics (D.E., J.A.B.) and Medicine (S.C.V.), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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20
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Brynildsen JK, Sanchez V, Yohn NL, Carpenter MD, Blendy JA. Sex-specific transgenerational effects of morphine exposure on reward and affective behaviors. Behav Brain Res 2020; 395:112842. [PMID: 32745660 PMCID: PMC8941987 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Current estimates indicate that millions of people in the United States abuse opioid drugs, which may also affect their offspring. To determine whether parental exposure to morphine alters reward and affective behaviors in subsequent generations we exposed male and female C57BL/6NTac mice to morphine (75 mg) or placebo pellets for 4 weeks. Naïve mice were used as mating partners to create subsequent generations (F1 and F2). Adult male and female F1 and F2 mice were tested in the morphine conditioned place preference paradigm (CPP), marble burying (MB), acoustic startle response (ASR), and open field tests (OFT). Paternal morphine exposure resulted in significantly attenuated preference scores amongst F1 male offspring, but significantly higher preference scores amongst F1 female offspring at the lowest CPP dose tested (5 mg/kg). In contrast, maternal exposure to morphine did not affect morphine reward in the F1 generation; however, the F2 male offspring of morphine-exposed F0 females displayed significantly higher CPP preference scores. Preference scores in F2 females were not affected by F0 male or female morphine exposure. Sex-specific alterations in affective behaviors were observed only in the offspring of F0 males exposed to morphine with F1 males spending less time in the center of the open field and F1 females spending more time in the center of the open field. One generation later, affective behaviors were no longer altered in F2 males but F2 females from the F0 male morphine exposure buried more marbles in the MB test. In summary, early exposure to morphine in males and females causes lineage-specific inheritance of reward and affective behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia K Brynildsen
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Victoria Sanchez
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nicole L Yohn
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marco D Carpenter
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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21
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Robinson SA, Jones AD, Brynildsen JK, Ehrlich ME, Blendy JA. Neurobehavioral effects of neonatal opioid exposure in mice: Influence of the OPRM1 SNP. Addict Biol 2020; 25:e12806. [PMID: 31267641 PMCID: PMC8450766 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [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: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Opioid use among pregnant women is a growing public health concern in the United States. Infants exposed to opioids in utero are at risk of exhibiting neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). The biological mechanisms underlying short and long-term consequences of in utero opioid exposure and NOWS are unknown. A potential genetic factor is a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the mu-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1 A118G). Opioid exposed infants with the G-allele spend less time in hospitals after birth. To determine whether this SNP modulates the neurobehavioral effects of neonatal opioid exposure and withdrawal, we used mice possessing the equivalent Oprm1 SNP (A112G). Pups were treated chronically with saline or morphine from postnatal days (PNDs) 1 to 14, a developmental period equivalent to the third trimester of a human pregnancy and a sensitive period for opioid exposure in rodents. Morphine treatment produced significant developmental delays regardless of genotype and increased total ultrasonic vocalizations in males during spontaneous withdrawal. Animals were aged and tested for anxiety and drug response during adolescence and adulthood, respectively. AA morphine-treated animals showed reduced activity in the marble burying task compared with saline controls; however, this effect was absent in AG and GG animals. As adults, AA males exposed to morphine from PNDs 1 to 14 exhibited enhanced development of locomotor sensitization to morphine, whereas females showed reduced locomotor sensitization. These data suggest the involvement of the Oprm1 SNP for certain outcomes of neonatal opioid exposure and highlight the importance of considering sex and genetic variability for the prognosis of NOWS.
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MESH Headings
- Analgesics, Opioid/pharmacology
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal/drug effects
- Brain/drug effects
- Disease Models, Animal
- Female
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Opioid-Related Disorders/genetics
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/drug effects
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics
- Pregnancy
- Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/drug effects
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivon A. Robinson
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, 19104
| | - Alonzo D. Jones
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, 19104
| | - Julia K. Brynildsen
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, 19104
| | - Michelle E. Ehrlich
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY, 10029
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, 19104
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22
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Manners MT, Brynildsen JK, Schechter M, Liu X, Eacret D, Blendy JA. CREB deletion increases resilience to stress and downregulates inflammatory gene expression in the hippocampus. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 81:388-398. [PMID: 31255680 PMCID: PMC6754757 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.06.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor CREB (cyclic AMP response element (CRE)-binding protein) is implicated in the pathophysiology and treatment of depression. Structural and functional studies in both animals and humans suggest that abnormalities of the hippocampus may play a role in depression. CREB regulates thousands of genes, yet to date, only a handful that mediate depression or antidepressant response have been identified as relevant CREB targets. In order to comprehensively identify genes regulated by CREB in the hippocampus, we employed translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) to detect actively translating mRNAs in wild type and CREB-deficient mice. Using CrebloxP/loxP; RosaLSL-GFP-L10a mice, we conducted whole genome sequencing to identify transcripts only in cells that lack CREB, as introduction of Cre-recombinase simultaneously deleted CREB and expressed GFP-tagged L10a ribosomes that enabled TRAP. We identified over 200 downregulated genes predominantly associated with inflammation and the immune system, including toll-like receptor 1 (TLR1). To determine if baseline disruption in gene expression in the hippocampus of CREB-deficient mice can modulate behavior, we used unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) to produce a set of behavioral alterations with strong validity for depression. We found that CREB-deficient mice demonstrated resilience to the physiological effects of UCMS and also showed changes in affective behaviors specifically in the presence of stress. TLR1 expression was increased following UCMS in control but not in CREB-deficient mice. The results suggest that CREB-mediated regulation of immune system and inflammatory factors may provide additional targets for the treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa T. Manners
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julia K. Brynildsen
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Max Schechter
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xin Liu
- Biological Basis of Behavior, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Darrell Eacret
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Corresponding author at: Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Translational Research Laboratory, 125 South 31 Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.,
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23
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Weidler C, Habel U, Hüpen P, Akkoc D, Schneider F, Blendy JA, Wagels L. On the Complexity of Aggressive Behavior: Contextual and Individual Factors in the Taylor Aggression Paradigm. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:521. [PMID: 31404138 PMCID: PMC6669806 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
As many paths lead to aggression, understanding which situations and which person-specific traits facilitate or impede aggressive behavior is crucial. Provocation is among one of the most frequently reported predictors of aggressive behavior. However, it remains unclear whether the reaction to provocation is universal across different forms of aggression and whether individuals differ in their reactivity to such signals. Using the Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP), we investigated the influence of individual and contextual factors on physical and non-physical aggression in healthy men and women. The impact of trait aggression, sex, provocation, and the success of a competition against a fictitious opponent on aggressive behavior was examined in three different versions of the TAP. While equal provocation and punishment modalities were used in the first two versions, monetary deductions in the first and heat stimulus in the second study, the third experiment used non-physical provocation to trigger physical punishment. Trial-by-trial analyses revealed that provocation, independent of its specific nature, is a strong predictor for aggressive behavior, especially in highly aggressive participants. Although women initially showed less aggression than men, sex differences were diminished under prolonged, increasing provocation when provocation and punishment modality were identical. Only when modalities diverged, women, compared with men, were more hesitant to punish their opponent. These results, thus, extend evidence that women show lower levels of aggression under low provocation. However, high levels of provocation have similar effects on males' and females' reactive aggressive behavior across different forms of aggression. When competing for money, losing against the fictitious opponent was functioning as an additional provocative signal stimulating aggressive responses. Differences in aggressive responding have to be interpreted in the context of the specific type of provocation and aggression that is investigated since these modalities are shown to interact with individual characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Weidler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Philippa Hüpen
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Dilsa Akkoc
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Frank Schneider
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, PA, United States
| | - Lisa Wagels
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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24
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Abstract
Chronic administration of nicotine or exposure to stress can produce long-lasting behavioral and physiological changes in humans and animals alike. Further, the impact of nicotine and stress exposure can be inherited by offspring to produce persistent changes in physiology and behavior. To determine if nicotine and stress interact across generations to influence offspring behavior we exposed F0 male mice to nicotine and F1 male and female mice to chronic unpredictable stress during adolescence. We then measured locomotor sensitization to repeated nicotine injections in the subsequent F2 and F3 generations. Stress exposure alone (F1) did not influence locomotor sensitization in any lineage. However, in the F1 male lineage, F0 nicotine exposure abrogated locomotor sensitization in F2 male and transiently enhanced locomotor sensitization in F2 female offspring. These effects were not passed down to the F3 generations or observed in the F1 female lineage. F1 stress exposure modulated the effects of prior F0 nicotine exposure in a sex-dependent manner. Specifically, stress blunted the nicotine-induced enhancement in locomotor sensitization observed in F2 female offspring of F1 males. The effect of F0 nicotine and F1 stress exposure in females appears to have skipped a generation and enhanced nicotine sensitization only in the F3 generation, and only in females. This novel multigenerational exposure paradigm examining the inheritance of two different environmental exposures demonstrates that nicotine responses can be modified by nicotine and stress exposure from previous generations, and these effects are strongly influenced by sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L. Yohn
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, USA
| | - Michael J. Caruso
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, USA
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, USA
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25
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Weidler C, Wagels L, Regenbogen C, Hofhansel L, Blendy JA, Clemens B, Montag C, Habel U. The influence of the OPRM1 (A118G) polymorphism on behavioral and neural correlates of aggression in healthy males. Neuropharmacology 2018; 156:107467. [PMID: 30552906 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Current models of aggression suggest that in addition to personality traits and environmental factors, biological vulnerability associated with genetics substantially impacts aggressive behavior. In a functional imaging study, we investigated the influence of the single nucleotide polymorphism of the mu 1 subtype opioid receptor gene (OPRM1), implicated in sociability, on correlates of trait and state aggression to delineate the function of these influences in aggression. A key aim was further to differentiate different aspects of aggressive reactions - namely, the reaction to provocation and the decision to punish an opponent. 59 healthy males performed a modified Taylor Aggression Paradigm during functional magnetic resonance imaging. The implementation of the paradigm allowed for individual assessments of the decision to behave aggressively, the experience of provocation and the ramification of punishment for the participant or the opponent. The influence of variation in the OPRM1 gene was measured by the functional A118G polymorphism. G allele carriers showed lower levels of general aggression and self-reported physical aggression. Additionally, these participants exhibited increased activation in dorsolateral prefrontal, orbitofrontal, anterior cingulate and insular cortices when choosing higher punishments for the opponent. The OPRM1 polymorphism did not influence aggression in reaction to social provocation. Thus, we suggest that this genetic variant affects one's trait aggressiveness rather than actual behavioral reactivity to provocation. Investigating brain regions that are specifically linked to provocation yielded activation in cortico-limbic circuits which might mediate the evaluation of provocation and the experience of anger and thus shed light on neural processes underlying the risk for aggressive behavior. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Current status of the neurobiology of aggression and impulsivity'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Weidler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Lisa Wagels
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany; JARA Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM 10), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Christina Regenbogen
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lena Hofhansel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany; JARA Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM 10), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Benjamin Clemens
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Christian Montag
- Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany; The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of Chinöa, Chengdu, China
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany; JARA Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine (INM 10), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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26
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Manners MT, Yohn NL, Lahens NF, Grant GR, Bartolomei MS, Blendy JA. Transgenerational inheritance of chronic adolescent stress: Effects of stress response and the amygdala transcriptome. Genes Brain Behav 2018; 18:e12493. [PMID: 29896789 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Adolescent stress can impact health and well-being not only during adulthood of the exposed individual but even in future generations. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying these long-term effects, we exposed adolescent males to stress and measured anxiety behaviors and gene expression in the amygdala-a critical region in the control of emotional states-in their progeny for two generations, offspring and grandoffspring. Male C57BL/6 mice underwent chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) for 2 weeks during adolescence and were used to produce two generations of offspring. Male and female offspring and grandoffspring were tested in behavioral assays to measure affective behavior and stress reactivity. Remarkably, transgenerational inheritance of paternal stress exposure produced a protective phenotype in the male, but not the female lineage. RNA-seq analysis of the amygdala from male offspring and grandoffspring identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in mice derived from fathers exposed to CUS. The DEGSs clustered into numerous pathways, and the "notch signaling" pathway was the most significantly altered in male grandoffspring. Therefore, we show that paternal stress exposure impacts future generations which manifest in behavioral changes and molecular adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M T Manners
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - N L Yohn
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - N F Lahens
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - G R Grant
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - M S Bartolomei
- Epigenetics Institute, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - J A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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27
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Brynildsen JK, Lee BG, Perron IJ, Jin S, Kim SF, Blendy JA. Activation of AMPK by metformin improves withdrawal signs precipitated by nicotine withdrawal. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:4282-4287. [PMID: 29610348 PMCID: PMC5910809 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1707047115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [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] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, with more persons dying from nicotine addiction than any other preventable cause of death. Even though smoking cessation incurs multiple health benefits, the abstinence rate remains low with current medications. Here we show that the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway in the hippocampus is activated following chronic nicotine use, an effect that is rapidly reversed by nicotine withdrawal. Increasing pAMPK levels and, consequently, downstream AMPK signaling pharmacologically attenuate anxiety-like behavior following nicotine withdrawal. We show that metformin, a known AMPK activator in the periphery, reduces withdrawal symptoms through a mechanism dependent on the presence of the AMPKα subunits within the hippocampus. This study provides evidence of a direct effect of AMPK modulation on nicotine withdrawal symptoms and suggests central AMPK activation as a therapeutic target for smoking cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia K Brynildsen
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Bridgin G Lee
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Isaac J Perron
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Sunghee Jin
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Sangwon F Kim
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224;
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104;
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28
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Yohn NL, Blendy JA. Adolescent Chronic Unpredictable Stress Exposure Is a Sensitive Window for Long-Term Changes in Adult Behavior in Mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:1670-1678. [PMID: 28094283 PMCID: PMC5518894 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a time period in development when the brain undergoes substantial remodeling in response to the environment. To determine whether a stressful experience during adolescence affects adult behavior, we exposed adolescent male and female C57BL/6J mice to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) for 12 days starting at postnatal day 28 (PND28). We also exposed adult male and female mice to CUS for 12 days beginning at PND70 to determine whether adolescence is a sensitive time period when stress can have long-lasting effects on behavior. Regardless of when mice were exposed to stress, they were all tested exactly 30 days later in the marble burying task, elevated zero maze, acoustic startle response, and forced swim test. Adolescent stress exposure increased anxiety-like behaviors in adult male and female mice and decreased acoustic startle response in a sex-dependent manner. However, adult stress exposure did not change anxiety or response to an acoustic tone in adult male or female mice as compared with nonstressed animals. Of interest, increased depression-like behavior in the forced swim test was observed in all mice, regardless of when the stress occurred. Gene expression analysis showed significant upregulation of corticotropin releasing factor receptor 2 (CrfR2) in the amygdala of males subjected to CUS during adolescence, but not in males that experienced CUS during adulthood. In contrast, females, regardless of when they were exposed to CUS, were not affected. These data support clinical evidence suggesting that early-life stress may predispose individuals to increased anxiety and depression later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Yohn
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Translational Research Laboratory, 125 South 31st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, Tel: 215 898 0730, Fax: 215 573 2236, E-mail:
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29
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Browne CA, Erickson RL, Blendy JA, Lucki I. Genetic variation in the behavioral effects of buprenorphine in female mice derived from a murine model of the OPRM1 A118G polymorphism. Neuropharmacology 2017; 117:401-407. [PMID: 28188737 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [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: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Pharmacogenetic studies have identified the non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (A118G) in the human mu opioid receptor (MOR) gene (OPRM1) as a critical genetic variant capable of altering the efficacy of opioid therapeutics. To date few studies have explored the potential impact of the OPRM1 A118G polymorphism on the pharmacological effects of buprenorphine (BPN), a potent MOR partial agonist and kappa opioid receptor antagonist, which is approved by the FDA for the treatment of opioid addiction and chronic pain. The goal of these studies was to determine whether the MOR-mediated behavioral effects of BPN were altered in the Oprm1 A112G mouse model of the human OPRM1 A118G SNP. All studies were conducted in female, AA, AG and GG mice. BPN's maximal analgesic effect in the hot plate test was significantly blunted in AG and GG mice compared to wild type AA mice. Similarly, the BPN-induced reduction of latency to consume food in the novelty induced hypophagia test was blocked entirely in AG and GG mice compared to their AA littermates. In addition, GG mice exhibited marked reductions in psychostimulant hyperlocomotor activity compared to the AA group. In contrast, reduced immobility in the forced swim test, an effect of BPN mediated by kappa opioid receptors, was not affected by genotype. These studies demonstrate the ability of the Oprm1 A112G SNP to attenuate the analgesic, anxiolytic and hyperlocomotor effects of BPN. Overall, these data suggest that the OPRM1 A118G SNP will significantly impact the clinical efficacy of BPN in its therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A Browne
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
| | - Rebecca L Erickson
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Irwin Lucki
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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30
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Sanchez V, Carpenter MD, Yohn NL, Blendy JA. Long-lasting effects of adolescent oxycodone exposure on reward-related behavior and gene expression in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:3991-4002. [PMID: 27624598 PMCID: PMC5992616 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4425-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Prescription opioid abuse and transition to heroin use are growing problems in the USA. However, the long-term consequences of adolescent prescription opioid abuse on subsequent drug use and affective-like behavior are unknown. OBJECTIVES This study aims to determine if adolescent exposure to oxycodone alters the rewarding effects of morphine, anxiety-like behavior, and reward-related gene expression later in adulthood. METHODS Adolescent male C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to oxycodone (3 mg/kg/day) via osmotic minipumps for 28 days. Following a 28-day withdrawal period, mice were tested in morphine-conditioned place preference paradigm (CPP), morphine sensitization, open field, marble burying, and forced swim (FST) tests. To determine if effects were specific to adolescent exposure, adult mice were exposed to oxycodone for 28 days and underwent 28 days of withdrawal prior to the same behavioral testing schedule. Expression of reward-related genes including dopamine receptor 1 (D1) and dopamine transporter (DAT) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) was examined. RESULTS Adolescent oxycodone exposure significantly increased (300 %) response to morphine CPP during adulthood and significantly reduced D1 expression (30 %) in the NAc and DAT expression (75 %) in the VTA. Adult oxycodone exposure did not affect subsequent responses to morphine CPP. Oxycodone exposure did not affect the development of morphine sensitization or affective-like behaviors. Corticosterone response to a stressor (FST) was significantly reduced (65 %) in mice exposed to oxycodone during adolescence but not adulthood. CONCLUSIONS Adolescent oxycodone exposure enhances rewarding effects of morphine in adulthood with no effect on other affective-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Sanchez
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Translational Research Laboratory, 125 South 31st Street, Philadelphia, PA19104, USA
| | - Marco D Carpenter
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Translational Research Laboratory, 125 South 31st Street, Philadelphia, PA19104, USA
| | - Nicole L Yohn
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Translational Research Laboratory, 125 South 31st Street, Philadelphia, PA19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Translational Research Laboratory, 125 South 31st Street, Philadelphia, PA19104, USA.
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Wood KH, Johnson BS, Welsh SA, Lee JY, Cui Y, Krizman E, Brodkin ES, Blendy JA, Robinson MB, Bartolomei MS, Zhou Z. Tagging methyl-CpG-binding domain proteins reveals different spatiotemporal expression and supports distinct functions. Epigenomics 2016; 8:455-73. [PMID: 27066839 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2015-0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM DNA methylation is recognized by methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) proteins. Multiple MBDs are linked to neurodevelopmental disorders in humans and mice. However, the functions of MBD2 are poorly understood. We characterized Mbd2 knockout mice and determined spatiotemporal expression of MBDs and MBD2-NuRD (nucleosome remodeling deacetylase) interactions. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES We analyzed behavioral phenotypes, generated biotin-tagged MBD1 and MBD2 knockin mice, and performed biochemical studies of MBD2-NuRD. RESULTS Most behavioral measures are minimally affected in Mbd2 knockout mice. In contrast to other MBDs, MBD2 shows distinct expression patterns. CONCLUSION Unlike most MBDs, MBD2 is ubiquitously expressed in all tissues examined and appears dispensable for brain functions measured in this study. We provide novel genetic tools and reveal new directions to investigate MBD2 functions in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen H Wood
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Brian S Johnson
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sarah A Welsh
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jun Y Lee
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yue Cui
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elizabeth Krizman
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Edward S Brodkin
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael B Robinson
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marisa S Bartolomei
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Zhaolan Zhou
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Forcelli PA, Turner JR, Lee BG, Olson TT, Xie T, Xiao Y, Blendy JA, Kellar KJ. Anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects of the methadone metabolite 2-ethyl-5-methyl-3,3-diphenyl-1-pyrroline (EMDP). Neuropharmacology 2015; 101:46-56. [PMID: 26365569 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 04/21/2015] [Revised: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The enhancement of GABAergic and monoaminergic neurotransmission has been the mainstay of pharmacotherapy and the focus of drug-discovery for anxiety and depressive disorders for several decades. However, the significant limitations of drugs used for these disorders underscores the need for novel therapeutic targets. Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) may represent one such target. For example, mecamylamine, a non-competitive antagonist of nAChRs, displays positive effects in preclinical tests for anxiolytic and antidepressant activity in rodents. In addition, nicotine elicits similar effects in rodent models, possibly by receptor desensitization. Previous studies (Xiao et al., 2001) have identified two metabolites of methadone, EMDP (2-ethyl-5-methyl-3,3-diphenyl-1-pyrroline) and EDDP (2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine), which are considered to be inactive at opiate receptors, as relatively potent noncompetitive channel blockers of rat α3β4 nAChRs. Here, we show that these compounds are likewise highly effective blockers of human α3β4 and α4β2 nAChRs. Moreover, we show that they display relatively low affinity for opiate binding sites labeled by [(3)H]-naloxone. We then evaluated these compounds in rats and mice in preclinical behavioral models predictive of potential anxiolytic and antidepressant efficacy. We found that EMDP, but not EDDP, displayed robust effects predictive of anxiolytic and antidepressant efficacy without significant effects on locomotor activity. Moreover, EMDP at behaviorally active doses, unlike mecamylamine, did not produce eyelid ptosis, suggesting it may produce fewer autonomic side effects than mecamylamine. Thus, the methadone metabolite EMDP may represent a novel therapeutic avenue for the treatment of some affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick A Forcelli
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
| | - Jill R Turner
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Bridgin G Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Thao T Olson
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
| | - Teresa Xie
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
| | - Yingxian Xiao
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Kenneth J Kellar
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
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Zhang Y, Picetti R, Butelman ER, Ho A, Blendy JA, Kreek MJ. Mouse model of the OPRM1 (A118G) polymorphism: differential heroin self-administration behavior compared with wild-type mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:1091-100. [PMID: 25336208 PMCID: PMC4367451 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2014] [Revised: 08/20/2014] [Accepted: 08/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Mu-opioid receptors (MOPRs) are the target of heroin and other prescription opioids, which are currently responsible for massive addiction morbidity in the US. The gene coding for the human MOPR (OPRM1) has an important functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), A118G. The OPRM1 A118G genotype results in substantially increased risk of heroin addiction in humans; however, the neurobiological mechanism for this increased risk is not fully understood. This study examined heroin self-administration (SA) behavior in A112G (G/G) mice, harboring a functionally equivalent SNP in Oprm1 with a similar amino acid substitution, in extended (4 h) SA sessions. Adult male and female G/G mice and 'wild-type' litter mates (A/A) were allowed to self-administer heroin (0.25 mg/kg/unit dose, FR1 with a nose poke response) for 4 h/day, for 10 consecutive days. Half of the mice then continued in a heroin dose-response study, while extinction from heroin SA was studied in the other half. In vivo microdialysis was used to measure acute heroin-induced increases of striatal dopamine in the GG vs AA genotypes. Male and female G/G mice responded for heroin significantly more (and thus had greater intake) than A/A mice, in the initial 10 days of heroin SA, and in the subsequent dose-response study. There were no significant differences in extinction of SA between the A/A and G/G mice. Heroin-induced increases in striatal dopamine levels are higher in the GG mice than in the AA mice. Both male and female G/G mice self-administered more heroin than did A/A mice over a 10-day period, possibly because of the greater increases of heroin-induced striatal dopamine in the GG mice. Furthermore, G/G male mice escalated the amount of heroin self-administration across 10 extended-access sessions more than A/A male mice did. These are the first studies to examine the acquisition of heroin SA in this mouse model. These studies may lead to a better understanding of the neurobiological and behavioral mechanisms that underlie greater risk of heroin addiction in carriers of the A118G SNP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA,The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, Box 171, New York, NY 10065, USA, Tel: +212 327 8490, Fax: +212 327 8574, E-mail:
| | - Roberto Picetti
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eduardo R Butelman
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ann Ho
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mary Jeanne Kreek
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
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Lee BG, Anastasia A, Hempstead BL, Lee FS, Blendy JA. Effects of the BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism on Anxiety-Like Behavior Following Nicotine Withdrawal in Mice. Nicotine Tob Res 2015; 17:1428-35. [PMID: 25744957 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntv047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Nicotine withdrawal is characterized by both affective and cognitive symptoms. Identifying genetic polymorphisms that could affect the symptoms associated with nicotine withdrawal are important in predicting withdrawal sensitivity and identifying personalized cessation therapies. In the current study we used a mouse model of a non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism in the translated region of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene that substitutes a valine (Val) for a methionine (Met) amino acid (Val66Met) to examine the relationship between the Val66Met single nucleotide polymorphism and nicotine dependence. METHODS This study measured proBDNF and the BDNF prodomain levels following nicotine and nicotine withdrawal and examined a mouse model of a common polymorphism in this protein (BDNF(Met/Met)) in three behavioral paradigms: novelty-induced hypophagia, marble burying, and the open-field test. RESULTS Using the BDNF knock-in mouse containing the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism we found: (1) blunted anxiety-like behavior in BDNF(Met/Met) mice following withdrawal in three behavioral paradigms: novelty-induced hypophagia, marble burying, and the open-field test; (2) the anxiolytic effects of chronic nicotine are absent in BDNF(Met/Met) mice; and (3) an increase in BDNF prodomain in BDNF(Met/Met) mice following nicotine withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS Our study is the first to examine the effect of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on the affective symptoms of withdrawal from nicotine in mice. In these mice, a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the translated region of the BDNF gene can result in a blunted withdrawal, as measured by decreased anxiety-like behavior. The significant increase in the BDNF prodomain in BDNF(Met/Met) mice following nicotine cessation suggests a possible role of this ligand in the circuitry remodeling after withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridgin G Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Agustin Anastasia
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Barbara L Hempstead
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Francis S Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA;
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Briand LA, Lee BG, Lelay J, Kaestner KH, Blendy JA. Serine 133 phosphorylation is not required for hippocampal CREB-mediated transcription and behavior. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 22:109-15. [PMID: 25593297 PMCID: PMC4341363 DOI: 10.1101/lm.037044.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The cAMP response element (CRE)-binding protein, CREB, is a transcription factor whose activity in the brain is critical for long-term memory formation. Phosphorylation of Ser133 in the kinase-inducible domain (KID), that in turn leads to the recruitment of the transcriptional coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP), is thought to mediate the activation of CREB. However, the importance of phosphorylation for CREB binding to DNA and subsequent gene transcription in vivo is controversial. To definitively address the role of CREB phosphorylation in gene transcription and learning and memory, we derived mutant mice lacking the Ser133 phosphorylation site. These mice exhibit normal CREB-mediated gene transcription for a number of genes implicated in learning and memory processes. Furthermore these mice have no deficits in hippocampus- or striatum-dependent learning. Strikingly, our findings show that CREB phosphorylation at Ser133 is not necessary for CREB binding to CRE sites, CREB-mediated transcription, or CREB-mediated behavioral phenotypes associated with learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Briand
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, USA
| | - Bridgin G Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - John Lelay
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Klaus H Kaestner
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Turner JR, Ray R, Lee B, Everett L, Xiang J, Jepson C, Kaestner KH, Lerman C, Blendy JA. Evidence from mouse and man for a role of neuregulin 3 in nicotine dependence. Mol Psychiatry 2014; 19:801-10. [PMID: 23999525 PMCID: PMC3877725 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2013.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2012] [Revised: 07/12/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Addiction to nicotine and the ability to quit smoking are influenced by genetic factors. We used functional genomic approaches (chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and whole-genome sequencing) to identify cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) targets following chronic nicotine administration and withdrawal (WD) in rodents. We found that chronic nicotine and WD differentially modulate CREB binding to the gene for neuregulin 3 (NRG3). Quantitative analysis of saline, nicotine and nicotine WD in two biological replicates corroborate this finding, with NRG3 increases in both mRNA and protein following WD from chronic nicotine treatment. To translate these data for human relevance, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across NRG3 were examined for association with prospective smoking cessation among smokers of European ancestry treated with transdermal nicotine in two independent cohorts. Individual SNP and haplotype analysis support the association of NRG3 SNPs and smoking cessation success. NRG3 is a neural-enriched member of the epidermal growth factor family, and a specific ligand for the receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB4, which is also upregulated following nicotine treatment and WD. Mice with significantly reduced levels of NRG3 or pharmacological inhibition of ErbB4 show similar reductions in anxiety following nicotine WD compared with control animals, suggesting a role for NRG3 in nicotine dependence. Although the function of the SNP in NRG3 in humans is not known, these data suggest that Nrg3/ErbB4 signaling may be an important factor in nicotine dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill R. Turner
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Riju Ray
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Bridgin Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Logan Everett
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Jing Xiang
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Christopher Jepson
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Klaus H. Kaestner
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Caryn Lerman
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Abstract
The A118G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the human μ-opioid receptor (MOPR) gene (OPRM1) was associated with heightened dopamine release by alcohol intake, better treatment outcome for nicotine and alcohol addiction, and reduced analgesic responses to morphine. A mouse model that possesses the equivalent substitution (A112G) in the mouse MOPR gene (OPRM1) was generated to delineate the mechanisms of the impact of the SNP. Mice homozygous for the G112 allele (G/G) displayed lower morphine-induced antinociception than mice homozygous for the A112 allele (A/A), similar to the results in humans. In this study, we examined whether A112G SNP affected MOPR-mediated G protein activation in the mouse model. We compared A/A and G/G mice in the MOPR-selective agonist [D-Ala2, N-MePhe4, Gly-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO)-stimulated [(35) S]GTPγS binding in brain regions by autoradiography. When the data of males and females were combined, G/G mice exhibited lower DAMGO-stimulated [(35) S]GTPγS binding in the ventral tegmental area than A/A mice, in accord with the previously reported reduced morphine-induced hyperactivity and locomotor sensitization in G/G mice. In the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core, female G/G mice displayed lower DAMGO-stimulated [(35) S]GTPγS binding than female A/A mice, which is consistent with the previously reported deficiency in morphine-induced conditioned place preference in female G/G mice. In G/G mice, males showed higher DAMGO-stimulated [(35) S]GTPγS binding than females in the cingulate cortex, caudate putamen, NAc core, thalamus and amygdala. Thus, A112G SNP affects DAMGO-stimulated [(35) S]GTPγS binding in region- and sex-specific manners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jun Wang
- Department of Pharmacology; Center for Substance Abuse Research; Temple University School of Medicine; Philadelphia PA USA
| | - Peng Huang
- Department of Pharmacology; Center for Substance Abuse Research; Temple University School of Medicine; Philadelphia PA USA
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Department of Pharmacology; Perelman School of Medicine; University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia PA USA
| | - Lee-Yuan Liu-Chen
- Department of Pharmacology; Center for Substance Abuse Research; Temple University School of Medicine; Philadelphia PA USA
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Yohn NL, Turner JR, Blendy JA. Activation of α4β2*/α6β2* nicotinic receptors alleviates anxiety during nicotine withdrawal without upregulating nicotinic receptors. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2014; 349:348-54. [PMID: 24627467 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.113.211706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Although nicotine mediates its effects through several nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes, it remains to be determined which nAChR subtypes directly mediate heightened anxiety during withdrawal. Relative success in abstinence has been found with the nAChR partial agonist varenicline (Chantix; Pfizer, Groton, CT); however, treatment with this drug fails to alleviate anxiety in individuals during nicotine withdrawal. Therefore, it is hypothesized that success can be found by the repurposing of other nAChR partial agonists for cessation therapies that target anxiety. It is noteworthy that the selective partial agonists for α4β2, ABT-089 [2-methyl-3-[2(S)-pyrrolidinylmethoxy]pyridine], and α7, ABT-107 [5-(6-[(3R)-1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3-yloxy] pyridazin-3-yl)-1H-indole] (AbbVie, North Chicago, IL), have not been evaluated as possible therapeutics for nicotine cessation. Therefore, we examined the effect of ABT-089 and ABT-107 on anxiety during withdrawal from nicotine in the novelty-induced hypophagia (NIH) paradigm. We found that short-term administration of ABT-089 and ABT-107 alleviate anxiety-like behavior during withdrawal from nicotine while long-term administration of ABT-089 but not ABT-107 reduces anxiety-like behavior during withdrawal. After behavioral testing, brains were harvested and β2-containing nAChRs were measured using [(3)H]epibaditine. ABT-089 and ABT-107 do not upregulate nAChRs, which is in contrast to the upregulation of nAChRs observed after nicotine. Furthermore, ABT-089 is anxiogenic in nicotine naive animals, suggesting that the effects on anxiety are specifically related to the nicotine-dependent state. Together, these studies identify additional nAChR partial agonists that may aid in the rational development of smoking cessation aids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Yohn
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Ting JH, Marks DR, Schleidt SS, Wu JN, Zyskind JW, Lindl KA, Blendy JA, Pierce RC, Jordan-Sciutto KL. Targeted gene mutation of E2F1 evokes age-dependent synaptic disruption and behavioral deficits. J Neurochem 2014; 129:850-63. [PMID: 24460902 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.12655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [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: 08/22/2013] [Revised: 11/21/2013] [Accepted: 01/10/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant expression and activation of the cell cycle protein E2F1 in neurons has been implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases. As a transcription factor regulating G1 to S phase progression in proliferative cells, E2F1 is often up-regulated and activated in models of neuronal death. However, despite its well-studied functions in neuronal death, little is known regarding the role of E2F1 in the mature brain. In this study, we used a combined approach to study the effect of E2F1 gene disruption on mouse behavior and brain biochemistry. We identified significant age-dependent olfactory and memory-related deficits in E2f1 mutant mice. In addition, we found that E2F1 exhibits punctated staining and localizes closely to the synapse. Furthermore, we found a mirroring age-dependent loss of post-synaptic protein-95 in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb as well as a global loss of several other synaptic proteins. Coincidently, E2F1 expression is significantly elevated at the ages, in which behavioral and synaptic perturbations were observed. Finally, we show that deficits in adult neurogenesis persist late in aged E2f1 mutant mice which may partially contribute to the behavior phenotypes. Taken together, our data suggest that the disruption of E2F1 function leads to specific age-dependent behavioral deficits and synaptic perturbations. E2F1 is a transcription factor regulating cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Although E2F1 dysregulation under toxic conditions can lead to neuronal death, little is known about its physiologic activity in the healthy brain. Here, we report significant age-dependent olfactory and memory deficits in mice with dysfunctional E2F1. Coincident with these behavioral changes, we also found age-matched synaptic disruption and persisting reduction in adult neurogenesis. Our study demonstrates that E2F1 contributes to physiologic brain structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenhao H Ting
- Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Hussmann GP, DeDominicis KE, Turner JR, Yasuda RP, Klehm J, Forcelli PA, Xiao Y, Richardson JR, Sahibzada N, Wolfe BB, Lindstrom J, Blendy JA, Kellar KJ. Chronic sazetidine-A maintains anxiolytic effects and slower weight gain following chronic nicotine without maintaining increased density of nicotinic receptors in rodent brain. J Neurochem 2014; 129:721-31. [PMID: 24422997 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.12653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 10/10/2013] [Revised: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 12/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Chronic nicotine administration increases the density of brain α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), which may contribute to nicotine addiction by exacerbating withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking cessation. Varenicline, a smoking cessation drug, also increases these receptors in rodent brain. The maintenance of this increase by varenicline as well as nicotine replacement may contribute to the high rate of relapse during the first year after smoking cessation. Recently, we found that sazetidine-A (saz-A), a potent partial agonist that desensitizes α4β2* nAChRs, does not increase the density of these receptors in brain at doses that decrease nicotine self-administration, increase attention in rats, and produce anxiolytic effects in mice. Here, we investigated whether chronic saz-A and varenicline maintain the density of nAChRs after their up-regulation by nicotine. In addition, we examined the effects of these drugs on a measure of anxiety in mice and weight gain in rats. After increasing nAChRs in the rodent brain with chronic nicotine, replacing nicotine with chronic varenicline maintained the increased nAChR binding, as well as the α4β2 subunit proteins measured by western blots. In contrast, replacing nicotine treatments with chronic saz-A resulted in the return of the density of nAChRs to the levels seen in saline controls. Nicotine, saz-A and varenicline each demonstrated anxiolytic effects in mice, but only saz-A and nicotine attenuated the gain of weight over a 6-week period in rats. These findings suggest that apart from its modest anxiolytic and weight control effects, saz-A, or drugs like it, may be useful in achieving long-term abstinence from smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Patrick Hussmann
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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Abstract
Nicotine addiction accounts for 4.9 million deaths each year. Furthermore, although smoking represents a significant health burden in the United States, at present there are only three FDA-approved pharmacotherapies currently on the market: (1) nicotine replacement therapy, (2) bupropion, and (3) varenicline. Despite this obvious gap in the market, the complexity of nicotine addiction in addition to the increasing cost of drug development makes targeted drug development prohibitive. Furthermore, using combinations of mouse and human studies, additional treatments could be developed from off-the-shelf, currently approved medication lists. This article reviews translational studies targeting manipulations of the cholinergic system as a viable therapeutic target for nicotine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill R Turner
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Wilkinson DS, Turner JR, Blendy JA, Gould TJ. Genetic background influences the effects of withdrawal from chronic nicotine on learning and high-affinity nicotinic acetylcholine receptor binding in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2013; 225:201-8. [PMID: 22836371 PMCID: PMC3755015 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2808-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 04/05/2012] [Accepted: 07/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The effects of nicotine on cognitive processes may play an important role in nicotine addiction. Nicotine withdrawal impairs hippocampus-dependent learning and genetic factors influence this effect. However, the neural changes that contribute to these impairments are unknown. Chronic nicotine upregulates hippocampal nicotinic acetycholine receptors (nAChRs), which may contribute to cognitive deficits when nicotine administration ceases. If nAChR upregulation underlies withdrawal deficits in learning, then strains of mice exhibiting withdrawal deficits in hippocampus-dependent learning should also show upregulation of hippocampal nAChRs. OBJECTIVES Here, we examined the effects of nicotine withdrawal on fear conditioning and [(3)H]epibatidine binding in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus in two inbred mouse strains and their F1 hybrids. METHODS Male C57BL/6NTac, 129S6/SvEvTac, and B6129SF1/Tac mice were administered chronic nicotine (18 mg/kg/day) for 12 days through osmotic pumps and then were trained and tested in fear conditioning 24 h after cessation of nicotine treatment. RESULTS Nicotine withdrawal impaired hippocampus-dependent contextual conditioning in C57BL/6NTac mice but not 129S6/SvEvTac or B6129SF1/Tac mice; no changes were observed in hippocampus-independent cued fear conditioning. Upregulated [(3)H]epibatidine binding was found in the dorsal, but not ventral, hippocampus of C57BL/6NTac mice and in the ventral hippocampus of B6129SF1/Tac mice after chronic nicotine. CONCLUSIONS Upregulation of high-affinity binding sites in the dorsal hippocampus of C57BL/6NTac mice, the only strain that exhibited nAChR upregulation in this region and withdrawal deficits in contextual conditioning, suggests that upregulation of high-affinity binding sites in the dorsal hippocampus mediates, in part, nicotine withdrawal deficits in contextual conditioning and genetic background modulates these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek S. Wilkinson
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122
| | - Jill R. Turner
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Thomas J. Gould
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122
- Corresponding Author: Thomas J. Gould, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Weiss Hall, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, Tel: (215) 204-7495, Fax: (215) 204-5539,
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Hopkins TJ, Rupprecht LE, Hayes MR, Blendy JA, Schmidt HD. Galantamine, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and positive allosteric modulator of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, attenuates nicotine taking and seeking in rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2012; 37:2310-21. [PMID: 22669169 PMCID: PMC3422495 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2012.83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Current smoking cessation pharmacotherapies have limited efficacy in preventing relapse and maintaining abstinence during withdrawal. Galantamine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that also acts as a positive allosteric modulator of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Galantamine has recently been shown to reverse nicotine withdrawal-induced cognitive impairments in mice, which suggests that galantamine may function to prevent relapse in human smokers. However, there are no studies examining whether galantamine administration modulates nicotine self-administration and/or reinstatement of nicotine seeking in rodents. The present experiments were designed to determine the effects of galantamine administration on nicotine taking and reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior, an animal model of relapse. Moreover, the effects of galantamine on sucrose-maintained responding and sucrose seeking were also examined to determine whether galantamine's effects generalized to other reinforced behaviors. An inverted U-shaped dose-response curve was obtained when animals self-administered different unit doses of nicotine with the highest responding for 0.03 mg/kg per infusion of nicotine. Acute galantamine administration (5.0 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuated nicotine self-administration when animals were maintained on either a fixed-ratio 5 (FR5) or progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement. Galantamine administration also attenuated the reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior. No significant effects of galantamine on sucrose self-administration or sucrose reinstatement were noted. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors have also been shown to produce nausea and vomiting in humans. However, at doses required to attenuate nicotine self-administration, no effects of galantamine on nausea/malaise as measured by pica were noted. These results indicate that increased extracellular acetylcholine levels and/or nicotinic acetylcholine receptor stimulation is sufficient to attenuate nicotine taking and seeking in rats and that these effects are reinforcer selective and not due to adverse malaise symptoms such as nausea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Hopkins
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Laura E Rupprecht
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Matthew R Hayes
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Heath D Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 125 South 31st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, Tel: +215 573 8291, Fax: +215 573 7605, E-mail:
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Hussmann GP, Turner JR, Lomazzo E, Venkatesh R, Cousins V, Xiao Y, Yasuda RP, Wolfe BB, Perry DC, Rezvani AH, Levin ED, Blendy JA, Kellar KJ. Chronic sazetidine-A at behaviorally active doses does not increase nicotinic cholinergic receptors in rodent brain. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2012; 343:441-50. [PMID: 22899752 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.112.198085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic nicotine administration increases α4β2 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) density in brain. This up-regulation probably contributes to the development and/or maintenance of nicotine dependence. nAChR up-regulation is believed to be triggered at the ligand binding site, so it is not surprising that other nicotinic ligands also up-regulate nAChRs in the brain. These other ligands include varenicline, which is currently used for smoking cessation therapy. Sazetidine-A (saz-A) is a newer nicotinic ligand that binds with high affinity and selectivity at α4β2* nAChRs. In behavioral studies, saz-A decreases nicotine self-administration and increases performance on tasks of attention. We report here that, unlike nicotine and varenicline, chronic administration of saz-A at behaviorally active and even higher doses does not up-regulate nAChRs in rodent brains. We used a newly developed method involving radioligand binding to measure the concentrations and nAChR occupancy of saz-A, nicotine, and varenicline in brains from chronically treated rats. Our results indicate that saz-A reached concentrations in the brain that were ∼150 times its affinity for α4β2* nAChRs and occupied at least 75% of nAChRs. Thus, chronic administration of saz-A did not up-regulate nAChRs despite it reaching brain concentrations that are known to bind and desensitize virtually all α4β2* nAChRs in brain. These findings reinforce a model of nicotine addiction based on desensitization of up-regulated nAChRs and introduce a potential new strategy for smoking cessation therapy in which drugs such as saz-A can promote smoking cessation without maintaining nAChR up-regulation, thereby potentially increasing the rate of long-term abstinence from nicotine.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Patrick Hussmann
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, 3900 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20057, USA
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Falcone M, Gold AB, Wileyto EP, Ray R, Ruparel K, Newberg A, Dubroff J, Logan J, Zubieta JK, Blendy JA, Lerman C. μ-Opioid receptor availability in the amygdala is associated with smoking for negative affect relief. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2012; 222:701-8. [PMID: 22389047 PMCID: PMC3670416 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2673-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 10/27/2011] [Accepted: 02/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The perception that smoking relieves negative affect contributes to smoking persistence. Endogenous opioid neurotransmission, and the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) in particular, plays a role in affective regulation and is modulated by nicotine. OBJECTIVES We examined the relationship of MOR binding availability in the amygdala to the motivation to smoke for negative affect relief and to the acute effects of smoking on affective responses. METHODS Twenty-two smokers were scanned on two separate occasions after overnight abstinence using [¹¹C]carfentanil positron emission tomography imaging: after smoking a nicotine-containing cigarette and after smoking a denicotinized cigarette. Self-reports of smoking motives were collected at baseline, and measures of positive and negative affect were collected pre- and post- cigarette smoking. RESULTS Higher MOR availability in the amygdala was associated with motivation to smoke to relieve negative affect. However, MOR availability was unrelated to changes in affect after smoking either cigarette. CONCLUSIONS Increased MOR availability in amygdala may underlie the motivation to smoke for negative affective relief. These results are consistent with previous data highlighting the role of MOR neurotransmission in smoking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Falcone
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104,Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Allison B. Gold
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - E. Paul Wileyto
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Riju Ray
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Kosha Ruparel
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neuropsychiatry Department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Andrew Newberg
- Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine and Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Jacob Dubroff
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Jean Logan
- Medical Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973
| | - Jon-Kar Zubieta
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Caryn Lerman
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Onksen JL, Briand LA, Galante RJ, Pack AI, Blendy JA. Running-induced anxiety is dependent on increases in hippocampal neurogenesis. Genes Brain Behav 2012; 11:529-38. [PMID: 22471438 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2012.00788.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Exercise, specifically voluntary wheel running, is a potent stimulator of hippocampal neurogenesis in adult mice. In addition, exercise induces behavioral changes in numerous measures of anxiety in rodents. However, the physiological underpinnings of these changes are poorly understood. To investigate the role of neurogenesis in exercise-mediated anxiety, we examined the cellular and behavioral effects of voluntary wheel running in mice with a reduction in hippocampal neurogenesis, achieved through conditional deletion of ataxia telangiectasia-mutated and rad-3-related protein (ATR), a cell cycle checkpoint kinase necessary for normal levels of neurogenesis. Following hippocampal microinjection of an adeno-associated virus expressing Cre recombinase to delete ATR, mice were exposed to 4 weeks of voluntary wheel running and subsequently evaluated for anxiety-like behavior. Wheel running resulted in increased cell proliferation and neurogenesis, as measured by bromodeoxyuridine and doublecortin, respectively. Wheel running also resulted in heightened anxiety in the novelty-induced hypophagia, open field and light-dark box tests. However, both the neurogenic and anxiogenic effects of wheel running were attenuated following hippocampal ATR deletion, suggesting that increased neurogenesis is an important mediator of exercise-induced anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Onksen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, 19104, USA
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Portugal GS, Wilkinson DS, Turner JR, Blendy JA, Gould TJ. Developmental effects of acute, chronic, and withdrawal from chronic nicotine on fear conditioning. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2012; 97:482-94. [PMID: 22521799 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2012.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2011] [Revised: 03/09/2012] [Accepted: 04/03/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Pre-adolescence and adolescence are developmental periods associated with increased vulnerability for tobacco addiction, and exposure to tobacco during these periods may lead to long-lasting changes in behavioral and neuronal plasticity. The present study examined the short- and long-term effects of nicotine and nicotine withdrawal on fear conditioning in pre-adolescent, adolescent, and adult mice, and potential underlying substrates that may mediate the developmental effects of nicotine, such as changes in nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) binding, CREB expression, and nicotine metabolism. Age-related differences existed in sensitivity to the effects of acute nicotine, chronic nicotine and nicotine withdrawal on contextual fear conditioning (no changes in cued fear conditioning were seen); younger mice were more sensitive to the acute effects and less sensitive to the effects of nicotine withdrawal 24 h post treatment cessation. Developmental differences in nAChR binding were associated with the effects of nicotine withdrawal on contextual learning. Developmental differences in nicotine metabolism and CREB expression were also observed, but were not related to the effects of nicotine withdrawal on contextual learning 24 h post treatment. Chronic nicotine exposure during pre-adolescence or adolescence, however, produced long-lasting impairments in contextual learning that were observed during adulthood, whereas adult chronic nicotine exposure did not. These developmental effects could be related to changes in CREB. Overall, there is a developmental shift in the effects of nicotine on hippocampus-dependent learning and developmental exposure to nicotine results in adult cognitive deficits; these changes in cognition may play an important role in the development and maintenance of nicotine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- George S Portugal
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
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Brookshire B, Hill-Smith TE, Balu DT, Turner J, Blendy JA, Lucki I. The tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2) polymorphism C2432T mediates wound repair and behavioral responses to SSRIs in a sex‐specific manner. FASEB J 2012. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.lb508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jill Turner
- PharmacologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | | | - Irwin Lucki
- PsychiatryUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
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Abstract
The Val66Met polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) gene results in alterations in fear extinction behavior in both human populations and mouse models. However, it is not clear whether this polymorphism plays a similar role in extinction of appetitive behaviors. Therefore, we examined operant learning and extinction of both food and cocaine self-administration behavior in an inbred genetic knock-in mouse strain expressing the variant Bdnf. These mice provide a unique opportunity to relate alterations in aversive and appetitive extinction learning as well as provide insight into how human genetic variation can lead to differences in behavior. BDNF(Met/Met) mice exhibited a severe deficit in operant learning as demonstrated by an inability to learn the food self-administration task. Therefore, extinction experiments were performed comparing wildtype (BDNF(Val/Val) ) animals to mice heterozygous for the Met allele (BDNF(Val/Met) ), which did not differ in food or cocaine self-administration behavior. In contrast to the deficit in fear extinction previously demonstrated in these mice, we found that BDNF(Val/Met) mice exhibited more rapid extinction of cocaine responding compared to wildtype mice. No differences were found between the genotypes in the extinction of food self-administration behavior or the reinstatement of cocaine seeking, indicating that the effect is specific to extinction of cocaine responding. These results suggest that the molecular mechanisms underlying aversive and appetitive extinction are distinct from one another and BDNF may play opposing roles in the two phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Briand
- Department of Pharmacology, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Abstract
Epilepsy is a common neurologic disorder yet no treatments aimed at preventing epilepsy have been developed. Several molecules including genes containing cAMP response elements (CREs) in their promoters have been identified that contribute to the development of epilepsy, a process called epileptogenesis. When phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) increases transcription from CRE regulated promoters. CREB phosphorylation is increased in rodent epilepsy models, and in the seizure onset region of humans with medically intractable epilepsy (Rakhade et al., 2005; Lee et al., 2007; Lund et al., 2008). Here we show that mice with decreased CREB levels (CREB(α∆) mutants) have a ~50% reduction in spontaneous seizures following pilocarpine induced status epilepticus (SE) and require more stimulation to electrically kindle. Following SE, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) mRNAs are differentially up-regulated in the hippocampus and cortex of the CREB(α∆) mutants compared to wild-type mice, which may be contributing to differences in the severity of epilepsy. In contrast, we found no difference in KCC2 mRNA levels between the CREB(α∆) and wild-type mice after SE. The mechanism by which BDNF and ICER mRNAs increase specifically in the CREB(α∆) compared to wild-type mice following SE is not known. We did, however, find an increase in specific cAMP response element modulator (CREM) mRNA transcripts in the CREB(α∆) mutants that might be responsible for the differential regulation of BDNF and ICER after SE. Altering CREB activity following a neurologic insult provides a therapeutic strategy for modifying epileptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjian Zhu
- The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Division of Neurology
| | - Xiao Han
- The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Division of Neurology
| | - Julie A. Blendy
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Pharmacology, TRL Building, 125 S. 31st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3403,
| | - Brenda E. Porter
- The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Division of Neurology
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Neurology and Pediatrics
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