MeCP2 regulates ethanol sensitivity and intake.

ABSTRACT: We have investigated the expression of chromatin-regulating genes in the prefrontal cortex and in the shell subdivision of the nucleus accumbens during protracted withdrawal in mice with increased ethanol drinking after chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor exposure and in mice with a history of non-dependent drinking. We observed that the methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) was one of the few chromatin-regulating genes to be differentially regulated by a history of dependence. As MeCP2 has the potential of acting as a broad gene regulator, we investigated sensitivity to ethanol and ethanol drinking in MeCP2(308/) (Y) mice, which harbor a truncated MeCP2 allele but have a milder phenotype than MeCP2 null mice. We observed that MeCP2(308/) (Y) mice were more sensitive to ethanol's stimu

SUBMITTER: Repunte-Canonigo V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3692583 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature