Histone H3 dopaminylation in ventral tegmental area underlies heroin-induced transcriptional and behavioral plasticity in male rats.

ABSTRACT: Persistent transcriptional events in ventral tegmental area (VTA) and other reward relevant brain regions contribute to enduring behavioral adaptations that characterize substance use disorder. Recent data from our laboratory indicate that aberrant accumulation of the newly discovered histone post-translational modification (PTM), H3 dopaminylation at glutamine 5 (H3Q5dop), contributes significantly to cocaine-seeking behavior following prolonged periods of abstinence. It remained unclear, however, whether this modification is important for relapse vulnerability in the context of other drugs of abuse, such as opioids. Here, we showed that H3Q5dop plays a critical role in heroin-mediated transcriptional plasticity in midbrain regions, particularly the VTA. In rats undergoing abstinence from

SUBMITTER: Fulton SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9372029 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature