Project description:Transcriptomes of subthalamic nuclei, globus pallidus, and accumbens nuclei from mice with low and high scores of cocaine-dependent conditioned place preference
Project description:Molecular basis of transition to addiction in vulnerable individuals is largely unknown. We hypothesized that human susceptibility genes can be identified on the basis of conserved molecular mechanisms in rodent brains. We used a short-term cocaine-dependent conditioned place preference (CPP) to identify genetic hallmarks of early steps of reward memory in basal ganglia including accumbens nucleus (NAc), globus pallidus (GP) and subthalamic nucleus (STN). Using genome-wide microarray analysis and CPP as a quantitative trait, we found that synaptic plasticity-related genes are deregulated in these three structures. A significant enrichment in bona fide transcripts involved in dendritic spine local translation was evidenced. mGluR5 is transcriptionally deregulated in Acc and GP of cocaine-treated animals. Grin3a that encodes a NMDA receptor subunit involved in Ca++ permeability is deregulated in NAc. Furthermore, Orexin/Hcrt transcript level is decreased in STN, a region known to be involved in discriminating addictive drugs and natural rewards. We also found that mGluR5 and Grin3a expression deregulation is sufficient to induce changes in synaptic plasticity-related genes. Altogether, these results suggest that a combined deregulation of mGluR5 and Grin3A pathway in NAc, mGluR5 in GP and orexin system in STN may generate an incentive memory contrasted between addictive drugs and natural rewards. Such pathways may include clusters of genes that are potential susceptibility genes for transition to addiction. Agilent Whole Mouse Genome oligomicroarrays (GEO accession no. GPL2872, Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA) were used. They contain 60-mer DNA probes synthesized in situ in a 44k format. Of 44,290 spots, 2756 are controls. The remaining 41,534 spots represent 33,661 unique transcripts which correspond to 20,202 unique human genes. Five independent (five accumbens nuclei from mice treated with cocaine and having a low score of conditioned place preference compared to five accumbens nuclei from mice treated with saline solution) measurements were carried out for each group of biological conditions using exchanged dye-labeled RNA targets (i.e., Cy3 and Cy5 dyeswapping experiments).
Project description:Molecular basis of transition to addiction in vulnerable individuals is largely unknown. We hypothesized that human susceptibility genes can be identified on the basis of conserved molecular mechanisms in rodent brains. We used a short-term cocaine-dependent conditioned place preference (CPP) to identify genetic hallmarks of early steps of reward memory in basal ganglia including accumbens nucleus (NAc), globus pallidus (GP) and subthalamic nucleus (STN). Using genome-wide microarray analysis and CPP as a quantitative trait, we found that synaptic plasticity-related genes are deregulated in these three structures. A significant enrichment in bona fide transcripts involved in dendritic spine local translation was evidenced. mGluR5 is transcriptionally deregulated in Acc and GP of cocaine-treated animals. Grin3a that encodes a NMDA receptor subunit involved in Ca++ permeability is deregulated in NAc. Furthermore, Orexin/Hcrt transcript level is decreased in STN, a region known to be involved in discriminating addictive drugs and natural rewards. We also found that mGluR5 and Grin3a expression deregulation is sufficient to induce changes in synaptic plasticity-related genes. Altogether, these results suggest that a combined deregulation of mGluR5 and Grin3A pathway in NAc, mGluR5 in GP and orexin system in STN may generate an incentive memory contrasted between addictive drugs and natural rewards. Such pathways may include clusters of genes that are potential susceptibility genes for transition to addiction. Agilent Whole Mouse Genome oligomicroarrays (GEO accession no. GPL4134, Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA) were used. They contain 60-mer DNA probes synthesized in situ in a 44k format. Four independent (globus pallidus from mouse treated with cocaine and having a low score of conditioned place preference compared to globus pallidus from mouse treated with saline solution) hybridizations were carried out for each group of biological conditions using exchanged dye-labeled RNA targets (i.e., Cy3 and Cy5 dyeswapping experiments).
Project description:Molecular basis of transition to addiction in vulnerable individuals is largely unknown. We hypothesized that human susceptibility genes can be identified on the basis of conserved molecular mechanisms in rodent brains. We used a short-term cocaine-dependent conditioned place preference (CPP) to identify genetic hallmarks of early steps of reward memory in basal ganglia including accumbens nucleus (NAc), globus pallidus (GP) and subthalamic nucleus (STN). Using genome-wide microarray analysis and CPP as a quantitative trait, we found that synaptic plasticity-related genes are deregulated in these three structures. A significant enrichment in bona fide transcripts involved in dendritic spine local translation was evidenced. mGluR5 is transcriptionally deregulated in Acc and GP of cocaine-treated animals. Grin3a that encodes a NMDA receptor subunit involved in Ca++ permeability is deregulated in NAc. Furthermore, Orexin/Hcrt transcript level is decreased in STN, a region known to be involved in discriminating addictive drugs and natural rewards. We also found that mGluR5 and Grin3a expression deregulation is sufficient to induce changes in synaptic plasticity-related genes. Altogether, these results suggest that a combined deregulation of mGluR5 and Grin3A pathway in NAc, mGluR5 in GP and orexin system in STN may generate an incentive memory contrasted between addictive drugs and natural rewards. Such pathways may include clusters of genes that are potential susceptibility genes for transition to addiction. Agilent Whole Mouse Genome oligomicroarrays (GEO accession no. GPL4134, Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA) were used. They contain 60-mer DNA probes synthesized in situ in a 44k format. Four independent (globus pallidus from mouse treated with cocaine and having a high score of conditioned place preference compared to globus pallidus from mouse treated with saline solution) measurements were carried out for each group of biological conditions using exchanged dye-labeled RNA targets (i.e., Cy3 and Cy5 dyeswapping experiments).
Project description:Cocaine use disorder is a condition that leads to tremendous morbidity and mortality for which there are currently no FDA-approved pharmacotherapies. Previous research has demonstrated an important role for the resident population of bacteria of the large intestine, collectively dubbed the gut microbiome, in modulating brain and behavior in models of cocaine and other substance use disorders. Importantly, previous work has repeatedly shown that depletion of the gut microbiome leads to increased cocaine taking and seeking behaviors in multiple models. While the precise mechanism of these gut-brain signaling pathways in models of cocaine use is not fully clear, and intriguing possibility is through gut microbiome influences on innate immune system function. In this manuscript we identify the cytokine colony stimulating factor 2 (CSF2) as an immune factor that is increased by cocaine in a gut microbiome dependent manner. Peripherally injected CSF2 crosses the blood-brain barrier into the nucleus accumbens, a brain region central to behavioral responses to cocaine. Treatment with peripheral CSF2 reduces acute and sensitized locomotor responses to cocaine as well as reducing cocaine place preference at high doses. On a molecular level, we find that peripheral injections of CSF2 alter the transcriptional response to both acute and repeated cocaine in the nucleus accumbens. Finally, treatment of microbiome depleted mice with CSF2 reverses the behavioral effects of microbiome depletion on the conditioned place preference assay. Taken together, this work identifies an innate immune factor that represents a novel gut-brain signaling cascade in models of cocaine use and lays the foundations for further translational work targeting this pathway.