1. Extended cocaine self-administration and deprivation produces region-specific and time-dependent changes in connexin36 expression in rat brain.
- Author
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McCracken CB, Hamby SM, Patel KM, Morgan D, Vrana KE, and Roberts DC
- Subjects
- Animals, Brain metabolism, Brain physiopathology, Cell Communication drug effects, Cell Communication physiology, Cocaine-Related Disorders physiopathology, Connexins genetics, Connexins metabolism, Disease Models, Animal, Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors pharmacology, Down-Regulation drug effects, Down-Regulation physiology, Gap Junctions metabolism, Hippocampus drug effects, Hippocampus metabolism, Hippocampus physiopathology, Male, Nucleus Accumbens drug effects, Nucleus Accumbens metabolism, Nucleus Accumbens physiopathology, Prefrontal Cortex drug effects, Prefrontal Cortex metabolism, Prefrontal Cortex physiopathology, RNA, Messenger drug effects, RNA, Messenger metabolism, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Self Administration, Substance Withdrawal Syndrome physiopathology, Time Factors, Gap Junction delta-2 Protein, Brain drug effects, Cocaine pharmacology, Cocaine-Related Disorders metabolism, Connexins drug effects, Gap Junctions drug effects, Substance Withdrawal Syndrome metabolism
- Abstract
Cocaine addiction is a disease that develops over time, and it is thought that drug-induced neuro-adaptations underlie the changes in behavior seen across the addictive process. While a number of alterations in synaptic transmission have been identified, little is currently known regarding cocaine's effects on gap junctional communication between neurons. Here we examine the effects of a cocaine self-administration regimen, previously shown to increase the reinforcing efficacy of cocaine, on the expression of the neuron-specific gap junction-forming protein connexin36 (C x 36). Using real-time RT-PCR and immunoblotting, we show that binge cocaine self-administration produces region-specific and time-dependent changes in C x 36 mRNA and protein expression in the nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. A number of changes in C x 36 were present 1 day and 7 days following self-administration, and C x 36 mRNA and protein appeared to be differentially regulated in a region-specific manner. C x 36 protein was significantly decreased in the prefrontal cortex 7 days following self-administration, a time point when behavioral sensitization to the reinforcing effects of cocaine is observed. These results suggest that changes in neuronal gap junction expression may be one mechanism by which cocaine self-administration produces enduring changes in behavior., (Synapse 58:141-150, 2005. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)
- Published
- 2005
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