Antisense oligonucleotide to c-fos blocks the ability of arginine vasopressin to maintain ethanol tolerance

Administration of the neuropeptide, arginine vasopressin, can reduce the rate of dissipation of functional ethanol tolerance in mice that have acquired that tolerance. We previously showed that intracerebroventricular vasopressin administration can also produce an increase in septal c-fos mRNA levels. To evaluate the role of the increased expression of c-fos in the ability of vasopressin to maintain tolerance, ethanol-tolerant mice were given intracerebroventricular injections of vasopressin in the presence or absence of an antisense oligonucleotide to c-fos. The antisense oligonucleotide completely blocked the ability of vasopressin to maintain ethanol tolerance, while a missense oligonucleotide was without effect. The antisense oligonucleotide also attenuated the increase in septal c-fos mRNA levels caused by vasopressin. The results provide evidence for a role of c-fos expression in the maintenance of ethanol tolerance by vasopressin.