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FACS Identifies Unique Cocaine-Induced Gene Regulation in Selectively Activated Adult Striatal Neurons

Authors :
Jennifer M. Bossert
Eisuke Koya
Sam A. Golden
Sanya Fanous
Regina Schrama
Marina R. Picciotto
Anna L. Stern
Brandon K. Harvey
Bruce T. Hope
Danielle H. Guez-Barber
Source :
The Journal of Neuroscience. 31:4251-4259
Publication Year :
2011
Publisher :
Society for Neuroscience, 2011.

Abstract

Numerous studies with the neural activity marker Fos indicate that cocaine activates only a small proportion of sparsely distributed striatal neurons. Until now, efficient methods were not available to assess neuroadaptations induced specifically within these activated neurons. We used fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to purify striatal neurons activated during cocaine-induced locomotion in naive and cocaine-sensitizedcfos-lacZtransgenic rats. Activated neurons were labeled with an antibody against β-galactosidase, the protein product of the lacZ gene. Cocaine induced a unique gene expression profile selectively in the small proportion of activated neurons that was not observed in the nonactivated majority of neurons. These genes included altered levels of the immediate early genesarc,fosB, andnr4a3, as well as genes involved in p38 MAPK signaling and cell-type specificity. We propose that this FACS method can be used to study molecular neuroadaptations in specific neurons encoding the behavioral effects of abused drugs and other learned behaviors.

Details

ISSN :
15292401 and 02706474
Volume :
31
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
The Journal of Neuroscience
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....e215eb3d134114392bf979771560a0f1
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.6195-10.2011