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Enhanced upregulation of CRH mRNA expression in the nucleus accumbens of male rats after a second injection of methamphetamine given thirty days later.

ABSTRACT: Methamphetamine (METH) is a widely abused amphetamine analog. Few studies have investigated the molecular effects of METH exposure in adult animals. Herein, we determined the consequences of an injection of METH (10 mg/kg) on transcriptional effects of a second METH (2.5 mg/kg) injection given one month later. We thus measured gene expression by microarray analyses in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of 4 groups of rats euthanized 2 hours after the second injection: saline-pretreated followed by saline-challenged (SS) or METH-challenged (SM); and METH-pretreated followed by saline-challenged (MS) or METH-challenged (MM). Microarray analyses revealed that METH (2.5 mg/kg) produced acute changes (1.8-fold; P<0.01) in the expression of 412 (352 upregulated, 60 down-regulated) transcripts including cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript, corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh), oxytocin (Oxt), and vasopressin (Avp) that were upregulated. Injection of METH (10 mg/kg) altered the expression of 503 (338 upregulated, 165 down-regulated) transcripts measured one month later (MS group). These genes also included Cart and Crh. The MM group showed altered expression of 766 (565 upregulated, 201 down-regulated) transcripts including Avp, Cart, and Crh. The METH-induced increased Crh expression was enhanced in the MM group in comparison to SM and MS groups. Quantitative PCR confirmed the METH-induced changes in mRNA levels. Therefore, a single injection of METH produced long-lasting changes in gene expression in the rodent NAc. The long-term increases in Crh, Cart, and Avp mRNA expression suggest that METH exposure produced prolonged activation of the endogenous stress system. The METH-induced changes in oxytocin expression also suggest the possibility that this neuropeptide might play a significant role in the neuroplastic and affiliative effects of this drug.

SUBMITTER: Cadet JL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3903495 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Enhanced upregulation of CRH mRNA expression in the nucleus accumbens of male rats after a second injection of methamphetamine given thirty days later.

Cadet Jean Lud JL Brannock Christie C Ladenheim Bruce B McCoy Michael T MT Krasnova Irina N IN Lehrmann Elin E Becker Kevin G KG Jayanthi Subramaniam S

PloS one 20140127 1

Methamphetamine (METH) is a widely abused amphetamine analog. Few studies have investigated the molecular effects of METH exposure in adult animals. Herein, we determined the consequences of an injection of METH (10 mg/kg) on transcriptional effects of a second METH (2.5 mg/kg) injection given one month later. We thus measured gene expression by microarray analyses in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of 4 groups of rats euthanized 2 hours after the second injection: saline-pretreated followed by sali ...[more]

PMID: 24475032

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Project description:Methamphetamine (METH) is a widely abused illicit amphetamine that causes acute biochemical and molecular changes in the brain. However, there are very few studies that have investigated the long-term effects of a single METH exposure in adult animals. The purpose of this study was thus to determine the consequences of a single injection of METH (10) mg/kg) on the biochemical and transcriptional effects of a second challenge injection of the drug (2.5 mg/kg) given one month later. Towards that end, we measured monoamine levels and gene expression by microarray and quantitative PCR analyses in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of 4 groups of rats: saline-pretreated and saline-challenged (SS); saline-pretreated and METH-challenged (SM); METH-pretreated and saline-challenged (MS); and METH-pretreated and METH-challenged (MM). The rats were euthanized 2 hours after the acute challenge injection and NAc samples were harvested. The acute METH challenge caused increases in NAc DA and HVA levels in both the SM and MM groups. Microarray analyses revealed that an injection of METH (2.5 mg/kg) produced acute changes (1.8-fold; p < 0.01) in the expression of 418 (358 up-, 60 downregulated) genes including several immediate early genes (IEGs) such as Arc, c-fos, and fosB in the SM group. Several neuropeptides including Cart, Crf (Crh), and vasopressin were upregulated in that group. Injection of the higher dose of METH (10 mg/kg) did not influence monoamine levels but caused changes in 510 (345 up-, 165 downregulated) transcripts measured one month later (MS group). This list included Cart and Crf but not any IEGs. The MM group showed changes in 774 (572 up-, 202 downregulated) genes that also included vasopressin, Cart, and Crf whose expression was enhanced by the second METH injection. Quantitative PCR confirmed the METH-induced changes in the expression of the neuropeptides. We also confirmed the METH-induced potentiation of Crf expression in the METH-pretreated group. These observations suggest that a single injection of a moderate dose of METH can produce long-lasting changes in gene expression in the rodent NAc. The long-term increases in Crf expression also suggest that a single injection of a moderate METH dose can cause prolonged dysregulation in the endogenous stress system in the rat brain. 24 samples. SS (4), SM (6), MS (7), MM (7)

Dataset Information

Enhanced upregulation of CRH mRNA expression in the nucleus accumbens of male rats after a second injection of methamphetamine given thirty days later.

Publications

Enhanced upregulation of CRH mRNA expression in the nucleus accumbens of male rats after a second injection of methamphetamine given thirty days later.

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