Rat medial prefrontal cortex gene expression following heroin self-administration, abstinence, and extinction

ABSTRACT: Several studies have investigated changes induced by drug exposure, but few reports have described changes that persist following relapse. In the present study, genome-wide analysis of gene expression was conducted in rats that expressed behavioral incubation of heroin-seeking and goal-directed behavior. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is important in mediating goal-directed behavior and also was the target of this analysis. Rats were trained to self-administer heroin (0.06 mg/0.2 ml infusion) during 3 hour daily sessions for 14 days. Following the self-administration period, rats were reintroduced to the self-administration chambers for a 90-minute extinction session. The extinction session occurred either 1 day or 14 days following the final self-administration session. Behavioral data demonstrated incubation (increased expression) of heroin-seeking and goal-directed behavior after the 14 day abstinent period. Whole genome analysis was performed and selected results were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). Microarrays identified 66 genes whose expression was identified as changed by at least 1.4 fold (p<0.02) following 14 days of abstinence and the 90-minute extinction session, and seven of the genes on which RT-qPCR was performed were confirmed (BDNF, Calb1, Dusp5, Dusp6, EGR1, NPY, RGS2). Ontological analysis indicates that several of the genes with changed expression in this study are important for behavior and learning. The importance of drug-seeking behavior and memory of previous sessions of drug-taking suggest that such genes may be important for relapse. The global gene expression analysis adds to the knowledge of heroin-induced changes and further highlights similarities between heroin and other drugs of abuse. Keywords: heroin self-administration

ORGANISM(S): Rattus norvegicus

PROVIDER: GSE13166 | GEO | 2009/01/30

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA109633

REPOSITORIES: GEO