Project description:Methamphetamine (Meth) seeking progressively increases after withdrawal (incubation of Meth craving), but the transcriptional mechanisms that contribute to this incubation are unknown. Here we used RNA-sequencing to analyze transcriptional profiles associated with incubation of Meth craving in central amygdala (CeA) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), two brain areas previously implicated in relapse to drug seeking. We trained rats to self-administer either saline (control condition) or Meth (10 days; 9 h/day, 0.1 mg/kg/infusion). Next, we collected brain tissue from CeA and OFC on withdrawal day 2 (when Meth seeking is low and non-incubated) and on day 35 (when Meth seeking is high and incubated), for subsequent RNA-sequencing. In CeA, we identified 10-fold more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) on withdrawal day 35 than day 2. These genes were enriched for several biological processes, including protein ubiquitination and histone methylation. In OFC, we identified many fewer expression changes than in CeA. Interestingly, there were more DEGs on withdrawal day 2 than on day 35. Several genes in OFC showed opposing expression changes on withdrawal day 2 (increase) when compared to withdrawal day 35 (decrease), which was further validated by qPCR. Our analyses highlight the CeA as a key region of transcriptional regulation associated with incubation of Meth seeking. In contrast, transcriptional regulation in OFC may contributes to Meth seeking during early withdrawal. Overall, these findings provide a unique resource of gene expression data for future studies examining transcriptional mechanisms in CeA that mediate Meth seeking after prolonged withdrawal.
Project description:Whole genome DNA microarray designed for the probiotic L. johnsonii strain NCC533 was used for comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) of L. johnsonii ATCC 33200T, L. johnsonii BL261, L. gasseri ATCC 33323T and L. iatae BL263 (CECT 7394T). In these experiments, the fluorescence ratio distributions obtained with L. iatae and L. gasseri showed characteristic inter-species profiles. The percentage of conserved L. johnsonii NCC533 genes was about 83% in the L. johnsonii strains comparisons and decreased to 51% and 47% for L. iatae and L. gasseri, respectively. These results confirmed the separate status of L. iatae from L. johnsonii at the level of species, and also that it is closer to L. johnsonii than L. gasseri.
Project description:Whole genome DNA microarray designed for the probiotic L. johnsonii strain NCC533 was used for comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) of L. johnsonii ATCC 33200T, L. johnsonii BL261, L. gasseri ATCC 33323T and L. iatae BL263 (CECT 7394T). In these experiments, the fluorescence ratio distributions obtained with L. iatae and L. gasseri showed characteristic inter-species profiles. The percentage of conserved L. johnsonii NCC533 genes was about 83% in the L. johnsonii strains comparisons and decreased to 51% and 47% for L. iatae and L. gasseri, respectively. These results confirmed the separate status of L. iatae from L. johnsonii at the level of species, and also that it is closer to L. johnsonii than L. gasseri. L. johnsonii, L. gasseri, and L. iatae strains were hybridized versus L. johnsonii NCC533, some with replicates
Project description:Neuroadaptations in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) underlie cue-induced cocaine craving that intensifies (“incubates”) during withdrawal and contributes to persistent relapse vulnerability. Long-lasting gene changes govern perpetual behavioral abnormalities but the role of epigenetic plasticity in cocaine craving during prolonged withdrawal is poorly understood. Here we show that chromatin remodeler INO80 in the NAc mediates cocaine-induced, withdrawal-dependent plasticity and incubated cocaine craving.
Project description:The present study utilized patient-derived “cell-line” model systems treated with anti-craving drugs that are used to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD) as “molecular probes” to help identify molecular mechanisms associated with craving and AUD treatment outcomes.
Project description:The current study aimed at addressing two questions: 1) How the expression of key miRNAs is altered in the NAc during the cue-induced incubation of morphine craving? 2) Which is/are the target gene(s) and what is/are the regulatory mechanism(s) of gene(s) in response to the candidate miRNAs? To answer these two questions, the cue-induced incubation of the morphine craving model was first established by using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Then, the aberrant expression of miRNAs was identified in the NAc tissue by RNA-sequencing.
Project description:Methamphetamine can trigger dopamine releasing in human brain, now used as abuse drug. Some studies have shown that specific genes and proteins responded to, methamphetamine, but little is known about the overall “omic” response of organisms to this illicit substance. Here we demonstrate that Drosophila melanogaster has the potential to give us significant insights into evolutionarily conserved responses to methamphetamine. We performed metabolome, proteome, and transciptome profiling with Drosophila treated with methamphetamine. The proteomic profiling revealed responses associated with known physiological problems that occur with methamphetamine usage in mammals. The metabolomic result showed that the metabolite trehalose was decreased significantly after methamphetamine exposure, suggesting an oxidative stress response to this drug. Many of the differential transcribed genes, including detoxification enzymes, had the potential transcription factor-binding motif YY1 associated with their upstream regulatory regions. YY1 is known to be responsive to amphetamines in mammals.