Project description:Persistent changes in brain gene expression are hypothesized to underlie thealtered neural signaling producing abusive consumption in AUD. To identify brain regional gene expression networks contributing to progressive ethanol consumption, we performed microarray and scale-free network analysis of expression responses in a C57BL/6J mouse model utilizing chronic intermittent ethanol by vapor chamber (CIE) in combination with limited access oral ethanol consumption. The interaction of CIE and oral consumption was studied with Affymetrix microarrays. Gene expression was studied in medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and central nucleus of the amygdala. Brain region expression networks were analyzed for ethanol-responsive gene expression, correlation with ethanol consumption and functional content using extensive bioinformatics studies.
Project description:We examined microRNA expression profiles in amygdala (AMY), nucleus accumbens (NAC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) of male C57BL/6J mice exposed to 4 cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor. Animals were sacrificed at 0, 8, and 120 hr following the last ethanol exposure.
Project description:We examined global gene expression profiles in amygdala (AMY), nucleus accumbens (NAC), prefrontal cortex (PFC) and Liver of male C57BL/6J mice exposed to 4 cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor. Animals were sacrificed at 0, 8, and 120 hr following the last ethanol exposure.
Project description:We examined global gene expression profiles in amygdala (AMY), nucleus accumbens (NAC), prefrontal cortex (PFC) and Liver of male C57BL/6J mice exposed to 4 cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor. Animals were sacrificed at 0, 8, and 120 hr following the last ethanol exposure. Mice were exposed to 4 cycles of intermittent vapor [4 days of 16 hours vapor/ 8 hours air] with a week between each cycle. Before entry into the vapor chambers, animals were injected with pyrazole (1 mMol/kg) and either ethanol (1.6 g/kg) or saline (controls). Animals were sacrificed at 0, 8, and 120 hr following the last ethanol exposure. The liver 0 hr control group contained 7 animals. Otherwise there were 8 animals per group (treated, control) at each time point.
Project description:Rats were trained to orally self-administer alcohol in a concurrent, two-lever, free-choice contingency using a modification of the sweet solution fading procedure (O'Dell et al., 2004; Roberts et al., 2000; Vendruscolo et al., 2012). Following acquisition of self-administration, rats were allowed to self-administer unsweetened alcohol (10%) for 4 weeks and were then assigned to two groups matched by levels of responding: one group (dependent group) was exposed to chronic, intermittent ethanol vapors for 4 weeks to induce dependence; the other group (nondependent group) was not exposed to ethanol vapor. After a month of vapor exposure, rats were again tested during acute withdrawal (6-8 hours after removal from the vapor chambers) until stable levels of alcohol intake were achieved. As expected, alcohol vapor-exposed rats self-administered significantly greater amounts of alcohol than control rats not exposed to alcohol vapor during acute withdrawal. Rats were sacrificed during protracted abstinence (3 weeks after the end of alcohol vapor exposure) along with age-matched alcohol naive rats. 96 gene expression profiles (GEP) were obtained from 8 brain regions believed to be relevant in alcoholM-bM-^@M-^Ys reinforcing properties using the Affymetrix RN230.2 platform. Specifically, the following brain regions were microdissected and analyzed from nondependent and dependent alcohol self-administering rats as well as age-matched alcohol naive rats: (a) medial prefrontal cortex (MPF), (b) shell and (c) core NAc sub-regions, (d) central nucleus (CeA) and (e) basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA), (f) dorsolateral and (g) ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and (h) ventral tegmental area (VTA).
Project description:Here, we examined the effects of alcohol on global gene expression in the CeA using a chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor model in rats and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). The CIE procedure resulted in robust changes in CeA gene expression during intoxication; as the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was significantly greater than those expected by chance. Over-representation analysis of cell types; functional groups and molecular pathways revealed biological categories potentially important for the development of alcohol dependence in our model.