Project description:In this study, we have created a mouse model of methamphetamine cardiomyopathy that reproduces the chronic, progressive dosing commonly encountered in addicted subjects. We gradually increased the quantity of methamphetamine given to C57Bl/6 mice from 5 to 40 mg/kg over five months. At the fifth month, heart weight was increased, echocardiograms showed a dilated cardiomyopathy and survival was lower in males, with less effect in females. Interestingly, these findings correspond to previous observations in human patients, suggesting greater male susceptibility to the effects of methamphetamine on the heart.Transcriptional analysis showed changes in genes dysregulated in previous methamphetamine neurological studies as well as many that likely play a role in cardiac response to this toxic stress. We expect that a deeper understanding of the molecular biology of methamphetamine exposure in the heart will provide insights into the mechanism of cardiomyopathy in addicts and potential routes to more effective treatment.
Project description:Genome wide DNA methylation profiling of normal and methamphetamine (MA) abusers with different addiction susceptibility. The Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 Beadchip was used to obtain DNA methylation profiles in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). Samples included 8 health controls, 8 high MA addiction susceptibility (HMAS) abusers, and 8 high MA addiction susceptibility (LMAS) abusers.
Project description:We hope to determine the importance of different genes (including B receptors) in anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy. This has important benefits to patients exposed to anthracyclines, as this could help determine whether certain individuals have increased susceptibility to cardiac injury.
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.
Project description:In this study, we created a mouse model of methamphetamine cardiomyopathy that reproduces the chronic, progressive dosing commonly encountered in addicted subjects. We gradually increased the quantity of methamphetamine given to C57Bl/6 mice from 5 to 40 mg/kg over 2 or 5 months during two study periods. At the fifth month, heart weight was increased, echocardiograms showed a dilated cardiomyopathy and survival was lower in males, with less effect in females. Interestingly, these findings correspond to previous observations in human patients, suggesting greater male susceptibility to the effects of methamphetamine on the heart. Transcriptional analysis showed changes in genes dysregulated in previous methamphetamine neurological studies as well as many that likely play a role in cardiac response to this toxic stress. We expect that a deeper understanding of the molecular biology of methamphetamine exposure in the heart will provide insights into the mechanism of cardiomyopathy in addicts and potential routes to more effective treatment.
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. For each sample, 20 virgin male flies were used to extract the mRNA. Three replicates were produced for each treatments. Two treatments were produced (control VS 0.6% 24 h meth-fed).
Project description:Methamphetamine abuse continues to be a worldwide problem, damaging the individual user as well as society. Only minimal information exists on molecular changes in the brain that result from methamphetamine administered in patterns typical of human abusers. In order to investigate such changes, we examined the effect of methamphetamine on the transcriptional profile in brains of monkeys. Gene expression profiling of the caudate and hippocampus identified protein disulfide isomerase family member A3 (PDIA3) to be significantly up-regulated in the animals treated with methamphetamine as compared to saline treated control monkeys. Treatment of primary rat neurons with methamphetamine revealed an up-regulation of PDIA3, showing a direct effect of methamphetamine on neurons to increase PDIA3. In vitro studies using a neuroblastoma cell line demonstrated that PDIA3 expression protects against methamphetamine-induced cell toxicity and methamphetamine-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species production, revealing a neuroprotective role for PDIA3. The current study implicates PDIA3 to be an important cellular neuroprotective mechanism against a toxic drug, and as a potential target for therapeutic investigations. To study the effects of chronic METH effects on the brain