scholarly journals Morphine-induced synaptic plasticity in the VTA is reversed by HDAC inhibition

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 1093-1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Authement ◽  
Ludovic D. Langlois ◽  
Haifa Kassis ◽  
Shawn Gouty ◽  
Matthieu Dacher ◽  
...  

Dopamine (DA) dysfunction originating from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) occurs as a result of synaptic abnormalities following consumption of drugs of abuse and underlies behavioral plasticity associated with drug abuse. Drugs of abuse can cause changes in gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms in the brain that underlie some of the lasting neuroplasticity and behavior associated with addiction. Here we investigated the function of histone acetylation and histone deacetylase (HDAC)2 in the VTA in recovery of morphine-induced synaptic modifications following a single in vivo exposure to morphine. Using a combination of immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and whole cell patch-clamp recording in rat midbrain slices, we show that morphine increased HDAC2 activity in VTA DA neurons and reduced histone H3 acetylation at lysine 9 (Ac-H3K9) in the VTA 24 h after the injection. Morphine-induced synaptic changes at glutamatergic synapses involved endocannabinoid signaling to reduce GABAergic synaptic strength onto VTA DA neurons. Both plasticities were recovered by in vitro incubation of midbrain slices with a class I-specific HDAC inhibitor (HDACi), CI-994, through an increase in acetylation of histone H3K9. Interestingly, HDACi incubation also increased levels of Ac-H3K9 and triggered GABAergic and glutamatergic plasticities in DA neurons of saline-treated rats. Our results suggest that acute morphine-induced changes in VTA DA activity and synaptic transmission engage HDAC2 activity locally in the VTA to maintain synaptic modifications through histone hypoacetylation.

1993 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. Katchman ◽  
N. Hershkowitz

1. The cause of the increased frequency of glutamatergic miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) resulting from anoxia was investigated in CA1 neurons of the in vitro rat hippocampal slice. These neurons were examined by whole-cell patch-clamp recording, and hypoxia was induced by switching the perfusion of the slice from oxygenated artificial cerebral spinal fluid (ACSF) to ACSF saturated with 95% N2-5% O2. Except where noted, experiments were carried out in ACSF containing 1 microM tetrodotoxin (TTX). 2. Although anoxia resulted in a significant increase in the frequency of mEPSCs, the amplitude, rise time, and half-decay time of the mEPSCs were unchanged. This increase in frequency indicates that there is a change in presynaptic neurotransmitter release mechanisms, probably an increase in calcium concentration, soon after the onset of anoxia. The unchanged kinetics and amplitude of the mEPSCs indicate that anoxic-induced synaptic changes are not a result of changes in the postsynaptic glutamate receptor. 3. When hippocampal slices were exposed to anoxic conditions in ACSF with calcium excluded, an increase in mEPSC frequency equal to that in normal ACSF was observed. When 0.2 mM of CdCl2 was added to the zero-calcium ACSF, anoxia still resulted in increases in mEPSC frequency equal to those of normal ACSF. It is therefore concluded that the anoxia-induced increase in mEPSC frequency does not result from an increase in a transmembrane calcium influx. The zero-calcium plus 0.2 mM CdCl2 ACSF solution completely abolished orthodromically elicited synaptic potential (in the absence of TTX), indicating that calcium currents that mediate normal orthodromic transmitter release were completely abolished in the latter experiments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Dayana Torres Valladares ◽  
Sirisha Kudumala ◽  
Murad Hossain ◽  
Lucia Carvelli

Amphetamine is a potent psychostimulant also used to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. In vivo and in vitro data have demonstrated that amphetamine increases the amount of extra synaptic dopamine by both inhibiting reuptake and promoting efflux of dopamine through the dopamine transporter. Previous studies have shown that chronic use of amphetamine causes tolerance to the drug. Thus, since the molecular mechanisms underlying tolerance to amphetamine are still unknown, an animal model to identify the neurochemical mechanisms associated with drug tolerance is greatly needed. Here we took advantage of a unique behavior caused by amphetamine in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> to investigate whether this simple, but powerful, genetic model develops tolerance following repeated exposure to amphetamine. We found that at least 3 treatments with 0.5 mM amphetamine were necessary to see a reduction in the amphetamine-induced behavior and, thus, to promote tolerance. Moreover, we found that, after intervals of 60/90 minutes between treatments, animals were more likely to exhibit tolerance than animals that underwent 10-minute intervals between treatments. Taken together, our results show that <i>C. elegans</i> is a suitable system to study tolerance to drugs of abuse such as amphetamines.


1996 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
A K Berfield ◽  
G J Raugi ◽  
C K Abrass

Mesangial cells (MCs) grown without supplemental insulin (SI-MCs) express a quiescent phenotype and extracellular matrix (ECM) composition similar to MCs in vivo. In contrast, MCs routinely propagated in insulin (SI+MCs) are stimulated to proliferate, change their phenotype, and produce large amounts of collagens I and III. These effects of insulin may in part be mediated through cytoskeletal rearrangement. Differences in cytoskeletal arrangement were compared between SI-MCs and SI+MCs and 1 hr after addition of insulin (1 nM) or IGF-1 (100 nM) to SI-MCs. Cells were examined by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and immunostaining for specific cytoskeletal proteins and fibronectin. Insulin induced rapid rearrangement of stress fibers. Surface ruffling, actin aggregation, vimentin retraction, rearrangement of vinculin in focal adhesions, and fibronectin extraction were apparent. These direct effects of insulin on the SI-MC cytoskeleton occurred before insulin-induced changes in ECM composition. IGF-I induced cytoskeletal reorganization distinct from insulin. These observations demonstrate that insulin and IGF-I have unique effects on the MC cytoskeleton, which is turn may mediate secondary ligand effects on MCs.


2012 ◽  
Vol 442 (3) ◽  
pp. 495-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gráinne Barkess ◽  
Yuri Postnikov ◽  
Chrisanne D. Campos ◽  
Shivam Mishra ◽  
Gokula Mohan ◽  
...  

HMGNs are nucleosome-binding proteins that alter the pattern of histone modifications and modulate the binding of linker histones to chromatin. The HMGN3 family member exists as two splice forms, HMGN3a which is full-length and HMGN3b which lacks the C-terminal RD (regulatory domain). In the present study, we have used the Glyt1 (glycine transporter 1) gene as a model system to investigate where HMGN proteins are bound across the locus in vivo, and to study how the two HMGN3 splice variants affect histone modifications and gene expression. We demonstrate that HMGN1, HMGN2, HMGN3a and HMGN3b are bound across the Glyt1 gene locus and surrounding regions, and are not enriched more highly at the promoter or putative enhancer. We conclude that the peaks of H3K4me3 (trimethylated Lys4 of histone H3) and H3K9ac (acetylated Lys9 of histone H3) at the active Glyt1a promoter do not play a major role in recruiting HMGN proteins. HMGN3a/b binding leads to increased H3K14 (Lys14 of histone H3) acetylation and stimulates Glyt1a expression, but does not alter the levels of H3K4me3 or H3K9ac enrichment. Acetylation assays show that HMGN3a stimulates the ability of PCAF [p300/CREB (cAMP-response-element-binding protein)-binding protein-associated factor] to acetylate nucleosomal H3 in vitro, whereas HMGN3b does not. We propose a model where HMGN3a/b-stimulated H3K14 acetylation across the bodies of large genes such as Glyt1 can lead to more efficient transcription elongation and increased mRNA production.


Reproduction ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 131 (4) ◽  
pp. 651-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Corcoran ◽  
T Fair ◽  
S Park ◽  
D Rizos ◽  
O V Patel ◽  
...  

In vivo-derived bovine embryos are of higher quality than those derivedin vitro. Many of the differences in quality can be related to culture environment-induced changes in mRNA abundance. The aim of this study was to identify a range of mRNA transcripts that are differentially expressed between bovine blastocysts derived fromin vitroversusin vivoculture. Microarray (BOTL5) comparison betweenin vivo- andin vitro-cultured bovine blastocysts identified 384 genes and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) that were differentially expressed; 85% of these were down-regulated inin vitrocultured blastocysts, showing a much reduced overall level of mRNA expression inin vitro- compared within vivo-cultured blastocysts. Relative expression of 16 out of 23 (70%) differentially expressed genes (according toPvalue) were verified in new pools ofin vivo- andin vitro-cultured blastocysts, using quantitative real-time PCR. Most (10 out of 16) are involved in transcription and translation events, suggesting that the reason whyin vitro-derived embryos are of inferior quality compared within vivo-derived embryos is due to a deficiency of the machinery associated with transcription and translation.


2001 ◽  
Vol 280 (6) ◽  
pp. R1815-R1822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier E. Stern ◽  
Mike Ludwig

To study modulatory actions of nitric oxide (NO) on GABAergic synaptic activity in hypothalamic magnocellular neurons in the supraoptic nucleus (SON), in vitro and in vivo electrophysiological recordings were obtained from identified oxytocin and vasopressin neurons. Whole cell patch-clamp recordings were obtained in vitro from immunochemically identified oxytocin and vasopressin neurons. GABAergic synaptic activity was assessed in vitro by measuring GABAA miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs). The NO donor and precursor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and l-arginine, respectively, increased the frequency and amplitude of GABAA mIPSCs in both cell types ( P ≤ 0.001). Retrodialysis of SNP (50 mM) onto the SON in vivo inhibited the activity of both neuronal types ( P ≤ 0.002), an effect that was reduced by retrodialysis of the GABAA-receptor antagonist bicuculline (2 mM, P≤ 0.001). Neurons activated by intravenous infusion of 2 M NaCl were still strongly inhibited by SNP. These results suggest that NO inhibition of neuronal excitability in oxytocin and vasopressin neurons involves pre- and postsynaptic potentiation of GABAergic synaptic activity in the SON.


1992 ◽  
Vol 263 (6) ◽  
pp. H1880-H1887 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Elias ◽  
J. Eisenhoffer ◽  
M. G. Johnston

Studies with a sheep isolated duct preparation in vivo demonstrated that the route of administration of hemoglobin was important in demonstrating its inhibitory effect on lymphatic pumping. With autologous oxyhemoglobin administered intravenously (final plasma concentration 5 x 10(-5) M), pumping was not inhibited. However, the addition of oxyhemoglobin (5 x 10(-5) M) into the reservoir (lumen of the duct) resulted in > 95% inhibition of pumping. The extraluminal administration of oxyhemoglobin (10(-5) M) to bovine mesenteric lymphatics in vitro resulted in a 40% inhibition of pumping, whereas the introduction of oxyhemoglobin (10(-5) M) into the lumen of the vessels suppressed pumping 95%. In vessels mechanically denuded of endothelium, intraluminal oxyhemoglobin inhibited pumping 50%. These results suggested that oxyhemoglobin depressed pumping through an effect on both smooth muscle and endothelium. Once pumping was inhibited with oxyhemoglobin administration, stimulation of the duct with elevations in transmural pressure restored pumping activity when endothelial cells were present. However, in the absence of endothelium, pumping decreased with increases in distending pressures. We conclude that oxyhemoglobin has a direct inhibitory effect on lymphatic smooth muscle. The ability of oxyhemoglobin to alter the pressure range over which the lymph pump operates appears to be dependent on an intact endothelium.


2017 ◽  
Vol 234 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thanh Q Dang ◽  
Nanyoung Yoon ◽  
Helen Chasiotis ◽  
Emily C Dunford ◽  
Qilong Feng ◽  
...  

Altered permeability of the endothelial barrier in a variety of tissues has implications both in disease pathogenesis and treatment. Glucocorticoids are potent mediators of endothelial permeability, and this forms the basis for their heavily prescribed use as medications to treat ocular disease. However, the effect of glucocorticoids on endothelial barriers elsewhere in the body is less well studied. Here, we investigated glucocorticoid-mediated changes in endothelial flux of Adiponectin (Ad), a hormone with a critical role in diabetes. First, we used monolayers of endothelial cells in vitro and found that the glucocorticoid dexamethasone increased transendothelial electrical resistance and reduced permeability of polyethylene glycol (PEG, molecular weight 4000 Da). Dexamethasone reduced flux of Ad from the apical to basolateral side, measured both by ELISA and Western blotting. We then examined a diabetic rat model induced by treatment with exogenous corticosterone, which was characterized by glucose intolerance and hyperinsulinemia. There was no change in circulating Ad but less Ad protein in skeletal muscle homogenates, despite slightly higher mRNA levels, in diabetic vs control muscles. Dexamethasone-induced changes in Ad flux across endothelial monolayers were associated with alterations in the abundance of select claudin tight junction (TJ) proteins. shRNA-mediated knockdown of one such gene, claudin-7, in HUVEC resulted in decreased TEER and increased adiponectin flux, confirming the functional significance of Dex-induced changes in its expression. In conclusion, our study identifies glucocorticoid-mediated reductions in flux of Ad across endothelial monolayers in vivo and in vitro. This suggests that impaired Ad action in target tissues, as a consequence of reduced transendothelial flux, may contribute to the glucocorticoid-induced diabetic phenotype.


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