Effects of cocaine on c-fos and preprodynorphin mRNA levels in intact and ovariectomized Fischer rats.
Psychostimulants such as cocaine have been shown to regulate c-fos and opioid gene expression in male rats. However, little information is available on cocaine effects in female rats or how the ovarian hormones, estrogen and progesterone, modulate these effects. In this study we used quantitative solution hybridization assays to measure c-fos and preprodynorphin (PDYN) mRNA levels after cocaine administration in the caudate/putamen of intact male and female rats or ovariectomized (OVX) female rats that were pretreated with vehicle, estrogen and/or progesterone. The c-fos mRNA levels were increased in intact male and female rats after 30min or 3h of one single cocaine injection and after 14 days of single daily cocaine injections. The c-fos mRNA levels were also increased after 30min of a single cocaine injection in OVX female rats that were treated with vehicle, estrogen and/or progesterone. The PDYN mRNA levels did not change after 30min, 3h or 14 days in intact male or female rats. However, PDYN mRNA levels were increased in the caudate/putamen of OVX female rats pretreated with vehicle or a combination of estrogen and progesterone but not in OVX female rats that were pretreated with either estrogen or progesterone alone. Our data suggest hormonal regulation of cocaine effects on PDYN mRNA levels which may modulate cocaine-induced behaviors in female rats.
Department of Psychology, Hunter College of City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, 10021, New York, NY, USA. sjenab@hunter.cuny.edu
Shirzad
S
Jenab
Tipyamol
T
Niyomchai
Juliet
J
Chin
Eugene D
ED
Festa
Scott J
SJ
Russo
Linda I
LI
Perrotti
Vanya
V
Quinones-Jenab
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004399:Dynorphins / Q000235:genetics*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D004967:Estrogens; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D011498:Protein Precursors; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C036448:pre-prodynorphin; D011374:Progesterone; D004399:Dynorphins; D003042:Cocaine