The anesthetics propofol and ketamine inhibit cocaine-induced egr-1 gene expression in rat forebrain.
Acute cocaine injection to rats is known to induce the expression of immediate early genes in the forebrain, the effect being primarily mediated by the dopaminergic system. We examined the effect of the anesthetics ketamine and propofol on cocaine-induced egr-1 mRNA expression. Using in situ hybridization, we show that both compounds did not induce egr-1 gene by themselves, but were able to dose-dependently reduce cocaine-induced egr-1 mRNA synthesis in the nucleus accumbens, caudate-putamen and cingulate cortex. Our data suggest that in addition to glutamate NMDA receptors, propofol may act via GABA(A) receptors or ion channels.
Jouvert
Peggy
P
INSERM U338, Centre de Neurochimie, 5 rue Blaise Pascal, 67084 Strasbourg, Cedex, France.
Pain
Laure
L
Aunis
Dominique
D
Zwiller
Jean
J
D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D003042:Cocaine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000235:genetics*; D003720:Densitometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007649:Ketamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D015742:Propofol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; C400152:DNA enzyme ED5; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D007649:Ketamine; D003042:Cocaine; D015742:Propofol