[Changes in the phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein in the rat nucleus accumbens after acute and chronic ethanol administration].
To define the molecular basis of ethanol dependence, changes in the phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in the nucleus accumbens of rats after acute and chronic ethanol administration were detected using immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrate that the expression of phospho-CREB (p-CREB) protein in the rat nucleus accumbens significantly increased after 15 min of acute ethanol exposure, reaching a peak at 30 min after ethanol administration. The increment remained after 1 or 6 h of ethanol exposure compared to the control rats. In contrast, chronic intake of ethanol solution obviously decreased the expression of p-CREB protein compared to the control rats. The decrement remained 24 h or 72 h after ethanol withdrawal, and returned to the control levels after 7 d of ethanol withdrawal. The results suggest that an acute ethanol administration led to an increase in the phosphorylation of CREB in the nucleus accumbens, but chronic ethanol administration produced a decrement, which is possibly one of the molecular mechanisms of alcohol dependence.
Li
Jing
J
Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China. wlbianjs@163.com
Li
Yue-Hua
YH
Zhang
Xiao-Hu
XH
Zhu
Xue-Jiang
XJ
Ge
Ying-Bin
YB
Yuan
Xiao-Ru
XR
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D000431:Ethanol