Glutamate receptor metabotropic 7 is cis-regulated in the mouse brain and modulates alcohol drinking.
Alcoholism is a heritable disease that afflicts about 8% of the adult population. Its development and symptoms, such as craving, loss of control, physical dependence, and tolerance, have been linked to changes in mesolimbic, mesocortical neurotransmitter systems utilizing biogenic amines, GABA, and glutamate. Identification of genes predisposing to alcoholism, or to alcohol-related behaviors in animal models, has been elusive because of variable interactions of multiple genes with relatively small individual effect size and sensitivity of the predisposing genotype to lifestyle and environmental factors. Here, using near-isogenic advanced animal models with reduced genetic background interactions, we integrate gene mapping and gene mRNA expression data in segregating and congenic mice and identify glutamate receptor metabotropic 7 (Grm7) as a cis-regulated gene for alcohol consumption. Traditionally, the mesoaccumbal dopamine reward hypothesis of addiction and the role of the ionotropic glutamate receptors have been emphasized. Our results lend support to an emerging direction of research on the role of metabotropic glutamate receptors in alcoholism and drug addiction. These data suggest for the first time that Grm7 is a risk factor for alcohol drinking and a new target in addiction therapy.
Vadasz
Csaba
C
Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. vadasz@nki.rfmh.org
Saito
Mariko
M
Gyetvai
Beatrix M
BM
Oros
Melinda
M
Szakall
Istvan
I
Kovacs
Krisztina M
KM
Prasad
Vidudala V T S
VV
Toth
Reka
R
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D020297:Mice, Congenic; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D023421:Models, Animal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; C102719:metabotropic glutamate receptor 7; D004247:DNA