title: Glutamatergic regulation of ghrelin-induced activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system.
abstract: Recently, we demonstrated that the central ghrelin signalling system, involving the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1A), is important for alcohol reinforcement. Ghrelin targets a key mesolimbic circuit involved in natural as well as drug-induced reinforcement, that includes a dopamine projection from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens. The aim of the present study was to determine whether it is possible to suppress ghrelin's effects on this mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway can be suppressed, by interrupting afferent inputs to the VTA dopaminergic cells, as shown previously for cholinergic afferents. Thus, the effects of pharmacological suppression of glutamatergic, orexin A and opioid neurotransmitter systems on ghrelin-induced activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system were investigated. We found in the present study that ghrelin-induced locomotor stimulation was attenuated by VTA administration of the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor antagonist (AP5) but not by VTA administration of an orexin A receptor antagonist (SB334867) or by peripheral administration of an opioid receptor antagonist (naltrexone). Intra-VTA administration of AP5 also suppressed the ghrelin-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Finally the effects of peripheral ghrelin on locomotor stimulation and accumbal dopamine release were blocked by intra-VTA administration of a GHS-R1A antagonist (BIM28163), indicating that GHS-R1A signalling within the VTA is required for the ghrelin-induced activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system. Given the clinical knowledge that hyperghrelinemia is associated with addictive behaviours (such as compulsive overeating and alcohol use disorder) our finding highlights a potential therapeutic strategy involving glutamatergic control of ghrelin action at the level of the mesolimbic dopamine system.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. elisabet.jerlhag@pharm.gu.se
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jerlhag
authors.forename: Emil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Egecioglu
authors.forename: Suzanne L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Dickson
authors.forename: Jörgen A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Engel
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001583:Benzoxazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008032:Limbic System / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009287:Naphthyridines; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D064446:Orexin Receptors; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014508:Urea / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: C420062:1-(2-methylbenzoxazol-6-yl)-3-(1,5)naphthyridin-4-yl urea; C492347:BIM28163; D001583:Benzoxazoles; D054439:Ghrelin; D009287:Naphthyridines; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D064446:Orexin Receptors; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide; D009271:Naltrexone; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D014508:Urea; D004298:Dopamine