title: Differential sensitivity of ethanol-elicited ERK phosphorylation in nucleus accumbens of Sardinian alcohol-preferring and -non preferring rats.
abstract: Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) and -non preferring (sNP) rats have been selectively bred for opposite ethanol preference and consumption; sP rats represent a validated experimental tool to model several aspects of excessive ethanol drinking in humans. Phosphorylated Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinase (pERK) in dopamine-rich terminal areas plays a critical role in several psychopharmacological effects of addictive drugs, including ethanol. This study was aimed at investigating whether ethanol-elicited ERK activation may differ in key brain areas of ethanol-naïve sP and sNP rats. To this end, the effects of ethanol (0, 0.5, 1, and 2 g/kg, administered intra-gastrically [i.g.]) on ERK phosphorylation were assessed by pERK immunohistochemistry in the shell (AcbSh) and core (AcbC) of the nucleus accumbens (Acb) as well as in the prelimbic (PrL) and infralimbic (IL) prefrontal cortex (PFCx), in the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BSTL) and in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). Ethanol (1 g/kg) significantly increased pERK immunoreactivity in AcbSh and AcbC of sP but not sNP rats. Conversely, ethanol failed to affect pERK expression in PrL and IL PFCx as well as in BSTL and CeA of both sP and sNP rats. These results suggest that selective breeding of these rat lines results in differential effects of acute ethanol on ERK phosphorylation in brain regions critical for the psychopharmacological effects of ethanol.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences Section, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosas
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, Section of Cagliari, National Research Council of Italy, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaru
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Jaèn, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n Building C-5, 23071 Jaèn, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabariego
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuropsychopharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giugliano
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, Section of Cagliari, National Research Council of Italy, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuropsychopharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Centre of Excellence on Neurobiology of Addiction, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; National Institute of Neuroscience - INN, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Ezio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carboni
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, Section of Cagliari, National Research Council of Italy, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences Section, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Centre of Excellence on Neurobiology of Addiction, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; National Institute of Neuroscience - INN, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: acquas@unica.it.
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Acquas
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
keywords: Ethanol; Nucleus accumbens (Acb); Phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase (pERK); Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) and -non preferring rats (sNP)