title: Increased alcohol consumption in urocortin 3 knockout mice is unaffected by chronic inflammatory pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Stress neurocircuitry may modulate the relationship between alcohol drinking and chronic pain. The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system is crucial for regulation of stress responses. The current study aimed to elucidate the role of the endogenous CRF ligand Urocortin 3 (Ucn3) in the relationship between alcohol drinking behavior and chronic pain using a genetic approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ucn3 (KO) and wildtype (WT) littermates were subjected to a 24-h access drinking procedure prior to and following induction of chronic inflammatory pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ucn3 KO mice displayed significantly increased ethanol intake and preference compared with WT across the time course. There were no long-term effects of chronic pain on alcohol drinking behavior, regardless of genotype, nor any evidence for alcohol-induced analgesia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased drinking in Ucn3 KO supports a role for this peptide in alcohol-related behavior. These data suggest the necessity for more research exploring the relationship between alcohol drinking, chronic pain and the CRF system in rodent models.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road L470, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA.
authors.forename: Monique L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road L470, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA.
authors.forename: Ju
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road L470, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA ryabinin@ohsu.edu.
authors.forename: Andrey E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ryabinin
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002755:Choice Behavior; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D054832:Urocortins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C000602668:Ucn3 protein, mouse; D054832:Urocortins