title: Methamphetamine induces DNA damage in specific regions of the female rat brain.
abstract: Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly addictive psychostimulant that has been shown to produce neurotoxicity. Methamphetamine increases the release of dopamine by reversing the direction of monoamine transporter proteins, leading to the formation of reactive oxygen species in the brain. In this study, we examined the effect of METH on DNA damage in vivo using the single cell gel electrophoresis assay (comet assay) under two different conditions. Rats treated with multiple doses of METH (10 mg/kg × 4) showed significant levels of DNA damage in the nucleus accumbens and striatum, both dopamine-rich areas. In contrast, a single dose of METH did not lead to significant levels of DNA damage in any of the dopamine-rich brain regions that were tested. Overall, the results of our study demonstrate that METH produces greater oxidative DNA damage in brain areas that receive greater dopamine innervation.
authors: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX, USA.
authors: Zane
authors: Z
authors: Johnson
authors: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX, USA.
authors: Jace
authors: J
authors: Venters
authors: Department of Psychology, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX, USA.
authors: Fay A
authors: FA
authors: Guarraci
authors: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX, USA.
authors: Maha
authors: M
authors: Zewail-Foote
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D008694:Methamphetamine
keywords: DNA damage; DNA strand breaks; comet assay; methamphetamine; rat brain cells