title: Activin receptor signaling regulates cocaine-primed behavioral and morphological plasticity.
abstract: Activin receptor signaling, including the transcription factor Smad3, was upregulated in the rat nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell following withdrawal from cocaine. Direct genetic and pharmacological manipulations of this pathway bidirectionally altered cocaine seeking while governing morphological plasticity in NAc neurons. Thus, Activin/Smad3 signaling is induced following withdrawal from cocaine, and such regulation may be a key molecular mechanism underlying behavioral and cellular plasticity in the brain following cocaine self-administration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Research Institute on Addictions, Program in Neuroscience, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gancarz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Research Institute on Addictions, Program in Neuroscience, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Zi-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Research Institute on Addictions, Program in Neuroscience, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Gabrielle L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Damez-Werno
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Research Institute on Addictions, Program in Neuroscience, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Braunscheidel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Research Institute on Addictions, Program in Neuroscience, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Research Institute on Addictions, Program in Neuroscience, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Monica S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Humby
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Research Institute on Addictions, Program in Neuroscience, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caccamise
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Research Institute on Addictions, Program in Neuroscience, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Research Institute on Addictions, Program in Neuroscience, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Karen C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Rachael L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Neve
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Research Institute on Addictions, Program in Neuroscience, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.identifier: 0000000269279236
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dietz
mesh_terms: D029404:Activin Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000187:drug effects; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012646:Self Administration; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D051900:Smad3 Protein; C497787:Smad3 protein, rat; D029404:Activin Receptors; D003042:Cocaine