title: Interactive Effects of Ethanol and HIV-1 Proteins on Novelty-Seeking Behaviors and Addiction-Related Gene Expression.
abstract: Novelty-seeking behavior is related to the reward system in the brain and can predict the potential for addiction. Alcohol use is prevalent in HIV-1-infected patients and adversely affects antiretroviral medication. The difference in vulnerability to alcohol addiction between HIV-1-infected and noninfected populations has not been fully investigated. This study was designed to determine whether HIV-1 proteins alter the effects of ethanol (EtOH) on novelty-seeking behavior using the HIV-1 transgenic (HIV-1Tg) rat as the study model and to examine the molecular mechanisms responsible for this behavior.
  
  
  
  Both HIV-1Tg and F344 control rats were tested for baseline novelty-seeking behavior, then received either EtOH (1 g/kg) at a concentration of 20% v/v or saline treatment for 13 days, and then were retested for novelty seeking. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was conducted to examine the differences in expression of 65 genes implicated in novelty seeking and alcohol addiction between strains and treatment groups.
  
  
  
  The HIV-1 proteins significantly enhanced baseline novelty-seeking behaviors in both the hole-board and open-field tests. Chronic EtOH treatment significantly increased baseline novelty-seeking behavior in both strains, but the effects of EtOH appeared to be more robust and prominent in HIV-1Tg rats. Strain-specific patterns of altered gene expression were observed for dopaminergic, cholinergic, and glutamatergic signaling in the nucleus accumbens, suggesting the effects of HIV-1 proteins on the brain's reward system. Chronic EtOH treatment was shown to greatly modulate the effects of HIV-1 proteins in these neurotransmitter systems.
  
  
  
  Taken together, our findings indicate that HIV-1 proteins could modify novelty-seeking behavior at the gene expression level, and EtOH treatment may enhance this behavior in both strains but to a greater extent in HIV-1Tg rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
authors.forename: Taylor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wingo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
authors.forename: Tanseli
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nesil
authors.affiliation: Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey. sulie.chang@shu.edu.|Department of Biological Sciences, Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey. sulie.chang@shu.edu.
authors.forename: Sulie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia. limd586@outlook.com.
authors.forename: Ming D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D015870:Gene Expression; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000187:drug effects; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Addiction; Alcohol; HIV-1 Infection; HIV-1Tg Rat; Novelty Seeking; Reward System