title: Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase in Nucleus Accumbens Mediates Propofol Self-Administration in Rats.
abstract: Clinical and animal studies have indicated that propofol has potential for abuse, but the specific neurobiological mechanism underlying propofol reward is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signal transduction pathways in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in propofol self-administration. We tested the expression of p-ERK in the NAc following the maintenance of propofol self-administration in rats. We also assessed the effect of administration of SCH23390, an antagonist of the D1 dopamine receptor, on the expression of p-ERK in the NAc in propofol self-administering rats, and examined the effects of intra-NAc injection of U0126, an MEK inhibitor, on propofol reinforcement in rats. The results showed that the expression of p-ERK in the NAc increased significantly in rats maintained on propofol, and pre-treatment with SCH23390 inhibited the propofol self-administration and diminished the expression of p-ERK in the NAc. Moreover, intra-NAc injection of U0126 (4 µg/side) attenuated the propofol self-administration. The data suggest that ERK signal transduction pathways coupled with D1 dopamine receptors in the NAc may be involved in the maintenance of propofol self-administration and its rewarding effects.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
authors: Benfu
authors: B
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
authors: Xiaowei
authors: X
authors: Yang
authors: Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Ningbo Addiction Research and Treatment Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315010, China.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Sun
authors: Department of Infection and Liver Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
authors: Lanman
authors: L
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
authors: Sicong
authors: S
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
authors: Wenxuan
authors: W
authors: Lin
authors: Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Ningbo Addiction Research and Treatment Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315010, China.
authors: Miaojun
authors: M
authors: Lai
authors: Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Ningbo Addiction Research and Treatment Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315010, China.
authors: Huaqiang
authors: H
authors: Zhu
authors: Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Ningbo Addiction Research and Treatment Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315010, China. whzhou@vip.163.com.
authors: Wenhua
authors: W
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China. lianqingquanmz@163.com.
authors: Qingquan
authors: Q
authors: Lian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002070:Butadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D015742:Propofol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012646:Self Administration; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D001552:Benzazepines; D002070:Butadienes; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D009570:Nitriles; C534628:SCH 23390; C113580:U 0126; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D015742:Propofol
keywords: Anesthesiology; Dopamine receptor; Drug reward; ERK; Nucleus accumbens