Presynaptic CRF1 Receptors Mediate the Ethanol Enhancement of GABAergic Transmission in the Mouse Central Amygdala
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a 41-amino-acid neuropeptide involved in stress responses initiated from several brain areas, including the amygdala formation. Research shows a strong relationship between stress, brain CRF, and excessive alcohol consumption. Behavioral studies suggest that t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2009-01-01
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| Series: | The Scientific World Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2009.1 |
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| author | Zhiguo Nie Eric P. Zorrilla Samuel G. Madamba Kenner C. Rice Marissa Roberto George Robert Siggins |
| author_facet | Zhiguo Nie Eric P. Zorrilla Samuel G. Madamba Kenner C. Rice Marissa Roberto George Robert Siggins |
| author_sort | Zhiguo Nie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a 41-amino-acid neuropeptide involved in stress responses initiated from several brain areas, including the amygdala formation. Research shows a strong relationship between stress, brain CRF, and excessive alcohol consumption. Behavioral studies suggest that the central amygdala (CeA) is significantly involved in alcohol reward and dependence. We recently reported that the ethanol augmentation of GABAergic synaptic transmission in rat CeA involves CRF1 receptors, because both CRF and ethanol significantly enhanced the amplitude of evoked GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in CeA neurons from wild-type (WT) and CRF2 knockout (KO) mice, but not in neurons of CRF1 KO mice. The present study extends these findings using selective CRF receptor ligands, gene KO models, and miniature IPSC (mIPSC) analysis to assess further a presynaptic role for the CRF receptors in mediating ethanol effects in the CeA. In whole-cell patch recordings of pharmacologically isolated GABAAergic IPSCs from slices of mouse CeA, both CRF and ethanol augmented evoked IPSCs in a concentration-dependent manner, with low EC50s. A CRF1 (but not CRF2) KO construct and the CRF1-selective nonpeptide antagonist NIH-3 (LWH-63) blocked the augmenting effect of both CRF and ethanol on evoked IPSCs. Furthermore, the new selective CRF1 agonist stressin1, but not the CRF2 agonist urocortin 3, also increased evoked IPSC amplitudes. Both CRF and ethanol decreased paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) of evoked IPSCs and significantly enhanced the frequency, but not the amplitude, of spontaneous miniature GABAergic mIPSCs in CeA neurons of WT mice, suggesting a presynaptic site of action. The PPF effect of ethanol was abolished in CeA neurons of CRF1 KO mice. The CRF1 antagonist NIH-3 blocked the CRF- and ethanol-induced enhancement of mIPSC frequency in CeA neurons. These data indicate that presynaptic CRF1 receptors play a critical role in permitting or mediating ethanol enhancement of GABAergic synaptic transmission in CeA, via increased vesicular GABA release, and thus may be a rational target for the treatment of alcohol abuse and alcoholism. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9a239de28059482db1ce0bd8cf001981 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1537-744X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2009-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | The Scientific World Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-9a239de28059482db1ce0bd8cf0019812025-02-03T06:00:09ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2009-01-019688510.1100/tsw.2009.1Presynaptic CRF1 Receptors Mediate the Ethanol Enhancement of GABAergic Transmission in the Mouse Central AmygdalaZhiguo Nie0Eric P. Zorrilla1Samuel G. Madamba2Kenner C. Rice3Marissa Roberto4George Robert Siggins5Burnham Institute for Medical Research, La Jolla, CA, United StatesCommittee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, Alcohol Research Center, Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA, United StatesDepartment of Molecular and Integrative Neurosciences, Alcohol Research Center, Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA, United StatesChemical Biology Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United StatesCommittee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, Alcohol Research Center, Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA, United StatesDepartment of Molecular and Integrative Neurosciences, Alcohol Research Center, Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA, United StatesCorticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a 41-amino-acid neuropeptide involved in stress responses initiated from several brain areas, including the amygdala formation. Research shows a strong relationship between stress, brain CRF, and excessive alcohol consumption. Behavioral studies suggest that the central amygdala (CeA) is significantly involved in alcohol reward and dependence. We recently reported that the ethanol augmentation of GABAergic synaptic transmission in rat CeA involves CRF1 receptors, because both CRF and ethanol significantly enhanced the amplitude of evoked GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in CeA neurons from wild-type (WT) and CRF2 knockout (KO) mice, but not in neurons of CRF1 KO mice. The present study extends these findings using selective CRF receptor ligands, gene KO models, and miniature IPSC (mIPSC) analysis to assess further a presynaptic role for the CRF receptors in mediating ethanol effects in the CeA. In whole-cell patch recordings of pharmacologically isolated GABAAergic IPSCs from slices of mouse CeA, both CRF and ethanol augmented evoked IPSCs in a concentration-dependent manner, with low EC50s. A CRF1 (but not CRF2) KO construct and the CRF1-selective nonpeptide antagonist NIH-3 (LWH-63) blocked the augmenting effect of both CRF and ethanol on evoked IPSCs. Furthermore, the new selective CRF1 agonist stressin1, but not the CRF2 agonist urocortin 3, also increased evoked IPSC amplitudes. Both CRF and ethanol decreased paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) of evoked IPSCs and significantly enhanced the frequency, but not the amplitude, of spontaneous miniature GABAergic mIPSCs in CeA neurons of WT mice, suggesting a presynaptic site of action. The PPF effect of ethanol was abolished in CeA neurons of CRF1 KO mice. The CRF1 antagonist NIH-3 blocked the CRF- and ethanol-induced enhancement of mIPSC frequency in CeA neurons. These data indicate that presynaptic CRF1 receptors play a critical role in permitting or mediating ethanol enhancement of GABAergic synaptic transmission in CeA, via increased vesicular GABA release, and thus may be a rational target for the treatment of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2009.1 |
| spellingShingle | Zhiguo Nie Eric P. Zorrilla Samuel G. Madamba Kenner C. Rice Marissa Roberto George Robert Siggins Presynaptic CRF1 Receptors Mediate the Ethanol Enhancement of GABAergic Transmission in the Mouse Central Amygdala The Scientific World Journal |
| title | Presynaptic CRF1 Receptors Mediate the Ethanol Enhancement of GABAergic Transmission in the Mouse Central Amygdala |
| title_full | Presynaptic CRF1 Receptors Mediate the Ethanol Enhancement of GABAergic Transmission in the Mouse Central Amygdala |
| title_fullStr | Presynaptic CRF1 Receptors Mediate the Ethanol Enhancement of GABAergic Transmission in the Mouse Central Amygdala |
| title_full_unstemmed | Presynaptic CRF1 Receptors Mediate the Ethanol Enhancement of GABAergic Transmission in the Mouse Central Amygdala |
| title_short | Presynaptic CRF1 Receptors Mediate the Ethanol Enhancement of GABAergic Transmission in the Mouse Central Amygdala |
| title_sort | presynaptic crf1 receptors mediate the ethanol enhancement of gabaergic transmission in the mouse central amygdala |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2009.1 |
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