Repeated ethanol exposure has been shown to induce morphological, biochemical, and behavioral neuroadaptations in key brain regions in the addiction circuitry, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Many of these changes occur in glutamatergic receptors and scaffolding proteins at the postsynaptic density. The Homer family of proteins plays a critical role in the structure and function of the PSD. These proteins physically link glutamate receptors, the actin scaffold, and, perhaps most critical to neural plasticity, internal Ca2+ stores. Recent studies have implicated Homer2 in the regulation of expression, function and localization of excitatory receptors at the postsynaptic membrane as well as cognitive function. This raises the exciting possibility that Homer2 mediates biochemical, morphological, and behavioral adaptations following repeated ethanol exposure. Preliminary evidence demonstrates that Homer2 deletion prevents ethanol-induced spine enlargement in the NAc. Thus, the overarching hypothesis is that Homer2 regulates chronic ethanol-associated neuroadaptations of glutamatergic synapses. These studies will test the hypotheses that 1) deletion of Homer2 prevents neuroadaptations in dendritic spines and synapses in the NAc core and mPFC, 2) Homer2 regulates ethanol-induced alterations in synaptic physiology in the NAc and mPFC, and 3) deletion of Homer2 prevents behavioral adaptations and cognitive deficits resulting from repeated ethanol exposure. This work not only contributes to our understanding of the maladaptive processes that are associated with alcohol addiction, but also to our general understanding of plasticity in dendritic spines and how that relates to locomotor and cognitive behaviors. Future expansion upon this research could provide novel targets for pharmacotherapeutics to treat alcohol use disorders.

Public Health Relevance

Repeated episodes of heavy alcohol consumption followed by withdrawal lead to increased relapse vulnerability. Long-term neuroadaptations in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens are associated with this vulnerability. Thus, this project seeks to elucidate the role of the postsynaptic density scaffolding protein Homer2 in ethanol-associated neuroadaptations, which could lead to the development of pharmacotherapeutics to treat alcohol use disorders.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31AA021618-03
Application #
8702976
Study Section
Biomedical Research Review Subcommittee (AA)
Program Officer
Regunathan, Soundar
Project Start
2012-08-01
Project End
2015-07-31
Budget Start
2014-08-01
Budget End
2015-07-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Medical University of South Carolina
Department
Neurosciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Charleston
State
SC
Country
United States
Zip Code
29403
McGuier, Natalie S; Rinker, Jennifer A; Cannady, Reginald et al. (2018) Identification and validation of midbrain Kcnq4 regulation of heavy alcohol consumption in rodents. Neuropharmacology 138:10-19
McGuier, Natalie S; Griffin 3rd, William C; Gass, Justin T et al. (2016) Kv7 channels in the nucleus accumbens are altered by chronic drinking and are targets for reducing alcohol consumption. Addict Biol 21:1097-1112
Uys, Joachim D; McGuier, Natalie S; Gass, Justin T et al. (2016) Chronic intermittent ethanol exposure and withdrawal leads to adaptations in nucleus accumbens core postsynaptic density proteome and dendritic spines. Addict Biol 21:560-74
McGuier, Natalie S; Padula, Audrey E; Mulholland, Patrick J et al. (2015) Homer2 deletion alters dendritic spine morphology but not alcohol-associated adaptations in GluN2B-containing N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the nucleus accumbens. Front Pharmacol 6:28
McGuier, Natalie S; Padula, Audrey E; Lopez, Marcelo F et al. (2015) Withdrawal from chronic intermittent alcohol exposure increases dendritic spine density in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex of mice. Alcohol 49:21-7
Padula, A E; McGuier, N S; Griffin, W C et al. (2013) Novel anticonvulsants for reducing alcohol consumption: A review of evidence from preclinical rodent drinking models. OA Alcohol 1:2