Recent evidence suggests that ethanol-associated homeostatic plasticity involves compensatory increases in synaptic NMDA receptors that contributes to aberrant hyperexcitability upon cessation of consumption and may underlie craving that leads to the high incidence of relapse in alcohol dependent individuals. Small-conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels regulate NMDA receptor-dependent calcium influx and are critical modulators of hippocampal-dependent synaptic plasticity. This is consistent with the suggestion that SK2 channels and NMDA receptors form a regulatory calcium-mediated feedback loop within individual dendritic spines. Preliminary evidence demonstrates a reduction in surface SK2 channels following chronic ethanol treatment that leads to a disruption of the SK channel-NMDA receptor feedback loop. Moreover, we have demonstrated that modulation of SK channels can influence voluntary drinking behavior. Thus, the overarching hypothesis is that SK2 channels contribute to alcohol-associated plasticity of glutamatergic synapses and that positive modulation of SK channels reduces the severity of withdrawal-related hyperexcitability and decreases alcohol intake. These studies will test the hypotheses that: 1) chronic ethanol exposure produces a homeostatic reduction in SK2 channel expression through PKA signaling, 2) modulation of the SK channel-NMDA receptor feedback loop can reduce ethanol withdrawal , hyperexcitability and neurotoxicity, and 3) modulation of the synaptic feedback loop will reduce voluntary alcohol consumption. Decreases in SK2 channels and increases in NMDA receptors may represent a common homeostatic adaptive response to prolonged reductions in NMDA receptor activity during ethanol exposure. Furthermore, this functional uncoupling of the SK2 channel-NMDA receptor calcium-mediated feedback loop may contribute to tolerance development and to withdrawal hyperexcitability.

Public Health Relevance

Results from this ROO application will provide insight into mechanisms that regulate ethanol withdrawal hyperexcitability and voluntary alcohol consumption. In addition, these studies may identify a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of alcohol dependence.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Transition Award (R00)
Project #
4R00AA017922-02
Application #
8138116
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (NSS)
Program Officer
Liu, Qi-Ying
Project Start
2009-07-10
Project End
2013-06-30
Budget Start
2010-09-30
Budget End
2011-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$167,369
Indirect Cost
Name
Medical University of South Carolina
Department
Neurosciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
183710748
City
Charleston
State
SC
Country
United States
Zip Code
29425
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
Mulholland, Patrick J; Spencer, Kathryn B; Hu, Wei et al. (2015) Neuroplasticity of A-type potassium channel complexes induced by chronic alcohol exposure enhances dendritic calcium transients in hippocampus. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 232:1995-2006
Becker, Howard C; Mulholland, Patrick J (2014) Neurochemical mechanisms of alcohol withdrawal. Handb Clin Neurol 125:133-56
Jung, Yonwoo; Mulholland, Patrick J; Wiseman, Shari L et al. (2013) Constitutive knockout of the membrane cytoskeleton protein beta adducin decreases mushroom spine density in the nucleus accumbens but does not prevent spine remodeling in response to cocaine. Eur J Neurosci 37:1-9
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
Konadhode, Roda Rani; Pelluru, Dheeraj; Blanco-Centurion, Carlos et al. (2013) Optogenetic stimulation of MCH neurons increases sleep. J Neurosci 33:10257-63
Pava, Matthew J; Blake, Emily M; Green, Stephen T et al. (2012) Tolerance to cannabinoid-induced behaviors in mice treated chronically with ethanol. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 219:137-47
Gorelova, Natalia; Mulholland, Patrick J; Chandler, L Judson et al. (2012) The glutamatergic component of the mesocortical pathway emanating from different subregions of the ventral midbrain. Cereb Cortex 22:327-36
Prendergast, Mark A; Mulholland, Patrick J (2012) Glucocorticoid and polyamine interactions in the plasticity of glutamatergic synapses that contribute to ethanol-associated dependence and neuronal injury. Addict Biol 17:209-23
Mulholland, Patrick J; Jordan, Bryen A; Chandler, L Judson (2012) Chronic ethanol up-regulates the synaptic expression of the nuclear translational regulatory protein AIDA-1 in primary hippocampal neurons. Alcohol 46:569-76

Showing the most recent 10 out of 13 publications