Studies of the genetic basis of alcohol's effects and their modification by pharmacological agents represent a promising approach to the development of medications to treat problem drinking and alcohol dependence. This proposal employs a human laboratory paradigm to study the moderating effect of genetic variation of GABRA2, which encodes the GABAA-receptor alpha-2 subunit and GABAergic neuroactive steroids on subjective and physiological effects of alcohol when consumed by light drinkers compared with heavy drinkers. This study will explore the hypothesis that effects of alcohol are in part mediated by increased production of neuroactive steroids, which interact with GABAA-receptors. We propose to study non-dependent drinkers using a 4-session within- subjects design in which alcohol / placebo is paired with dutasteride / placebo pretreatment. Dutasteride is a 5-alpha steroid reductase (5AR) inhibitor that limits the production of dihydrotestosterone and the 5alpha-reduced neuroactive steroids allopregnanolone, pregnanolone and 3alpha, 5alpha-THDOC. This work continues our pilot studies in this area in which we demonstrated that both an alcohol-dependence associated GABRA2 allele and inhibition of 5AR reduce the subjective response to alcohol. We will extend work in this area by 1) examining a larger group of subjects that includes both light and heavy drinkers balanced on GABRA2 genotype, 2) include objective measures of alcohol's effects, 3) measure plasma concentrations of neuroactive steroids and their adrenal steroid hormone precursors at several time points following alcohol, 4) examine effects of a more potent and specific inhibitor of 5alpha-reductase (to validate and clarify the relationship of neuroactive steroids to alcohol effects), and 5) examine the effects of polymorphisms in steroid 5alpha-reductase and mu-opioid receptor genes on alcohol-induced neuroactive steroid elevations and behavioral responses. To conduct this work, we have developed collaborations among several investigators with expertise in human alcohol challenge studies and the physiological effects of alcohol, genetics, and steroid hormone analysis, and will make use of an NIH-funded GCRC to augment resources. This study provides a foundation for translating pre-clinical findings on neuroactive steroids to the development of medications to treat alcohol use disorders. Public information description: Alcohol abuse and dependence remain important public health problems. Inherited (e.g. genetic) risk factors are thought to be important in the development of alcohol use problems. This proposal employs a human laboratory paradigm to study the moderating effect of genetic variation in several candidate genes and the role of alcohol induced neuroactive steroids on subjective and physiological effects of alcohol when consumed by light drinkers compared with heavy drinkers.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AA015606-04
Application #
7651278
Study Section
Neurotoxicology and Alcohol Study Section (NAL)
Program Officer
Mattson, Margaret
Project Start
2006-07-20
Project End
2012-06-30
Budget Start
2009-07-01
Budget End
2012-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$414,179
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Connecticut
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
022254226
City
Farmington
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06030
Lieberman, Richard; Kranzler, Henry R; Levine, Eric S et al. (2018) Examining the effects of alcohol on GABAA receptor mRNA expression and function in neural cultures generated from control and alcohol dependent donor induced pluripotent stem cells. Alcohol 66:45-53
Lieberman, Richard; Kranzler, Henry R; Levine, Eric S et al. (2017) Examining FKBP5 mRNA expression in human iPSC-derived neural cells. Psychiatry Res 247:172-181
Lieberman, Richard; Kranzler, Henry R; Joshi, Pujan et al. (2015) GABRA2 Alcohol Dependence Risk Allele is Associated with Reduced Expression of Chromosome 4p12 GABAA Subunit Genes in Human Neural Cultures. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 39:1654-64
Milivojevic, Verica; Feinn, Richard; Kranzler, Henry R et al. (2014) Variation in AKR1C3, which encodes the neuroactive steroid synthetic enzyme 3?-HSD type 2 (17?-HSD type 5), moderates the subjective effects of alcohol. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 231:3597-608
Arias, Albert J; Covault, Jonathan; Feinn, Richard et al. (2014) A GABRA2 variant is associated with increased stimulation and 'high' following alcohol administration. Alcohol Alcohol 49:1-9
Covault, Jonathan; Pond, Timothy; Feinn, Richard et al. (2014) Dutasteride reduces alcohol's sedative effects in men in a human laboratory setting and reduces drinking in the natural environment. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 231:3609-18
Milivojevic, Verica; Covault, Jonathan (2013) Alcohol exposure during late adolescence increases drinking in adult Wistar rats, an effect that is not reduced by finasteride. Alcohol Alcohol 48:28-38
Lieberman, Richard; Levine, Eric S; Kranzler, Henry R et al. (2012) Pilot study of iPS-derived neural cells to examine biologic effects of alcohol on human neurons in vitro. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 36:1678-87
Herman, Aryeh I; Conner, Tamlin S; Anton, Raymond F et al. (2011) Variation in the gene encoding the serotonin transporter is associated with a measure of sociopathy in alcoholics. Addict Biol 16:124-32
Milivojevic, Verica; Kranzler, Henry R; Gelernter, Joel et al. (2011) Variation in genes encoding the neuroactive steroid synthetic enzymes 5?-reductase type 1 and 3?-reductase type 2 is associated with alcohol dependence. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 35:946-52

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