Search

Whereas acute administration of many types of stimuli induces c-Fos and related proteins in brain, recent work has shown that chronic perturbations cause the region-specific accumulation of novel Fos-like proteins of 35-37 kD. These proteins, termed chronic FRAs (Fos-related antigens), have recently been shown to be isoforms of DeltaFosB, which accumulate in brain due to their enhanced stability. In the present study, we sought to extend earlier findings that documented the effects of acute administration of antipsychotic drugs (APDs) on induction of Fos-like proteins by investigating the ability of typical and aytpical APDs, after chronic administration, to induce these DeltaFosB isoforms in several brain regions implicated in the clinical actions of these agents. By Western blotting we found that chronic administration of the typical APD, haloperidol, dramatically induces DeltaFosB in caudate-putamen (CP), a brain region associated with the extrapyramidal side effects of this drug. A smaller induction was seen in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and prefrontal cortex (PFC), brain regions associated with the antipsychotic effects of the drug. In contrast, chronic administration of the prototype atypical APD clozapine failed to significantly increase levels of DeltaFosB in any of the three brain regions, and even tended to reduce DeltaFosB levels in the NAc. Two putative atypical APDs, risperidone and olanzapine, produced small but still significant increases in the levels of DeltaFosB in CP, but not NAc or PFC. Studies with selective receptor antagonists suggested that induction of DeltaFosB in CP and NAc is most dependent on antagonism of D2-D3 dopamine receptors, with antagonism of D1-like receptors most involved in the PFC. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the greater induction of DeltaFosB in CP by typical versus atypical APDs, with no significant induction seen in PFC with either class of APD. Together, these findings demonstrate that repeated administration of APDs results in the induction of long-lasting Fos-like transcription factors that could mediate some of the persistent and region-specific changes in brain function associated with chronic drug exposure. Synapse 33:118-128, 1999., (Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Previous studies have shown that repeated exposure to cocaine or to several other stimuli induces novel 35-37 kDa Fos-related antigens (chronic Fras) in specific brain regions. Induction of these proteins is associated with prolonged increases in AP-1 DNA binding activity that parallel the long half-life of the chronic Fras in brain. In the current study, we characterized regulation of the chronic Fras in response to prolonged exposure to morphine. After 5 days of morphine treatment, we observed increased levels of the chronic Fras and of AP-1 binding activity in rat striatum and nucleus accumbens, effects that were not seen in most other brain regions that we studied. Concomitant administration of naltrexone, an opioid receptor antagonist, prevented the induction of these proteins. Two-dimensional gel analysis showed that the chronic Fras induced by chronic morphine administration are identical to those induced after chronic cocaine and other treatments. A time course study indicated that chronic Fra induction was first apparent after 3 days of morphine treatment and peaked between 5 and 7 days of treatment in both the striatum and nucleus accumbens. Withdrawal studies demonstrated robust induction of several known acute Fras, including c-Fos, FosB, Fra-1, Fra-2, and delta FosB, at 6 hr after naltrexone precipitation of withdrawal in the striatum, nucleus accumbens, and several other brain regions. Levels of these proteins returned to basal values by 72 hr. In contrast, no further induction of the chronic Fras was evident after 6 hr of withdrawal in the striatum and nucleus accumbens, but levels of the proteins increased beyond their already elevated chronic morphine values after longer periods (72 hr) of withdrawal, even though physical withdrawal symptoms had resolved at this time point. Chronic Fras were also induced after these prolonged withdrawal periods in several other brain regions, where the proteins were not induced by chronic morphine alone. We discuss the possible roles played by the chronic Fras in the adaptive responses of the brain to chronic opiate exposure and opiate withdrawal.

Previous work has demonstrated that chronic administration of cocaine induces apparently novel Fos-like transcription factors, termed chronic Fras (Fos-related antigens), in the rat striatum and nucleus accumbens. Induction of these proteins is associated with prolonged increases in AP-1 DNA binding activity that parallel the long half-life of the chronic Fras in brain. The goal of the present study was to characterize pharmacologically the regulation of chronic Fra induction by cocaine. Chronic Fra induction was examined with respect to the cocaine dose, time course and administration intervals used. Cocaine was found to induce the chronic Fras over widely differing treatment regimens in the striatum and nucleus accumbens, although clear differences between the two brain regions were observed. In general, maximal induction occurred with moderate treatment conditions, with more or less intensive treatments resulting in lower levels of chronic Fras. The pharmacological mechanisms underlying cocaine induction of the chronic Fras were also investigated. Pretreatment with a D1 receptor antagonist, which did not affect chronic Fra levels by itself, attenuated cocaine induction of the chronic Fras in striatum and nucleus accumbens. In contrast, treatment with a D2 receptor antagonist alone greatly induced chronic Fra levels, with no further increase seen in response to combined treatment with cocaine. Combined treatment with D1 and D2 receptor agonists, or with amphetamine, led to a strong induction of chronic Fras. Similarly, repeated treatment with a specific dopamine transporter inhibitor increased chronic Fra levels, whereas treatment with a specific serotonin or norepinephrine transporter inhibitor failed to produce this effect. These results support an important role for dopaminergic neurotransmission in the induction of chronic Fras by cocaine. Taken together, the results of the present study provide a more complete understanding of the pharmacological properties underlying cocaine regulation of the chronic Fras, which will assist in identifying the functional role played by these proteins in cocaine action.

Previous work has shown that c-Fos and several Fos-like proteins or Fras (Fos-related antigens) are induced acutely in brain in response to a wide variety of stimuli. In contrast, several stimuli induce apparently distinct Fos-like proteins, termed chronic Fras, after chronic administration. We show that delta FosB, a truncated splice variant of FosB, responds like the other acute Fras: it is induced rapidly and transiently in cerebral cortex after acute electroconvulsive seizure (ECS) and in striatum after acute cocaine but does not accumulate after chronic ECS or cocaine treatment. Although the chronic Fras are immunochemically related to delta FosB, they can be distinguished from delta FosB based on their temporal properties in that they are induced after chronic ECS and cocaine treatments only. Moreover, the chronic Fras and delta FosB can be distinguished by their migration patterns on one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The chronic Fras, therefore, appear to be novel FosB-related proteins. We also provide evidence that the chronic Fras heterodimerize primarily with Jun-D and Jun-B, as opposed to c-Jun. The possibility that AP-1 complexes containing the chronic Fras function as negative regulators of AP-1 mediated transcription is discussed.

Following chronic cocaine treatment, we have found a long-lasting increase in AP-1 binding in the rat nucleus accumbens and striatum, two important targets of the behavioral effects of cocaine. This increase develops gradually over several days and remains at 50% of maximal levels 7 days after the last cocaine exposure. Supershift experiments, along with one- and two-dimensional Western blots, indicate that this chronic AP-1 complex contains at least four Fos-related antigens (FRAs), some of which display delta FosB-like immunoreactivity, that are induced selectively by chronic, but not acute, cocaine treatment. The same chronic FRAs were also induced by several different types of chronic treatments in a region-specific manner in the brain. Thus, the chronic FRAs and associated chronic AP-1 complex could mediate some of the long-term changes in gene expression unique to the chronic-treated state as opposed to the acute-treated and normal states.