Chronic Methamphetamine Increases Alpha-Synuclein Protein Levels in the Striatum and Hippocampus but not in the Cortex of Juvenile Mice
Journal Title: Journal of Addiction & Prevention - Year 2014, Vol 2, Issue 2
Abstract
Methamphetamine is the second most widely used illicit drug worldwide. More than 290 tons of methamphetamine was synthesized in the year 2005 alone, corresponding to approximately ~3 billion 100 mg doses of methamphetamine. Drug addicts abuse high concentrations of methamphetamine for months and even years. Current reports in the literature are consistent with the interpretation that methamphetamine-induced neuronal injury may render methamphetamine users more susceptible to neurodegenerative pathologies. Specifically, chronic exposure to psychostimulants is associated with increases in striatal alpha-synuclein expression, a synaptic protein implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. This raises the question whether methamphetamine exposure affects alpha-synuclein levels in the brain. In this short report, we examined alpha-synuclein protein and mRNA levels in the striatum, hippocampus and cortex of adolescent male mice following a neurotoxic regimen of methamphetamine (24mg/kg/daily/14days). We found that methamphetamine exposure resulted in a decrease in the monomeric form of alpha-synuclein (molecular species 19 kDa) in the striatum and hippocampus, but not in the cortex. Despite the elevation of high molecular weight alpha-synuclein species (>19 kDa), there was no change in the alpha-synuclein mRNA levels in the striatum, hippocampus and cortex of mice exposed to methamphetamine. The methamphetamine-induced increase in high molecular weight alpha-synuclein protein levels might be one of the causal mechanisms or one of the compensatory consequences of methamphetamine-mediated neurotoxicity.
Authors and Affiliations
Habibeh Khoshbouei
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP202557
- DOI 10.13188/2330-2178.1000015
- Views 125
- Downloads 0
Children of Substance Abusing Parents: Child Behavior Data of Brazilian Service
Determining the relevant risk factors and protective factors as well as the correlation between them is an important tool for preventing substance abuse. A case-control study of addiction and its risk factors was perform...
Mechanisms of Stimulant Drug Dependence
Objectives: Current theories of severe substance use disorder (chemical dependence) have tended to focus on either the initial phases of the process when the individual experiences WANT or on the later phases when the pr...
MDMA regulates serotonin transporter function via a Protein kinase C dependent mechanism
Serotonin (5-HT) is a neurotransmitter with an integral role in regulating mood and dysregulation of this system is implicated in disorders such as depression and withdrawal from drugs of abuse. 3,4- methylenedioxymetham...
Knowledge on Hazards of Smoking and Benefits of Quitting Smoking among the Smokers
A study to assess the knowledge on hazards of smoking and benefits of quitting smoking, among smokers admitted in Rajah Muthiah medical college hospital, Chidambaram. The quantitative research approach was used to assess...
Reliability of Surveys on Alcohol Consumption, Sexual Coercion and Contraception
A series of case reports has been started in preceding papers on alcohol misuse, sexual misbehavior and related topics from the last decades of the Soviet period [1-5]. These cases have been reported to the authorities a...