MicroRNA expression profile and functional analysis reveal that miR‐382 is a critical novel gene of alcohol addiction. Issue 9 (22nd July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Jingyuan; Li, Jing; Liu, Xiaojun; Qin, Shanshan; Guan, Yanzhong; Liu, Yuwei; Cheng, Yunhui; Chen, Xiuwen; Li, Wen; Wang, Shenming; Xiong, Ming; Kuzhikandathil, Eldo V.; Ye, Jiang‐Hong; Zhang, Chunxiang
• Is Part Of: EMBO molecular medicine. Volume 5:Issue 9(2013:Sep.)
• Page Start: 1402
• Page End: 1414
• Publication Date: 2013-07-22
• Subjects: Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Medical genetics -- Periodicals; Pathology, Molecular -- Periodicals; 616.04205
• DOI: 10.1002/emmm.201201900
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1757-4676

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="emmm201201900-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>Alcohol addiction is a major social and health concern. Here, we determined the expression profile of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of rats treated with alcohol. The results suggest that multiple miRNAs were aberrantly expressed in rat NAc after alcohol injection. Among them, miR‐382 was down‐regulated in alcohol‐treated rats. In both cultured neuronal cells <italic>in vitro</italic> and in the NAc <italic>in vivo</italic>, we identified that the dopamine receptor D1 (<italic>Drd1</italic>) is a direct target gene of miR‐382. Via this target gene, miR‐382 strongly modulated the expression of DeltaFosB. Moreover, overexpression of miR‐382 significantly attenuated alcohol‐induced up‐regulation of DRD1 and DeltaFosB, decreased voluntary intake of and preference for alcohol and inhibited the DRD1‐induced action potential responses. The results indicated that miRNAs are involved in and may represent novel therapeutic targets for alcoholism.</p> </sec> </abstract>