TY - JOUR
T1 - Urocortin 1 expression in five pairs of rat lines selectively bred for differences in alcohol drinking
AU - Turek, V. F.
AU - Tsivkovskaia, N. O.
AU - Hyytia, P.
AU - Harding, S.
AU - Lê, A. D.
AU - Ryabinin, A. E.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by NIH grants AA10760, AA13738 (A.E.R.), and AA13108 (A.D.L.).
PY - 2005/9
Y1 - 2005/9
N2 - Rationale: There is accumulating evidence that the neuropeptide urocortin 1 (Ucn1) is involved in alcohol consumption. Thus far, however, most studies have been performed in mice. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to characterize Ucn1 expression in rats selectively bred for either high or low alcohol intake. Methods: Brains from naive male rats of five pairs of independently selected lines (iP/iNP, AA/ANA, HARF/LARF, HAD1/LAD1, and HAD2/LAD2) were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Results: Significant differences were found between iP/iNP, HARF/LARF, and HAD2/LAD2 in number of Ucn1-containing cells in the Edinger-Westphal (EW) nucleus (the main source of Ucn1 in the brain), whereas no significant differences were found between HAD1/LAD1 and AA/ANA. Similarly, significant differences in the optical density of Ucn1 immunoreactivity in EW were found between iP/iNP, HARF/LARF, and HAD2/LAD2, whereas no differences on this measure were found between HAD1/LAD1 and AA/ANA. In the lateral septum (LS, the main projection area of Ucn1-containing neurons in the rat), significant differences were found only between AA/ANA and HAD2/LAD2; however, a meta-analysis indicated that across all five lines, preferring animals had a significantly greater number of Ucn1-positive fibers than nonpreferring animals. Conclusions: These results provide evidence that, in rats, Ucn1 may be involved in regulation of alcohol intake, and that this regulation may occur through the Ucn1 projections to LS.
AB - Rationale: There is accumulating evidence that the neuropeptide urocortin 1 (Ucn1) is involved in alcohol consumption. Thus far, however, most studies have been performed in mice. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to characterize Ucn1 expression in rats selectively bred for either high or low alcohol intake. Methods: Brains from naive male rats of five pairs of independently selected lines (iP/iNP, AA/ANA, HARF/LARF, HAD1/LAD1, and HAD2/LAD2) were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Results: Significant differences were found between iP/iNP, HARF/LARF, and HAD2/LAD2 in number of Ucn1-containing cells in the Edinger-Westphal (EW) nucleus (the main source of Ucn1 in the brain), whereas no significant differences were found between HAD1/LAD1 and AA/ANA. Similarly, significant differences in the optical density of Ucn1 immunoreactivity in EW were found between iP/iNP, HARF/LARF, and HAD2/LAD2, whereas no differences on this measure were found between HAD1/LAD1 and AA/ANA. In the lateral septum (LS, the main projection area of Ucn1-containing neurons in the rat), significant differences were found only between AA/ANA and HAD2/LAD2; however, a meta-analysis indicated that across all five lines, preferring animals had a significantly greater number of Ucn1-positive fibers than nonpreferring animals. Conclusions: These results provide evidence that, in rats, Ucn1 may be involved in regulation of alcohol intake, and that this regulation may occur through the Ucn1 projections to LS.
KW - Corticotropin releasing factor
KW - Edinger-Westphal nucleus
KW - Ethanol
KW - Lateral septum
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U2 - 10.1007/s00213-005-0011-x
DO - 10.1007/s00213-005-0011-x
M3 - Article
C2 - 15983799
AN - SCOPUS:26944434660
SN - 0033-3158
VL - 181
SP - 511
EP - 517
JO - Psychopharmacology
JF - Psychopharmacology
IS - 3
ER -