Gene Delivery and Addiction

在斯克里普斯研究所的Pietro Sanna博士和NIDA的Marisela Morales博士的合作下，我们提供了具有良好特性的表达神经营养因子GDNF的AAV载体，以帮助证明syndecan-3通过调节GDNF的作用来限制可卡因的摄入量。这项研究已发表在《自然通讯》杂志上。 在与加洛研究所的Woody Hopf博士和NIDA的Antonello Bonci博士的合作下，我们产生了AAV载体来调节大鼠大脑伏隔核中NMDARs的表达。通过这项工作，描述了NMDAR对酒精耐厌恶摄入所涉及的神经元回路改变的作用机制。这项研究发表在《自然神经科学》杂志上。 我们的实验室参与了由Hope，Calu和Shaham博士(NIDA)领导的一项研究，该研究考察了内侧前额叶皮质(PFC)在应激诱导的大鼠恢复美味食物寻找行为中的作用。我们的研究结果表明，脑内光传递给大鼠前额叶皮质并不显著影响神经胶质细胞活化标志物的表达。总体而言，这项研究使用了光遗传学的方法来表明，抑制大鼠mPFC的神经活动改变了雌性大鼠应激诱导的觅食关系。这项研究发表在《神经科学杂志》上。 我们已经构建了一个表达人类MU阿片受体(体液)的AAV载体，并正在评估体液在小鼠甲基苯丙胺敏化中的作用。我们的初步发现表明，AAV载体在特定大脑区域的幽默表达改变了甲基苯丙胺的敏化。我们已经提交了这部作品以供出版，目前正在进行修订。 关于。

In collaboration with Dr. Pietro Sanna (Scripps Institute) and Dr. Marisela Morales (NIDA), we provided our well-characterized AAV vector expressing the neurotrophic factor GDNF to help demonstrate that syndecan-3 limits cocaine intake by modulating effects of GDNF. This work has been published in Nature Communications. In collaboration with Dr. Woody Hopf (Gallo Institute) and Dr. Antonello Bonci (NIDA) we generated AAV vectors to modulate expression of NMDARs in the nucleus accumbens of the rat brain. Through this work, a mechanism of NMDAR contribution to altered neuronal circuits involved in aversion-resistant intake to alcohol was described. This work has been published in Nature Neuroscience. Our lab participated in a study led by Drs. Hope, Calu and Shaham (NIDA) that examined the contribution of the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) in stress-induced reinstatement of palatable food seeking behavior in rats. We demonstrated that intracranial light delivery to rat PFC does not significantly affect expression of markers of glial activation. Overall, the study used an optogenetic approach to show that inhibition of neural activity in the rat mPFC alters stress-induced relase to food seeking in female rats. This work has been published in Journal of Neuroscience. We have generated an AAV vector expressing the human mu opioid receptor (huMOR) and are evaluating the role of huMOR in methamphetamine sensitization in mice. Our preliminary findings show that huMOR expression by an AAV vector in specific brain regions alters methamphetamine sensitization. We have submitted this work for publication and it is currently under revision. re.