Event Title
Evaluating the effects of alcohol on Exon-11 Knockout mice
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Grace Rossi
Major/Area of Research
Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in cancer biology
Description
Alcohol use remains a global problem. Despite serious repercussions, alcohol continues to be a rewarding substance for many and may be as addictive as other drugs of abuse. Many narcotics such as morphine and heroin activate the mu opiate receptor and cause a rewarding feeling that may be psychologically similar to the reward feeling of alcoholism. Recent work in our laboratory and with collaborators at Sloan Kettering Institute has led to a successful manipulation of a gene targeting one of the exons that makes up the opiate receptor gene (OPRM). By knocking-out exon-11 (E11) of the OPRM gene in mice in previous studies heroin failed to elicit any significant analgesia or rewarding effect in the knockout mice. The present study is evaluating alcohol drinking patterns in exon 11 knockout (KO) mice to see if exon 11 is also involved in the rewarding effects of alcohol. Although alcohol is presumed to have a very different mechanism of action than heroin, the psychological properties of reward might share a common exon-11 and have similar downstream signaling. Consequently, the present study was designed to evaluate the effects of alcohol in E-11 KO mice. E11 and heterozygous wild-type control mice were evaluated using a 2 bottle choice paradigm. Total consumption was measured over a 30 day period with escalating concentrations of alcohol (2-10%). Results showed E11 knockout mice drank significantly higher amounts of alcohol as compared to C57 control mice, raising the possibility that E-11 is also involved in the rewarding effects of alcohol.
Evaluating the effects of alcohol on Exon-11 Knockout mice
Alcohol use remains a global problem. Despite serious repercussions, alcohol continues to be a rewarding substance for many and may be as addictive as other drugs of abuse. Many narcotics such as morphine and heroin activate the mu opiate receptor and cause a rewarding feeling that may be psychologically similar to the reward feeling of alcoholism. Recent work in our laboratory and with collaborators at Sloan Kettering Institute has led to a successful manipulation of a gene targeting one of the exons that makes up the opiate receptor gene (OPRM). By knocking-out exon-11 (E11) of the OPRM gene in mice in previous studies heroin failed to elicit any significant analgesia or rewarding effect in the knockout mice. The present study is evaluating alcohol drinking patterns in exon 11 knockout (KO) mice to see if exon 11 is also involved in the rewarding effects of alcohol. Although alcohol is presumed to have a very different mechanism of action than heroin, the psychological properties of reward might share a common exon-11 and have similar downstream signaling. Consequently, the present study was designed to evaluate the effects of alcohol in E-11 KO mice. E11 and heterozygous wild-type control mice were evaluated using a 2 bottle choice paradigm. Total consumption was measured over a 30 day period with escalating concentrations of alcohol (2-10%). Results showed E11 knockout mice drank significantly higher amounts of alcohol as compared to C57 control mice, raising the possibility that E-11 is also involved in the rewarding effects of alcohol.