The Effects of Moderate Alcohol Drinking on the Nucleus Accumbens Proteome of C57BL/6J Mice (2015)

Undergraduates: Katarina Swaim, AE Agoglia GT Reid, T Thiele, S Faccidomo, CW Hodge

Faculty Advisor: Todd Thiele
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience

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Intro: The neural mechanisms that mediate reinforcing effects of alcohol consumption are not fully understood. Proteomic analysis of the mouse amygdala after 28 days of home cage drinking shows significant changes in protein expression for alcohol-drinking mice. Objective: To extend proteomic studies of chronic alcohol-drinking mice to the nucleus accumbens (NAC) brain region to assess its role in the development of alcohol dependence. Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were separated into water and ethanol (EtOH) drinking groups and singly housed. A voluntary two-bottle choice paradigm was used with 24hr access to fluids. EtOH was introduced at 6% w/v concentration and increased to 10% w/v, with a final concentration of 20% w/v EtOH maintained after day 4. Dependent variables were water intake, EtOH intake, EtOH preference, and EtOH dose. After 28 days of drinking, mice were rapidly decapitated and the brains were flash frozen. Tissue from the NAC was sent to Applied Biomics for 2D DIGE analysis. Tissue from the prefrontal cortex, amydgala, striatum, NAC, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis of the remaining mice was homogenized and used for Western Blotting. Preliminary results: Water group drank average of XX mL water/day. EtOH mice drank on average XXXmL water and XXX mL EtOH, showing XX EtOH preference and an average dose of 13 g/kg.