Blocking the development of cocaine induced sensitization by Lithium Chloride: long terms effects and Wnt signaling pathway involvement

FUNES A; CUESTA S.; ROSSO SB; PACCHIONI AM

Mar del Plata

Congreso; XXX Reunion anual de la SAN; 2015

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencia.

Wnt factors are cistein rich secreted proteins that interact with their receptors: Frizzled, Ryk, and Ror. Because of the interaction, Dishevelled (DVL) is activated, and consequently, one of three pathways: Wnt/β-catenin, Planar Cell Polarity, or Wnt/calcium pathways. Wnt signaling pathways are essential for development of the mammalian brain. However little is known regarding its role in adulthood. Recent results from our lab showed that a decrease of β-catenin in Prefrontal Cortex is a cocaine-induced neuroadaptation required for the development of behavioral sensitization. We also showed that Lithium Chloride (LiCl) is capable of blocking the development of cocaine sensitization while increasing β-catenin levels. Thus, in order to elucidate if those changes in β-catenin during cocaine treatment have an impact on the behavioral manifestations that happened 3 weeks later (i.e. expression of sensitization), we administered LiCl i.p. before each cocaine injection. Then, we measured locomotor activity on Day 1 and 7 of the treatment as well as 21 days later. Animals were sacrificed 24hs after last injection and brain areas were dissected. So far our results showed that systemic LiCl injections might as well blocking the expression of cocaine-induced sensitization by modifying β-catenin levels in different brain areas.