Involvement of Purinergic P2X4 Receptors in Alcohol Intake of High-Alcohol-Drinking (HAD) Rats
Abstract
The P2X4 receptor (P2X4R) is thought to be involved in regulating alcohol-consuming behaviors, and ethanol (EtOH) has been reported to inhibit P2X4Rs. Ivermectin is an antiparasitic agent that acts as a positive allosteric modulator of the P2X4R. This study examined the effects of systemically and centrally administered ivermectin on alcohol drinking of replicate lines of high-alcohol-drinking (HAD-1/HAD-2) rats, and the effects of lentiviral-delivered short-hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting P2rx4 on EtOH intake of female HAD-2 rats. For the first experiment, adult male HAD-1 and HAD-2 rats were given 24-hour free-choice access to 15% EtOH versus water. Dose-response effects of ivermectin (1.5 to 7.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally [i.p.]) on EtOH intake were determined; the effects of ivermectin were then examined for 2% w/v sucrose intake over 5 consecutive days. In the second experiment, female HAD-2 rats were trained to consume 15% EtOH under 2-hour limited access conditions, and dose-response effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of ivermectin (0.5 to 2.0 μg) were determined over 5 consecutive days. The third experiment determined the effects of microinfusion of a lentivirus expressing P2rx4 shRNAs into the poster...Continue Reading
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Anthelmintics
Anthelmintics or antihelminthics are a group of antiparasitic drugs that expel parasitic worms (helminths) and other internal parasites from the body by either stunning or killing them and without causing significant damage to the host. Discover the latest research on anthelmintics here.