Inhibition of urokinase plasminogen activator “uPA” activity alters ethanol consumption and conditioned place preference in mice

Elyazia Al Maamari,* Mouza Al Ameri, Shamma Al Mansouri, Amine Bahi*Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Urokinase plasminogen...

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Main Authors: Al Maamari E, Al Ameri M, Al Mansouri S, Bahi A
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2014-09-01
Series:Drug Design, Development and Therapy
Online Access:http://www.dovepress.com/inhibition-of-urokinase-plasminogen-activator-ldquoupardquo-activity-a-peer-reviewed-article-DDDT
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spelling doaj-87ff5e759c104912a1f19d66f74f0ed12020-11-24T21:57:42ZengDove Medical PressDrug Design, Development and Therapy1177-88812014-09-012014default1391140318356Inhibition of urokinase plasminogen activator “uPA” activity alters ethanol consumption and conditioned place preference in miceAl Maamari EAl Ameri MAl Mansouri SBahi A Elyazia Al Maamari,* Mouza Al Ameri, Shamma Al Mansouri, Amine Bahi*Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Urokinase plasminogen activator, uPA, is a serine protease implicated in addiction to drugs of abuse. Using its specific inhibitor, B428, we and others have characterized the role of uPA in the rewarding properties of psychostimulants, including cocaine and amphetamine, but none have examined the role of uPA in ethanol use disorders. Therefore, in the current study, we extended our observations to the role of uPA in ethanol consumption and ethanol-induced conditioned place preference. The general aim of the present series of experiments was to investigate the effects of the administration of the B428 on voluntary alcohol intake and ethanol conditioned reward. A two-bottle choice, unlimited-access paradigm was used to compare ethanol intake between vehicle- and 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg B428-administered mice. For this purpose, the mice were presented with an ethanol solution (2.5%–20%) and water, at each concentration for 4 days, and their consumption was measured daily. Consumption of saccharin and quinine solutions was also measured. Systemic administration of B428 dose-dependently decreased ethanol intake and preference. Additionally, B428 mice did not differ from vehicle mice in their intake of graded solutions of tastants, suggesting that the uPA inhibition did not alter taste function. Also, ethanol metabolism was not affected following B428 injection. More importantly, 1.5 g/kg ethanol-induced conditioned place preference acquisition was blocked following B428 administration. Taken together, our results are the first to implicate uPA inhibition in the regulation of ethanol consumption and preference, and suggest that uPA may be considered as a possible therapeutic drug target for alcoholism and abstinence.Keywords: B428, CPP, two-bottle choicehttp://www.dovepress.com/inhibition-of-urokinase-plasminogen-activator-ldquoupardquo-activity-a-peer-reviewed-article-DDDT
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Al Maamari E
Al Ameri M
Al Mansouri S
Bahi A
spellingShingle Al Maamari E
Al Ameri M
Al Mansouri S
Bahi A
Inhibition of urokinase plasminogen activator “uPA” activity alters ethanol consumption and conditioned place preference in mice
Drug Design, Development and Therapy
author_facet Al Maamari E
Al Ameri M
Al Mansouri S
Bahi A
author_sort Al Maamari E
title Inhibition of urokinase plasminogen activator “uPA” activity alters ethanol consumption and conditioned place preference in mice
title_short Inhibition of urokinase plasminogen activator “uPA” activity alters ethanol consumption and conditioned place preference in mice
title_full Inhibition of urokinase plasminogen activator “uPA” activity alters ethanol consumption and conditioned place preference in mice
title_fullStr Inhibition of urokinase plasminogen activator “uPA” activity alters ethanol consumption and conditioned place preference in mice
title_full_unstemmed Inhibition of urokinase plasminogen activator “uPA” activity alters ethanol consumption and conditioned place preference in mice
title_sort inhibition of urokinase plasminogen activator “upa” activity alters ethanol consumption and conditioned place preference in mice
publisher Dove Medical Press
series Drug Design, Development and Therapy
issn 1177-8881
publishDate 2014-09-01
description Elyazia Al Maamari,* Mouza Al Ameri, Shamma Al Mansouri, Amine Bahi*Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Urokinase plasminogen activator, uPA, is a serine protease implicated in addiction to drugs of abuse. Using its specific inhibitor, B428, we and others have characterized the role of uPA in the rewarding properties of psychostimulants, including cocaine and amphetamine, but none have examined the role of uPA in ethanol use disorders. Therefore, in the current study, we extended our observations to the role of uPA in ethanol consumption and ethanol-induced conditioned place preference. The general aim of the present series of experiments was to investigate the effects of the administration of the B428 on voluntary alcohol intake and ethanol conditioned reward. A two-bottle choice, unlimited-access paradigm was used to compare ethanol intake between vehicle- and 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg B428-administered mice. For this purpose, the mice were presented with an ethanol solution (2.5%–20%) and water, at each concentration for 4 days, and their consumption was measured daily. Consumption of saccharin and quinine solutions was also measured. Systemic administration of B428 dose-dependently decreased ethanol intake and preference. Additionally, B428 mice did not differ from vehicle mice in their intake of graded solutions of tastants, suggesting that the uPA inhibition did not alter taste function. Also, ethanol metabolism was not affected following B428 injection. More importantly, 1.5 g/kg ethanol-induced conditioned place preference acquisition was blocked following B428 administration. Taken together, our results are the first to implicate uPA inhibition in the regulation of ethanol consumption and preference, and suggest that uPA may be considered as a possible therapeutic drug target for alcoholism and abstinence.Keywords: B428, CPP, two-bottle choice
url http://www.dovepress.com/inhibition-of-urokinase-plasminogen-activator-ldquoupardquo-activity-a-peer-reviewed-article-DDDT
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