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Cocaine-induced endocannabinoid signaling mediated by sigma-1 receptors and extracellular vesicle secretion.

A figure from this studyFeatured Paper of the Month – Apil 2020.

By studying brain tissue and neurons in vitro, Nakamura, Dryanovski et al. show that cocaine stimulates the release of endocannabinoids via extracellular vesicles. In essence, cocaine causes neurons to synthesize endocannabinoids that are then enclosed within membrane-bound packages. These packages – or extracellular vesicles – can then fuse with the cell’s membrane. Multiple protein interactions are necessary to permit this extracellular vesicle release, and the authors show that disrupting these control points prevents vesicle release. Functionally, this also disrupts the ability of cocaine to trigger endocannabinoid release and its effects on synaptic transmission in midbrain dopamine neurons. Cocaine thus drives endocannabinoid release in the brain’s pleasure centers via the assembly of extracellular vesicles and designing drugs to manipulate the protein interactions that underlie vesicle assembly could provide a new way to counter cocaine addiction.

Publication Information

Nakamura, Yoki; Dryanovski, Dilyan I; Kimura, Yuriko; Jackson, Shelley N; Woods, Amina S; Yasui, Yuko; Tsai, Shang-Yi; Patel, Sachin; Covey, Daniel P; Su, Tsung-Ping; Lupica, Carl R

Cocaine-induced endocannabinoid signaling mediated by sigma-1 receptors and extracellular vesicle secretion. Journal Article

In: Elife, vol. 8, 2019, ISSN: 2050-084X (Electronic); 2050-084X (Linking).

Abstract | Links

@article{Nakamura:2019uq,
title = {Cocaine-induced endocannabinoid signaling mediated by sigma-1 receptors and extracellular vesicle secretion.},
author = {Yoki Nakamura and Dilyan I Dryanovski and Yuriko Kimura and Shelley N Jackson and Amina S Woods and Yuko Yasui and Shang-Yi Tsai and Sachin Patel and Daniel P Covey and Tsung-Ping Su and Carl R Lupica},
url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31596232},
doi = {10.7554/eLife.47209},
issn = {2050-084X (Electronic); 2050-084X (Linking)},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-10-09},
journal = {Elife},
volume = {8},
address = {Cellular Pathobiology Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, United States.},
abstract = {Cocaine is an addictive drug that acts in brain reward areas. Recent evidence suggests that cocaine stimulates synthesis of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in midbrain, increasing dopamine neuron activity via disinhibition. Although a mechanism for cocaine-stimulated 2-AG synthesis is known, our understanding of 2-AG release is limited. In NG108 cells and mouse midbrain tissue, we find that 2-AG is localized in non-synaptic extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are secreted in the presence of cocaine via interaction with the chaperone protein sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R). The release of EVs occurs when cocaine causes dissociation of the Sig-1R from ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF6), a G-protein regulating EV trafficking, leading to activation of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK). Blockade of Sig-1R function, or inhibition of ARF6 or MLCK also prevented cocaine-induced EV release and cocaine-stimulated 2-AG-modulation of inhibitory synapses in DA neurons. Our results implicate the Sig-1R-ARF6 complex in control of EV release and demonstrate that cocaine-mediated 2-AG release can occur via EVs.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

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Cocaine is an addictive drug that acts in brain reward areas. Recent evidence suggests that cocaine stimulates synthesis of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in midbrain, increasing dopamine neuron activity via disinhibition. Although a mechanism for cocaine-stimulated 2-AG synthesis is known, our understanding of 2-AG release is limited. In NG108 cells and mouse midbrain tissue, we find that 2-AG is localized in non-synaptic extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are secreted in the presence of cocaine via interaction with the chaperone protein sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R). The release of EVs occurs when cocaine causes dissociation of the Sig-1R from ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF6), a G-protein regulating EV trafficking, leading to activation of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK). Blockade of Sig-1R function, or inhibition of ARF6 or MLCK also prevented cocaine-induced EV release and cocaine-stimulated 2-AG-modulation of inhibitory synapses in DA neurons. Our results implicate the Sig-1R-ARF6 complex in control of EV release and demonstrate that cocaine-mediated 2-AG release can occur via EVs.

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  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31596232
  • doi:10.7554/eLife.47209

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