Domain- and protein-selective BET mechanisms in cocaine-seeking behaviors

NIH RePORTER · NIH · R01 · $525,380 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

Project Summary Epigenetic pharmacotherapy for substance use disorder (SUD) is a rapidly expanding area of research. With the ability to bind to acetylated histones and regulate drug-induced transcriptional adaptations, members of the bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) family of proteins (BRD2, BRD3, BRD4 and BRDT) have emerged as promising therapeutic targets. To date, however, only pan-BET bromodomain inhibitors, small molecules that bind to both bromodomains (BD1 and BD2) within all BET proteins, have been tested in SUD- related experiments. The use of these non-selective pharmacological inhibitors in SUD models limits our mechanistic understanding of individual BET proteins, bromodomain-selective functions (BD1 vs. BD2), and non- bromodomain BET interactions that regulate drug-induced neurobehavioral adaptations. New evidence from our laboratory indicates that selectively targeting individual BET domains and proteins is a novel and effective strategy to reduce cocaine-induced behavioral and transcriptional responses without causing sides effects observed with pan-BET inhibitors. To build on these exciting data and to advance the field of epigenetic pharmacotherapy for SUD, we propose to use highly selective, clinically relevant treatments, viral-mediated approaches, and multiomic analysis to investigate domain- and protein-specific mechanisms of BET proteins during cocaine-seeking behaviors. To achieve these goals, we will first investigate the behavioral and cell type- specific transcriptomic responses of domain-selective BET inhibitors in cocaine economic demand and reinstatement procedures. Next, using co-immunoprecipitation and mass-spectrometry, we will characterize BRD4 interactome changes following short- and intermittent-access cocaine self-administration, and in functional studies, we will use newly developed tools to identify a role for non-bromodomain mechanisms of BRD4 in cocaine self-administration. Finally, we will interrogate novel transcriptional and behavioral roles for BRD2 in cocaine-seeking behaviors. Together, these experiments will provide significant contributions to the field of addiction epigenetics as well as novel therapeutic targets to reduce cocaine use and relapse.

Key facts

NIH application ID
10896204
Project number
5R01DA058700-02
Recipient
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT STORRS
Principal Investigator
Gregory Charles Sartor
Activity code
R01
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2024
Award amount
$525,380
Award type
5
Project period
2023-08-01 → 2028-05-31