Activation of Kv7 channels normalizes hyperactivity of the VTA-NAcLat circuit and attenuates methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference and sensitization in mice

• Published in: Molecular psychiatry 2023-12, Vol.28 (12), p.5183-5194
• Main Authors: Liu, E, Pang, Kunkun, Liu, Min, Tan, Xu, Hang, Zhaofang, Mu, Shouhong, Han, Weikai, Yue, Qingwei, Comai, Stefano, Sun, Jinhao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine - analogs & derivatives; 1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine - pharmacology; 13/1; 14/19; 38/91; 631/337; 631/378; 64/60; 9/30; 9/74; Addictions; Agonists; Animals; Behavioral Sciences; Biological Psychology; Central Nervous System Stimulants - pharmacology; Dopamine - metabolism; Dopaminergic Neurons - drug effects; Dopaminergic Neurons - metabolism; Excitability; Gene expression; Hyperactivity; KCNQ Potassium Channels - drug effects; KCNQ Potassium Channels - metabolism; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Methamphetamine; Methamphetamine - pharmacology; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Neuronal Plasticity - drug effects; Neuroplasticity; Neurosciences; Nucleus accumbens; Nucleus Accumbens - drug effects; Nucleus Accumbens - metabolism; Oscillations; Pharmacotherapy; Place preference conditioning; Potassium channels (voltage-gated); Psychiatry; Reward; Synaptic plasticity; Ventral Tegmental Area - drug effects; Ventral Tegmental Area - metabolism; Ventral tegmentum
• ISSN: 1359-4184; 1476-5578
• DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02218-5

The brain circuit projecting from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens lateral shell (NAcLat) has a key role in methamphetamine (MA) addiction. As different dopamine (DA) neuron subpopulations in the VTA participate in different neuronal circuits, it is a challenge to isolate these DA neuron subtypes. Using retrograde tracing and Patch-seq, we isolated DA neurons in the VTA-NAcLat circuit in MA-treated mice and performed gene expression profiling. Among the differentially expressed genes, KCNQ genes were dramatically downregulated. KCNQ genes encode Kv7 channel proteins, which modulate neuronal excitability. Injection of both the Kv7.2/3 agonist ICA069673 and the Kv7.4 agonist fasudil into the VTA attenuated MA-induced conditioned place preference and locomotor sensitization and decreased neuronal excitability. Increasing Kv7.2/3 activity decreased neural oscillations, synaptic plasticity and DA release in the VTA-NacLat circuit in MA-treated mice. Furthermore, overexpression of only Kv7.3 channels in the VTA-NacLat circuit was sufficient to attenuate MA-induced reward behavior and decrease VTA neuron excitability. Activation of Kv7 channels in the VTA may become a novel treatment strategy for MA abuse.