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Reduced levels of Cacna1c attenuate mesolimbic dopamine system function.

C E Terrillion^1,2, D T Dao¹, R Cachope³

¹Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Genes, Brain, and Behavior

|February 11, 2017

Summary

Genetic variation in CACNA1C impacts dopamine signaling and behavior. This study shows Cacna1c in the VTA is essential for behavioral sensitization to psychomotor stimulants.

Keywords:

Behavior CACNA1C bipolar disorder depression dopamine fast-scan cyclic voltammetry nucleus accumbens schizophrenia sensitization ventral tegmental area

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Genetics
Pharmacology

Background:

Genetic variations in CACNA1C, encoding the L-type calcium channel (LTCC) Ca_v 1.2, are linked to psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.
The mesolimbic-dopamine (ML-DA) system is implicated in these disorders, with LTCCs playing a role in dopamine neurotransmission between the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc).

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how CACNA1C gene variations affect dopamine-mediated behaviors and the ML-DA system.
To determine the specific role of Cacna1c in the VTA and NAc in responses to psychomotor stimulants.

Main Methods:

Utilized constitutive and conditional knockout mice lacking Cacna1c.
Administered the LTCC antagonist nimodipine and DAT antagonist GBR12909.
Measured dopamine release and reuptake in the NAc using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry.
Assessed behavioral responses, including hyperlocomotion and locomotor sensitization.

Main Results:

Cacna1c haploinsufficiency altered dopamine transporter (DAT) sensitivity in dopamine release.
Mice with constitutive Cacna1c haploinsufficiency showed reduced hyperlocomotion and attenuated locomotor sensitization to DAT stimulants.
Selective reduction of Cacna1c in the VTA, but not NAc, impaired behavioral sensitization to GBR12909.
Nimodipine administration attenuated GBR12909-induced sensitization.

Conclusions:

Cacna1c is critical for normal behavioral responses to dopamine stimulants.
Cacna1c activity within the VTA is essential for the development of behavioral sensitization.
These findings suggest Cacna1c influences presynaptic ML-DA system function, potentially modifying psychiatric disorder risk.