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Updated: Jan 5, 2026

Murine Drinking Models in the Development of Pharmacotherapies for Alcoholism: Drinking in the Dark and Two-bottle Choice
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Receptor Tyrosine Kinases as Therapeutic Targets for Alcohol Use Disorder

Kana Hamada1, Amy W Lasek2

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 West Taylor Street, MC 912, Chicago, Illinois, 60612, USA.

Neurotherapeutics : the Journal of the American Society for Experimental Neurotherapeutics
|October 17, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) influence alcohol addiction behaviors. Targeting RTKs like TrkB, RET, ALK, FGFR, and EGFR offers potential new treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are crucial cell signaling proteins involved in vital cellular functions.
  • RTKs regulate neuronal and glial function, impacting behavior and implicated in psychiatric disorders like addiction.
  • Specific RTKs, including TrkB, RET, ALK, FGFR, and EGFR, are linked to alcohol drinking behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review preclinical evidence on the role of five specific RTKs in modulating alcohol drinking and related behaviors.
  • To explore the potential of RTKs as therapeutic targets for alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of preclinical studies.
  • Focus on evidence implicating TrkB, RET, ALK, FGFR, and EGFR in alcohol-related behaviors.

Main Results:

  • Preclinical data indicate that TrkB, RET, ALK, FGFR, and EGFR significantly modulate alcohol consumption and behaviors associated with alcohol addiction.
  • RTKs are validated as 'druggable' targets, with inhibitors developed primarily for cancer treatment.

Conclusions:

  • The identified RTKs represent promising targets for developing novel pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder (AUD).
  • Further research into RTK modulation may lead to effective treatments for AUD.
Keywords:
ALKAddictionEGFRFGFRRETTrkBalcoholkinases

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