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Neuroscience Graduate Program at UCSF
Signal Transduction, Molecular Neurobiology of Addiction
We use molecular biology, biochemistry and electrophysiology, in parallel with behavioral models, to study how normal signaling processes are altered upon exposure of rodents to alcohol and drugs of abuse, and how these changes lead to the development, maintenance or the prevention of addiction.
- Identifying the function of the growth factors BDNF, GDNF and IGF1 in the CNS and in alcohol abuse disorders.
- Determining the role of the mTor in aberrant synaptic plasticity induced by drugs of abuse.
- Identifying the role of tyrosine kinases and phosphatases in alcohol abuse disorders.
- Determining the role of the NMDA receptor in alcohol-mediated plasticity in the dorsal striatum.
- Exploring the role of scaffolding proteins in the CNS and in alcohol abuse disorders.
- Epigenetic mechanisms and addiction.
- Identifying the role of HSP90 in alcohol abuse disorders.
Somayeh Ahmadiantehrani, PSPG Graduate Student
Segev Barak, Postdoctoral Fellow
Sami Ben Hamida, Postdoctoral Fellow
Emmanuel Darcq, Postdoctoral Fellow
Stuart Gibb, Senior Specialist
Feng Liu, Postdoctoral Fellow
Jun Wang, Staff Research Investigator, Gallo Center; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Neurology
Vincent Warnault, Postdoctoral Fellow
Quinn Yowell, Staff Research Associate
Gibb SL, Ben Hamida S, Lanfranco MF and Ron D. Ethanol-induced increase in Fyn kinase activity in the dorsomedial striatum is associated with subcellular redistribution of PTPa. J Neurochem. September 15, 2011. [Epub ahead of print].
Barak S, Carnicella S, Yowell QV, Ron D. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor reverses alcohol-induced allostasis of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system: Implications for alcohol reward and seeking. J Neurosci 31:9885-9894, 2011.
Neasta J, Ben Hamida S, Yowell QV, Carnicella S and Ron D. AKT signaling pathway in the nucleus accumbens mediates excessive alcohol drinking behaviors. Biological Psychiatry. May 4, 2011. [Epub ahead of print].
Nie H, Rewal M, Gill TM, Ron D and Janak PH. Extrasynaptic d-containing GABA receptors in the nucleus accumbens dorsomedial shell contribute to alcohol intake. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 108:4459-4464, 2011.
Gibb SL, Jeanblanc J, Barak S, Yowell QV, Yaka R and Ron D. Lyn kinase regulates mesolimbic dopamine release: implication for alcohol reward. J Neurosci 31:2180-2187, 2011.
Neasta J, Ben Hamida S, Yowell Q, Carnicella S and Ron D. A role for mTOR complex 1 signaling in neuroadaptations underlying alcohol-related disorders. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107:20093-20098, 2010. Research Highlights. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 12, 4 (January 2011) | doi:10.1038/nrn2964.
Wang J, Carnicella S, He D-Y, Ahmadiantehrani S, Barak S, Ben Hamida S, Kharazia V, Zapata A, Shippenberg TS and Ron D. Nucleus accumbens-derived GDNF is a retrograde enhancer of dopaminergic tone in the mesocorticolimbic system. J Neurosci 30:14502-14512, 2010.
Wang J, Lanfranco MF, Gibb SL, Yowell QV, Carnicella S, Ron D. Long-lasting adaptations of the NR2B-containing NMDA receptors in the dorsomedial striatum play a crucial role in alcohol consumption and relapse. J Neurosci 30:10187-10198, 2010.
He D-Y, Neasta J, Ron D. Epigenetic regulation of BDNF expression via the scaffolding protein RACK1. J Biol Chem 285:19043-19050, 2010.
Jeanblanc J, He D-Y, Logrip ML, Carnicella S, Kharazia V, Janak PH, Ron D. Endogenous BDNF in the dorsolateral striatum gates alcohol drinking. J Neuroscience 29:13494-13502, 2009.
Logrip ML, Janak PH, Ron D. Escalating ethanol intake is associated with altered corticostriatal BDNF expression. J Neurochem.109:1459-1468, 2009.
Carnicella S, Ahmadiantherani S, He D-Y, Nielsen CK, Bartlett SE, Janak PH and Ron D. Cabergoline decreases alcohol drinking and seeking behaviors via GDNF. Biological Psychiatry 66:146-153, 2009.
Rewal M, Jurd R, Gill MT, He D-Y, Ron D, Janak PH. Alpha4-containing GABA-A receptors in the nucleus accumbens mediate moderate intake of alcohol. J Neuroscience, 29, 543-549, 2009.
Carnicella S, Kharazia V, Jeanblanc J, Janak PH, Ron D. GDNF is a fast-acting potent inhibitor of alcohol consumption and relapse. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105:8114-8119, 2008. (Faculty of 1000 Biology: http://www.f1000medicine.com/article/nmkg0cv6960wh9f/id/1117769, factor 6 “recommended” category).
He D-Y and Ron D. GDNF reverses ethanol-mediated increases in tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity via altering the activity of Hsp90. J Biol Chem 283:12811-12818, 2008.
Logrip ML, Janak PH, Ron D. Dynorphin is a downstream effector of striatal BDNF regulation of ethanol intake. FASEB J 22:2393-2404, 2008.
Jurd R, Thornton C., Jun W, Luong K, Phamluong K, Kharazia V, Ron D. Mind Bomb-2 is an E3 ligase that ubiquitinates the NMDA receptor NR2B subunit in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. J Biol Chem 283:301-310, 2008. (Faculty of 1000 Biology: http://www.f1000biology.com/article/id/1094973, factor 6 “recommended” category).
Wang J, Carnicella S, Phamluong K, Jeanblanc J, Ronesi JA, Chaudhri N, Janak PH, Lovinger DM, Ron D. Ethanol induces long-term facilitation of NR2B-NMDA receptor activity in the dorsal striatum: Implications for alcohol drinking behavior. J Neurosci 27:3593-3602, 2007. (Faculty of 1000 Biology: http://www.f1000biology.com/article/id/1085799, factor 6 “recommended” category).
He D-Y and Ron D. Autoregulation of glial cell line derived neurotrophic factor expression: Implications for the long-lasting actions of the anti-addiction drug, Ibogaine. FASEB J 20:2420-2422, 2006.
Kiely PA, O'gorman D, Luong K, Ron D, O'connor R. Insulin-like growth factor I controls a mutually exclusive association of RACK1 with protein phosphatase 2A and {beta}1 integrin to promote cell migration. Mol Cell Biol 2006 Jun; 26(11):4041-51.
Jeanblanc J, He D-Y, McGough NNH, Logrip ML, Phamluong K, Janak PH, Ron D. The dopamine D3 receptor is part of a homeostatic pathway regulating ethanol consumption. J Neurosci 26:1457-1464. 2006.
Dorit Ron, Ph.D.
Phone
510-985-3150
Physical Address
Ernest Gallo Clinic & Research Center
5858 Horton Street
Mailing Address
Ernest Gallo Clinic & Research Center
5858 Horton Street, Suite 200
Emeryville, CA 94608
Other Websites
Alcohol Center for Translational Genetics
Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program
Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center