V-007 | Involvement of the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) in vulnerability to stress-induced cocaine dependence.

Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
Author: Tomás Camilo Díaz | Email: tomas.camilo.diaz@mi.unc.edu.ar

Tomás Camilo Díaz^1°, María Julieta Boezio^1°,Victoria Vaccaro^1°, Agustín Anastasia^2°, Flavia Bollati^1°

^1° Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología Otto Orsingher, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina;
^2° Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martin Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina

Our research focuses on the impact of stress on vulnerability to cocaine addiction. Specifically, we propose to investigate the involvement of the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) in the expression of stress-induced vulnerability to cocaine, using an animal model that expresses the Val66Met single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the prodomain of the BDNF gene. Recent studies suggest that the Met variant of the prodomain (Met-pBDNF) influences neuronal plasticity and alters stress responses mediated by the p75NTR and SorCS2 receptors. In our study, we will use p75NTR knockout (p75NTR KO) mice, which will be injected intra-accumbens with lentiviral particles expressing the Val66Met prodomain variants, known as Met-pBDNF and Val-pBDNF. Our analysis will focus on behavioral, molecular, and structural changes that occur in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of stressed mice in response to cocaine. Additionally, we will investigate the signaling pathways involving p75NTR receptors in this model, as the Val66Met polymorphism of the BDNF prodomain interacts differentially with the p75NTR/SorCS2 complex, potentially, leading to alterations in neuronal plasticity.