AsianScientist (Feb. 10, 2015) – A recent study published in Molecular Psychiatry suggests that the immune system can be co-opted to treat cocaine addiction. The research, led by the University of Adelaide and the University of Colorado, could have implications for all types of drug addictions.
The team has focused its research efforts on the role of the immune receptor known as Toll-Like receptor 4 (TLR4).
“Our previous studies have shown that TLR4 is responsible for amplifying addiction to opioid drugs such as heroin, but this is the first time we’ve discovered it has a key role to play in cocaine addiction,” says Professor Mark Hutchinson, ARC Research Fellow in the University of Adelaide’s School of Medical Sciences.
Lead author Alexis Northcutt, from the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder, says: “We’ve demonstrated conclusively that cocaine interacts with TLR4 to produce a pro-inflammatory effect in the brain. The effect is necessary to convey the drug’s rewarding effects. Without it, reward is greatly reduced.
“Combined with our previous work, this suggests that the immune signalling may be a key mechanism underlying the rewarding and reinforcing effects of drugs such as opioids, cocaine, and potentially other abused substances, like methamphetamine and alcohol,” she says.
In laboratory studies, the researchers had previously demonstrated that opioid addiction could be blocked, by using the drug (+)-naloxone to prevent opioids from binding to TLR4.
“The cocaine study has had the same result, which is unique in itself. We now have two major drugs of addiction that are both being amplified by TLR4, which we can stop through the use of (+)-naloxone,” says Hutchinson, who is also Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics at the University.
“These are very exciting and encouraging results. It means that we could potentially see a single intervention for a wide range of addictions in the future.”
The article can be found at: Northcutt et al. (2015) DAT Isn’t All That: Cocaine Reward and Reinforcement Require Toll-like receptor 4 Signaling.
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Source: University of Adelaide; Photo: AJC1/Flickr/CC.
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