AA12404 Gene expression in the human alcoholic brain

$413,691R01FY2006AANIH

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Paper 39531384 Paper 39394458 Paper 38765062 Paper 38499210 Paper 38293028 Paper 38106079 Paper 37992784 Paper 37865137 Paper 37443729 Paper 36407766 Paper 36400266 Paper 35859068 Paper 35668157 Paper 35301805 Paper 35176017 Paper 34570193 Paper 33461665 Paper 33414398 Paper 32726684 Paper 32680583 Paper 32640038 Paper 32464636 Paper 32370184 Paper 32176824 Paper 32142123 Paper 31888299 Paper 31358844 Paper 31270906 Paper 30765688 Paper 30590091 Paper 30550931 Paper 30550930 Paper 30466505 Paper 30419244 Paper 30213503 Paper 30062672 Paper 29665166 Paper 29497781 Paper 29315347 Paper 29305589 Paper 29251283 Paper 29101021 Paper 28840972 Paper 28438526 Paper 28433417 Paper 28254370 Paper 27986929 Paper 27918243 Paper 27909320 Paper 27822501 Paper 27666021 Paper 27283430 Paper 27055617 Paper 26105134 Paper 25896098 Paper 25872594 Paper 25803291 Paper 25516156 Paper 25504503 Paper 25450227 Paper 25307570 Paper 25175860 Paper 25172479 Paper 25135349 Paper 25036611 Paper 24904269 Paper 24865944 Paper 24358215 Paper 24358208 Paper 24209778 Paper 24148570 Paper 23900301 Paper 23826734 Paper 23579943 Paper 23555817 Paper 23434064 Paper 23102405 Paper 22974310 Paper 22514554 Paper 22405477 Paper 22302827 Paper 21886576 Paper 21832861 Paper 21651580 Paper 21512613 Paper 21332526 Paper 21309947 Paper 21223303 Paper 21124972 Paper 20430014 Paper 19924264 Paper 19736238 Paper 19283474 Paper 19079075 Paper 18445113 Paper 18362899 Paper 17625000 Paper 16766085 Paper 16292326 Paper 16156047

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): During the current period of support we have developed a facility for fabrication and analysis of cDNA microarrays and identified patterns of gene expression in different brain regions from alcoholic and non- alcoholic cases. This success of this work has been facilitated by a strong international collaboration with investigators from the University of Queensland, Australia. Several key findings from these studies suggest that distinct patterns of gene expression in the frontal cortex are altered in alcoholics, and that these alcohol- responsive genes belong to functionally diverse families. These results raise several important questions that will be addressed during the next period of support. These include the following: (1) Can these gene clusters be generalized or refined to identify novel functional pathways in a larger and more diverse sample of cases? (2) Similarly, are there clusters of brain proteins that are changed in alcoholic individuals? (3) Can these genomic and proteomic profiles be used to define functionally related clusters that define disruptions of signaling in frontal cortex that are responsible for at least some aspects of alcoholism. (4) Are there patterns of gene expression in nucleated blood cells that can serve as biomarkers for alcohol consumption, dependence, or abstinence? The Specific Aims are: 1) Test the hypothesis that patterns of brain gene expression can identify novel functional pathways that are altered in alcoholics. It is also proposed that brain gene expression profiles will reflect drinking history, and severity of liver and other organ damage, 2) Global proteomics analysis will identify novel proteins that differ between individual alcoholic and non-alcoholic cases, 3) Test the hypothesis that patterns of gene expression in nucleated blood cells can distinguish between non-alcoholics, actively drinking alcoholics, and abstinent alcoholics. cDNA microarrays will be used to test expression of thousands of genes at a time as an initial screening method to identify potential blood-based biomarkers of alcoholism. These studies will provide new targets for addiction pharmacotherapy as well as new diagnostic tools for alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

View original record on NIH RePORTER →