Is There a Novel Biosynthetic Pathway in Mice That Converts Alcohol to Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Epinephrine?
Previous studies in animals and humans have shown multiple types of interaction between alcohol (ethanol) intake and the catecholamine signaling molecules: dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. This literature suggests that the administration of alcohol to rodents affects the central and periphe...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-04-01
|
| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/9/2726 |
| _version_ | 1797503734011396096 |
|---|---|
| author | Paul J. Fitzgerald |
| author_facet | Paul J. Fitzgerald |
| author_sort | Paul J. Fitzgerald |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous studies in animals and humans have shown multiple types of interaction between alcohol (ethanol) intake and the catecholamine signaling molecules: dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. This literature suggests that the administration of alcohol to rodents affects the central and peripheral (blood plasma) levels of these catecholamines. Two prior publications (Fitzgerald 2012, 2020) put forth the hypothesis that there may be a currently unidentified biosynthetic pathway, in a range of organisms, that actually converts alcohol to dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. This publication describes the details for how to test this hypothesis in mice. Mice can be systemically injected with an intoxicating dose of commercially available stable isotope-labeled ethanol (ethanol-1-<sup>13</sup>C), and blood plasma samples and brains can be collected approximately two to 24 h post-injection. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis can then be used to test whether some of the labeled ethanol molecules have been incorporated into new dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine molecules, in plasma and brain samples. If confirmed, this hypothesis may have broadly reaching implications both for basic neuroscience and our understanding of alcohol abuse and alcoholism. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:54:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-51bdcd3951d9416991345e0098152275 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:54:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-51bdcd3951d9416991345e00981522752023-11-23T08:48:41ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492022-04-01279272610.3390/molecules27092726Is There a Novel Biosynthetic Pathway in Mice That Converts Alcohol to Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Epinephrine?Paul J. Fitzgerald0Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USAPrevious studies in animals and humans have shown multiple types of interaction between alcohol (ethanol) intake and the catecholamine signaling molecules: dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. This literature suggests that the administration of alcohol to rodents affects the central and peripheral (blood plasma) levels of these catecholamines. Two prior publications (Fitzgerald 2012, 2020) put forth the hypothesis that there may be a currently unidentified biosynthetic pathway, in a range of organisms, that actually converts alcohol to dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. This publication describes the details for how to test this hypothesis in mice. Mice can be systemically injected with an intoxicating dose of commercially available stable isotope-labeled ethanol (ethanol-1-<sup>13</sup>C), and blood plasma samples and brains can be collected approximately two to 24 h post-injection. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis can then be used to test whether some of the labeled ethanol molecules have been incorporated into new dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine molecules, in plasma and brain samples. If confirmed, this hypothesis may have broadly reaching implications both for basic neuroscience and our understanding of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/9/2726ethanolcatecholaminessubstance abusedependenceaddictionreward |
| spellingShingle | Paul J. Fitzgerald Is There a Novel Biosynthetic Pathway in Mice That Converts Alcohol to Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Epinephrine? Molecules ethanol catecholamines substance abuse dependence addiction reward |
| title | Is There a Novel Biosynthetic Pathway in Mice That Converts Alcohol to Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Epinephrine? |
| title_full | Is There a Novel Biosynthetic Pathway in Mice That Converts Alcohol to Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Epinephrine? |
| title_fullStr | Is There a Novel Biosynthetic Pathway in Mice That Converts Alcohol to Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Epinephrine? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is There a Novel Biosynthetic Pathway in Mice That Converts Alcohol to Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Epinephrine? |
| title_short | Is There a Novel Biosynthetic Pathway in Mice That Converts Alcohol to Dopamine, Norepinephrine and Epinephrine? |
| title_sort | is there a novel biosynthetic pathway in mice that converts alcohol to dopamine norepinephrine and epinephrine |
| topic | ethanol catecholamines substance abuse dependence addiction reward |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/9/2726 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pauljfitzgerald isthereanovelbiosyntheticpathwayinmicethatconvertsalcoholtodopaminenorepinephrineandepinephrine |