Protein kinase G increases AMPA receptor GluR1 phosphorylation at serine 845 after repeated cocaine administration in the rat nucleus accumbens

Abstract

The regulation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor GluR1 subunit phosphorylation at serine 845 (GluR1-Ser845) by protein kinase G (PKG) activation was investigated in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) after repeated cocaine administration. Intra-NAc injection of the cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) analog, Rp-8-Br-PET-cGMPS (5 nmol) and the PKG inhibitor, KT5823 (2 nmol), prior to the final drug injection significantly decreased GluR1-Ser845 phosphorylation elevated by repeated systemic injections of cocaine (20mg/kg) once a day for seven consecutive days. The inhibition of PKG also attenuated Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent protein kinases II (CaMKII) phosphorylation, however inhibition of CaMKII with KN62 (20 nmol) did not alter the phosphorylation state of GluR1-Ser845. Similarly, inhibition of cGMP or PKG attenuated the repeated cocaine-induced increase in locomotor activity. These findings suggest that the AMPA receptor provides a PKG-sensitive phosphorylation site on GluR1-Ser845 in the NAc after repeated cocaine, thus contributing to behavioral alterations.