Fig 1.
Diagram of dissection regions for human brain samples.
Drawings represent anterior (A) and posterior (B) coronal sections of human brain used for dissection of PFC samples, and (C) HPC samples. Red boxes highlight areas of dissection. SFG: superior frontal gyrus; MFG: middle frontal gyrus; IG: insular gyrus; FuG: fusiform gyrus.
Table 1.
Substance dependence, toxicology, and use of antidepressant medication in human cocaine addicts, depression patients, and matched control groups.
Fig 2.
Comparison of human and mouse FosB proteins.
(A) Western blot of hippocampal proteins with FosB antibody reveals multiple additional bands in typical human cocaine addict HPC sample compared to a chronic cocaine-treated (15 mg/kg for 7 days) mouse HPC. Novel bands are apparent at 20 kDa, 23 kDa (white arrow), and 30 kDa (black arrow). (B) Correlation and linear regression plots of protein expression for each band in the human samples with the postmortem interval (time between death and brain freezing) for each human sample. Dotted lines represent 95% confidence interval; no linear regression slope differed significantly from 0.
Fig 3.
Expression of FosB proteins in mouse HPC after extended postmortem intervals.
The brains of mice given an acute injection of cocaine (15 mg/kg i.p.) were left in situ for 0, 1, or 8 hrs after sacrifice before harvesting HPC. Western blot reveals buildup of a 23 kDa band in the 8 hr animals, but does not show other bands found in human HPC samples.
Table 2.
Demographics of human cocaine addicts, depression patients, and matched control groups.
Fig 4.
Expression of FosB proteins in HPC and PFC of human cocaine addiction and depression patients.
(A) Western blot of FosB proteins from the HPC and PFC of human cocaine addicts (Coc) and controls (Con). (B) Quantitation reveals a cocaine-dependent decrease in many FosB proteins in the HPC but not PFC (*:p<0.05, #:p = 0.05). (C) Western blot of FosB proteins from the HPC and PFC of human depression patients off (Dep) or on antidepressants (Dep + AD) and controls (Con). (D) Quantitation reveals a depression-dependent decrease in some FosB proteins in the HPC but not PFC (*:p<0.05). Error bars indicate mean +/- SEM.
Fig 5.
Expression of possible ΔFosB gene target proteins in HPC and PFC of human cocaine addiction and depression patients.
(A) Western blot of potential ΔFosB gene target proteins from the HPC and PFC of human cocaine abusers (Coc) and controls (Con). (B) Quantitation reveals a cocaine-dependent decrease in all GluA2 and CaMKII in the HPC but not PFC (*:p<0.05, #:p = 0.05). (C) Western blot of potential ΔFosB gene target proteins from the HPC and PFC of human depression patients off (Dep) or on antidepressants (Dep + AD) and controls (Con). (D) Quantitation reveals no depression-dependent changes. Error bars indicate mean +/- SEM.