Mechanistic insights into epigenetic modulation of ethanol consumption

There is growing evidence that small-molecule inhibitors of epigenetic modulators, such as histone deacetylases (HDAC) and DNA methyltransferases (DNMT), can reduce voluntary ethanol consumption in animal models, but molecular and cellular processes underlying this behavioral effect are poorly understood. We used C57BL/6J male mice to investigate the effects of two FDA-approved drugs, decitabine (a DNMT inhibitor) and SAHA (an HDAC inhibitor), on ethanol consumption using two tests: binge-like drinking in the dark (DID) and chronic intermittent every other day (EOD) drinking.

Source: Alcohol - March 11, 2017 Category: Addiction Authors: Igor Ponomarev, Claire E. Stelly, Hitoshi Morikawa, Yuri A. Blednov, R. Dayne Mayfield, R. Adron Harris Source Type: research