Super-Induction of C-FOS-Like Protein in Bovine Adrenal Chromaffin Cells Associated with Ethanol Withdrawal

Abstract

We have previously described changes that occur in bovine adrenal cells cultured in medium containing ethanol that mimic several of the changes observed in central neurones in ethanol dependence in vivo (Harper & Littleton, 1990; 1991). These changes generally reflect the development of tolerance to the inhibitory effects of ethanol while it is present, and cellular hyperexcitability on removal of the drug. One sign of cellular excitability that we did not measure in these earlier papers is the induction of c-fos proteins. If our cell culture model does accurately reflect changes that occur in vivo then increased expression of the c-fos gene is predicted since this has been shown in mouse brain during ethanol withdrawal (Jitenda et al, 1989). Increased expression of c-fos has also been shown in the central nervous system in vivo associated with seizures caused by electrical stimulation (Cole et al, 1990), kindling (Dragunow & Robertson, 1987) and convulsant drugs (Morgan et al 1987).