RNA-Seq data analysis of a rodent model of adolescent binge drinking reveals pathways and candidate genes involved in neuronal remodeling and neuroimmune activation (original) (raw)

ABSTRACTIntroductionAlcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex, chronic psychiatric disease. AUD manifests as having uncontrollable drinking patterns with detrimental effects. Excessive alcohol intake in the form of binge drinking, which is common among adolescents and young adults, is associated with increased risk of developing AUD. Here, we analyze RNA-seq data from hippocampi of Sprague Dawley rats to investigate temporal changes in gene expression. We used a rodent model of binge drinking, i.e., adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE), to identify candidate genes that may play a role in the chronic changes in brain function and contribute to the development of AUD.MethodsAt postnatal day (PND) 30 (adolescence), rats received chronic intermittent ethanol (5g/kg intragastrically (i.g.) 10 times across 16 days). We extracted total RNA from rat hippocampal tissue that was collected at three time points. RNA was sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform. We processed RNA-seq data (Tri...