αCaMKII autophosphorylation mediates neuronal activation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus after alcohol and cocaine in mice.

Psychoactive drug-induced cellular activation is a key mechanism to promote neuronal plasticity and addiction. Alpha Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (αCaMKII) and its autophosphorylation play a key role in the development of drug use associated behaviours. It has been suggested that αCaMKII autophosphorylation is necessary for drug-induced neuronal activation in the mesolimbic system. Here, we show an alcohol- and cocaine-induced increase in c-fos expression in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, which is absent in αCaMKII(T286A) autophosphorylation deficient mice. These findings may suggest a role in hippocampal αCaMKII autophosphorylation in the acute neuroplastic effects of alcohol and cocaine.