In a world world, scientists at the University of Utah have designed Fruit flies sensitive to cocaine dependence. But as strange as it may seem, there are potentially vital reasons to genetically modify insects to want the medication. The new biological model could help therapies for treatment for drug addiction and accelerate research times. The results are detailed in the Journal of Neuroscience.
As surprising as it may seem, humans have a lot in common with Fruit flies. In fact, we Share around 70 to 75% The same genes responsible for various diseases, as well as several of the same vital organs. Researchers relied on insects to genetic studies For years, in particular to study the biological roots of certain dependencies such as cocaine abuse. This is largely due to the rapid life cycle of the fruit fly and its relatively simple genetic composition. But while scientists have administered the drug For bugs in the past, there has always been a little problem.
“The flies do not like cocaine at all”, Adrian Rothenfluh, the main author of the study and associate professor of psychiatry, said in a press release.
Even when it is previously presented at cocaine, the Rothenfluh team noted that the insects had regularly opted for pure sugar water on the water of the stacked sugar of cocaine. The study The first author Travis Philyaw theorized that reason can reside in the sense of the taste of a fly that is on their legs.
“Insects are evolutionaryly started to avoid vegetable toxins, and cocaine is a vegetable toxin,” said Philyaw. “They have taste receptors on their” arms ” – their tarsus segments – so that they can get their hands in something before he puts himself in their mouths, and decide:” I’m not going to touch this. »»
After having confirmed that cocaine activates the receptors of the bitter detection taste of a fruit fly, Rothenfluh and Philyaw have extinguished these nerves. Once disabled, there was not much to prevent flies from developing a habit of cocaine. These modified flies were then introduced into the infused sugar water with a low concentration of cocaine. Within 4 p.m., insects indicated a preference for drug drinks.
“In low doses, they are starting to run, just like people,” said Rothenfluh. “In very high doses, they are incapable, which is also true in people.”
Now that researchers know how to raise modified fruit flies, they can more easily study how cocaine dependence evolves in the body. Not only that, but they can do it on a much faster chronology by analyzing hundreds of genes at the same time.
“We can put the research so quickly in flies,” said Philyaw. “We can identify the risk genes that could be difficult to discover in more complex organizations, then we transmit this information to researchers who work with models of mammals.”
From there, scientists can identify the treatment objectives that help to link human therapy options.
“We can really start understanding the mechanisms of choice of cocaine, and the more you understand on the mechanism, the more you have a chance to find a therapy that could act on this mechanism,” said Rothenfluh.
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