Skip to main content
. 2010 Jun 30;35(10):2120–2133. doi: 10.1038/npp.2010.90

Figure 4.

Figure 4

ECM proteins are also downregulated after extinction of heroin self-administration. We compared levels of Bcan and Tnr proteins in synaptic fractions of the mPFC, NAc, and dorsal striatum (dStriatum) between animals that underwent saline or heroin extinction, and heroin extinction animals that were re-exposed to heroin-conditioned cues (30 min). Representative examples are depicted on the left side. (a) We observed a significant reduction in the synaptic protein levels of Bcan (145 kDa; p<0.05) and a similar (non-significant) trend for decrease in Tnr 180 and 160 kDa (p>0.05) levels after extinction of heroin self-administration. The abundance of Bcan 145 kDa did not differ between saline animals and heroin animals that were cue-exposed. Similar to levels during abstinence from heroin self-administration, the level of the Bcan 120 kDa isoform was not altered. (b) In the NAc, the levels of Tnr 180 and 160 kDa were significantly (p<0.001) different, with post-hoc analysis revealing a significant difference between all groups. The level of Bcan 145 kDa followed a similar pattern but ANOVA analysis only reached near significance (p=0.074). (c) Abundance of all Bcan and Tnr isoforms in synaptic fractions of the dorsal striatum was not significantly different. All data are mean±SEM. *p<0.05 (one-way ANOVA).