Figure 8.

Schematic representation of cocaine induced pericyte mediated inflammation involving the ER stress-autophagy axis via the sigma-1 receptor. Cocaine binds to the σ−1Rin the pericytes and activates the various ER stress pathways. Activation of ER stress in turn, induces the formation of autophagosomes while blocking the fusion of autophagosomes with the lysosomes, resulting in dysregulated autophagy. Dysregulated autophagy, in turn, leads to generation and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines thereby contributing to neuroinflammation.