CART Protein May Neutralize Cocaine

A recent study into the metabolism of cocaine and other psychostimulant drugs found that a CART (cocaine-amphetamine regulated transcript) peptide reduced some of the effects of cocaine when it was injected into the locomotor area of the brain prior to the administration of the drug.

Investigators at Emory University (Atlanta, GA, USA; www.emory.edu) injected CART 55-102 into the nucleus accumbens area of the brains of a subject group of rats. They reported in the December 2003 issue of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics that injection of the peptide alone had no effect, but pretreatment with the peptide blunted or reduced the locomotor-inducing effects of cocaine. This effect was dose-related and time limited. A CART peptide fragment not active in other studies was without effect on cocaine-induced locomotor activity. Intra-accumbal injection of dopamine produced a dose-related and time-limited increase in locomotor activity. Co-injection of CART 55-102 with dopamine blunted the effect.

"Past studies have shown CART peptide is slightly cocaine-like in other areas of the brain, but nevertheless inhibits further stimulation from the drug,” explained senior author Dr. Michael Kuhar, chief of the neuroscience division at Emory University. "While additional research will be necessary, we have demonstrated the importance of CART peptide in combating or slowing down some of the effects of cocaine.”




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