Increased Sensitivity to Cocaine Self-Administration in HIV-1 Transgenic Rats is Associated with Changes in Striatal Dopamine Transporter Binding

Cocaine abuse in HIV patients accelerates the progression and severity of neuropathology, motor impairment and cognitive dysfunction compared to non-drug using HIV patients. Cocaine and HIV interact with the dopamine transporter (DAT); however, the effect of their interaction on DAT binding remains understudied. The present study compared the dose–response functions for intravenous self-administration of cocaine and heroin between male HIV-1 transgenic (HIV-1 Tg) and Fischer 344 rats. The cocaine and heroin dose–response functions exhibit an inverted U-shape for both HIV-1 Tg and F344 rats. For cocaine, the number of infusions for each dose on the ascending limb was greater for HIV-1 Tg versus F344 rats. No significant changes in the heroin dose–response function were observed in HIV-1 Tg animals. Following the conclusion of self-administration experiments, DAT binding was assessed in striatal membranes. Saturation binding of the cocaine analog [ 125 I] 3β-(4-iodophenyl)tropan-2β-carboxylic acid methyl ester ([ 125 I]RTI-55) in rat striatal membranes resulted in binding curves that were best fit to a two-site binding model, allowing for calculation of dissociation constant (K d ) and binding density (B max ) values that correspond to high- and low-affinity DAT binding sites. Control HIV-1 Tg rats exhibited a significantly greater affinity (i.e., decrease in K d value) in the low-affinity DAT binding site compared to control F344 rats. Furthermore, cocaine self-administration in HIV-1 Tg rats increased low-affinity K d (i.e., decreased affinity) compared to levels observed in control F344 rats. Cocaine also increased low-affinity B max in HIV-1 Tg rats as compared to controls, indicating an increase in the number of low-affinity DAT binding sites. F344 rats did not exhibit any change in high- or low-affinity K d or B max values following cocaine or heroin self-administration. The increase in DAT affinity in cocaine HIV-1 Tg rats is consistent with the leftward shift of the ascending limb of the cocaine dose–response curve observed in HIV-1 Tg vs. F344 rats, and has major implications for the function of cocaine binding to DAT in HIV patients. The absence of HIV-related changes in heroin intake are likely due to less dopaminergic involvement in the mediation of heroin reward, further emphasizing the preferential influence of HIV on dopamine-related behaviors.