IBANGS Annual Meeting 2026:
Genes, Brain and Behavior
June 8-11, 2026
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Conference Agenda
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Daily Overview |
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Selected Talks 2 Location: Assembly Room/Ballroom Session Chair: Gregg Homanics Session Chair: Carlos Novoa Session Chair: Aijun Zhang Session Chair: Antonio Marini-Davis | |
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Long Noncoding RNA Gas5 Modulation of the Stress-Related Phenotypes of Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure University of Pittsburgh RC Rice,1 MN Wauhop,2 GE Homanics,3,4 SP Farris2,5 The long noncoding RNA growth arrest specific 5 (Gas5) is differentially methylated in blood and brain of individuals with alcohol use disorder and has multiple proposed functions, including immune- and glucocorticoid signaling modulation. In mouse, we previously observed a male-specific increase in nondependent voluntary ethanol consumption following Gas5 knockdown (KD) in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and persistent downregulation of mPFC Gas5 following chronic intermittent ethanol vapor (CIEV). We hypothesize mPFC Gas5 modulates CIEV-induced escalation of ethanol consumption and stress-related behaviors during ethanol abstinence. To test this, we performed mPFC-specific Gas5 KD in adult male mice (C57BL/6J background), exposed them to CIEV-2BC, then tested stress-related behaviors and peak serum CORT levels during abstinence. mPFC Gas5 KD did not alter voluntary ethanol consumption, but modulated CIEV effects on stress-related behaviors during abstinence. In the open field test, Gas5 KD in air controls mimicked the stress-like phenotype of CIEV, measured by decreased entries and time spent in the inner zone, whereas Gas5 KD attenuated this phenotype in CIEV mice. In the elevated plus maze, CIEV resulted in decreased stretch-attend postures, which was ablated in Gas5 KD CIEV mice, suggesting Gas5 KD reversed CIEV impairment on risk assessment behavior. Peak serum CORT increased in CIEV mice seven days into abstinence, with no effect of Gas5 KD. However, 21 days into abstinence, CIEV mice with Gas5 KD displayed a persistent increase in serum CORT, while their CIEV control counterparts displayed levels resembling air controls. These findings suggest Gas5 modulates stress-related phenotypes of ethanol abstinence. 1University of Pittsburgh, Center for Neuroscience, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA 2University of Pittsburgh, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA 3University of Pittsburgh, Department of Pharma cology & Chemical Biology, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA 4University of Pittsburgh, Department of Neurobiology, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA 5University of Pittsburgh, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA Funding Support: NIAAA AA031168 (PI: Rice), U01 AA020889 (PI: Farris, MPI: Homanics), and R01 AA024836 (PI: Farris). | |