Methamphetamine increases expression of the apoptotic c-myc and L-myc genes in the mouse brain

To clarify the possible mechanisms by which the recreational drug, methamphetamine (METH), induces apoptosis, we investigated its effects on the expression of Myc apoptotic genes. This paper presents the characterization of c-myc and L-myc gene transcription in the striatum and the cortex. In addition, the expression of the corresponding proteins was also evaluated. Our observations reveal that c-myc and L-myc were up-regulated by METH at both the mRNA and protein levels. Thus, myc transcription factors might be responsible for some aspects of METH-induced apoptotic processes.